IMPRESSIONS OF JAVA 13 



impressive. From that vantage point there is presented 

 a fine, extensive view of a peaceful landscape, and at the 

 time of my visit an actively smoking volcano in the far 

 distance added a picturesque feature. In the vicinity 

 is another noble Hindu structure, the so-called temple of 

 Mendut, inside of which is found a large and singular 

 Buddha sitting on a chair, legs hanging down. The fig- 

 ure is nude and the expression on its features is very mild. 

 The journey from Djokjakarta to Soerabaia consumes 

 about half a day and the trip is pleasanter than that 

 of the previous day, when the rolling of the fast express on 

 a narrow-gauge track was rather trying, while at dinner- 

 time the soup and water were thrown about in an annoy- 

 ing manner. I have no doubt that this defect will soon 

 be remedied, for Java is still what a very distinguished 

 English visitor said sixty years ago: "the very garden of 

 the East and perhaps upon the whole the richest, best 

 cultivated, and best governed tropical island in the 

 world." Soerabaia is the great shipping port for sugar, 

 tobacco, etc., and a more important commercial centre 

 than Batavia. The day after my arrival I started for 

 Borneo where I intended to proceed to the Kayan or 

 Bulungan River in the Northeast. It was my purpose 

 to take advantage of the occasion to acquaint myself 

 with that district and its natives which would extend my 

 travels by a few months. 



