CHAPTER XXVIII 



AN EARTHQUAKE — ERADICATING THE PLAGUE — THROUGH 

 THE COUNTRY NORTHEAST OF BANDJERMASIN — MARTA- 

 PURA AND ITS DIAMOND-FIELDS — PENGARON — THE 

 GIANT PIG — THE BUKITS — WELL-PRESERVED DECORA- 

 TIVE DESIGNS — AN ATTRACTIVE FAMILY 



I decided to travel more in Borneo, but before under- 

 taking this it was necessary for several reasons to go to 

 Java. In Soerabaia I had my first experience of an 

 earthquake. Shortly before two o'clock, while at lunch- 

 eon in the hotel, a rather strong rocking movement was 

 felt, and I looked at the ceiling to see if there were cracks 

 which would make it advisable to leave the room. But 

 it lasted only a few seconds, although the chandeliers 

 continued to swing for a long time. At other places 

 clocks stopped, and I read in the papers that the vibra- 

 tion passed from south to north, damaging native vil- 

 lages. In one town the tremors lasted three minutes and 

 were the worst that had occurred in thirty-four years, 

 but when the disturbance reached Soerabaia it was far 

 less severe than one experienced in Los Angeles, Cali- 

 fornia, in April, 191 8. 



As is well known, the government of the Dutch Indies 

 expends millions in eradicating the plague, which is preva- 

 lent in portions of eastern Java. In addition to exter- 

 minating the rats, it is necessary to demolish the bamboo 



huts of the natives and move the inhabitants to new 



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