Vol. XXI, No. 2 



WASHINGTON 



February, 1910 



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ATHOHAIL 



©(SMAIPIHIIKD 



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A TRAVELER'S NOTES ON JAVA 



By Henry G. Bryant 



THE island of Java, in the Dutch 

 East Indies, by reason of the rich 

 beauty of its tropical scenery, its 

 picturesque native races, its varied his- 

 tory, and world-famous archeological 

 remains, deserves attention from the 

 intelligent traveler as a region worthy 

 of special investigation. The writer, 

 recalling how vague his own ideas were 

 ■concerning Java before his visit to the 

 island, and believing that few have had 

 ■occasion to acquire special information 

 relating to it, submits these random notes 

 ■of a journey recently made to that fasci- 

 nating region. 



At the risk of trying the reader's 

 patience somewhat, a few general facts 

 relating to Java are submitted by way 

 ■of introduction to the general narrative 

 ■of the journey. 



This favored isle lies wholly within 

 nine degrees of the equator and equals 

 in area the State of New York. Its sur- 

 face is diversified by many lofty moun- 

 tains, and it is remarkable for the great 

 number of volcanic peaks which rise 

 from the lowlands of the interior. No 

 less than forty-five volcanoes are found 

 on the island, and these range from 2.000 

 to over 11,000 feet in height, and many 

 of them are constantly in a state of semi- 

 activity. Within historic times several 



districts have been devastated by these 

 explosive forces, while many will recall 

 the eruption of Krakatoa, in the Strait 

 of Sunda, in 1883, as one of the most 

 desolating disasters of modern times. 

 One result of this ceaseless activity of 

 the forces of vulcanism during past ages 

 has had the efifect of covering the greater 

 portion of the island with a thick layer 

 of volcanic material which has produced 

 a soil unequaled in the world for fer- 

 tility. 



This deep, rich roil supports a vegeta- 

 tion which, in luxuriance and variety, is 

 unsurpassed by that of any other region 

 of similar area, and ever since the Dutch 

 established their first settlement on the 

 island, in 1595, a golden harvest of agri- 

 cultural products has been yearly gar- 

 nered to swell the granaries of the 

 colonists and the revenues of the home 

 government. 



To the visiting American perhaps one 

 of the most noticeable features about 

 Java is the distinctly paternal character 

 of the Dutch colonial administration. 

 This was impressed on us on our first 

 landing at Batavia, where we had to re- 

 port directly to the chief of police to 

 obtain permits to travel on the island. 

 Before these were granted, full answers 

 had to be given as to our names, nation- 



