A TRAVELER'S NOTES ON JAVA 



95 



the first time on this voyage, and the cap- 

 tain promised to blow the whistle at the 

 moment our vessel was supposed to cross 

 the imaginary line. After dinner that 

 first evening at sea, we hurried on deck 

 to witness a sunset of rare beauty. As 

 the clouds lifted, we beheld the great orb 

 drop into the sea in a blaze of color 

 whose tints changed even as we gazed on 

 them. We had learned that a partial 

 eclipse of the moon was to occur during 

 the evening, and, to escape the heat be- 

 low, as well as to see this phenomenon, 

 all hands remained on deck. Presently 

 the mysterious shadow darkened the face 

 of "the bright regent of the sky," and, 

 later on (at 8:15), just as the shadow 

 reached its greatest extent, the ship's 

 whistle sounded on the still air. A 

 strange mingling of sensations, truly, 

 when we gazed on one of nature's mar- 

 velous spectacles and at the same time 

 realized that we were entering a new 

 hemisphere, wherein the bright constella- 

 tion of the Southern Cross beckoned us 

 on to explore new lands and strange 

 peoples. 



All next day we sailed southwest, with 

 the great island of Sumatra in plain view 

 to the westward, and, late in the after- 

 noon, entered Banka Strait, keeping on 

 our port quarter Banka Island, so famous 

 for its tin mines. 



BAT AVI A, THE CAPITAL OF JAVA 



Early next morning we docked at 

 Tandjong Priok, the port of Batavia. A 

 swarm of native runners and porters 

 boarded the steamer, directly the gang- 

 plank was in place, and such a jabbering 

 and shouting I have not heard since" the 

 old days at Atlantic City, before silence 

 was enjoined on the hack drivers. 



Our present purpose in visiting Bata- 

 via was merely to secure permits to 

 travel, and presently to trans-ship in 

 another steamer to the eastern end of 

 the island. After a short ride in the 

 railway we arrived at Batavia. where we 

 drove at once to the police headquarters 

 for the permits. 



The preliminaries attending the secur- 

 ing of permits to travel proceeded with 



true Dutch deliberation. After answer- 

 ing all the categories of the official, it 

 transpired that the printed forms used 

 for such purposes were all exhausted; 

 hence it became necessary for the clerk 

 to write out by hand the entire document. 

 In due time the necessary credential was 

 obtained, and we then undertook a drive 

 about the city. The ancient city of 

 Batavia proper is a grim, time-worn 

 place, with many warehouses and govern- 

 ment buildings grouped amid the inter- 

 secting canals. It is said to be unhealthy,, 

 and is wholly given over to commercial 

 interests. Delaying here only for a brief 

 survey, we continued our drive on clean, 

 well-kept roads for two miles along 

 canals suggesting Holland to the modern 

 residential suburb of Weltevreden. 



Passing under a white arch, we paused 

 a moment to examine the two statues of 

 fierce-looking native gods which guarded 

 the portal, observing also a guard of 

 Javanese soldiers who are being drilled. 

 by a native officer. Continuing our drive,, 

 we soon arrive at a broad avenue facing 

 the Konigsplein, a great green parade 

 ground, with its bordering streets shaded 

 by rows of tamarind trees. Facing this 

 extensive park are numerous neat villas 

 built in the bungalow style, often em- 

 bowered in cool foliage, the homes of 

 active and retired officials, army officers, 

 planters, and business and professional! 

 men who go to make up the white popu- 

 lation of the capital. We soon come to 

 an imposing building of classical design,, 

 which proves to be the Museum of the 

 Batavian Society of Arts and Sciences. 

 The copper elephant on a pedestal in 

 front of the building was a gift from the 

 King of Siam, presented on the occa- 

 sion of his visit some years ago. This 

 museum contains the finest ethnological 

 collection of any institution in the Far 

 East, and its publications rank well 

 among the learned societies of Europe 

 and America. 



But the rising sun warns us of the 

 approach of noon and we turn down a 

 side street and soon reach the welcome 

 coolness of the Hotel der Nederlanden. 

 As a rule the hotels were found to be 



