A NATUEALIST'S WANDERINGS 



m THE 



EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO. 



CHAPTEE I. 



IN BATATIA AND BUITENZOEG. 



Arrival in Bataviii — First impressions — Biiitenzorg and its Botanical 

 Gardens. 



On the 8tli October, 1878, I embarked at Southampton on 

 board the Eo)'al Dutch Mail steamer Celebes, for Batavia, 

 on a long-dreamt of visit to the tropical regions of the globe. 

 There is little of interest or novelty to record nowadays of a 

 voyage to the East. The most stay-at-home is familiar with 

 this ocean highway. 



The home-come traveller, however, will be pleased to be 

 reminded of that pleasant picture nestling between the 

 Burlings and the Arabida hills — the stupendous and useless 

 convent of Mafra, the sharp turrets and bristling peaks of 

 Cintra, and the flasljing towers and white buildings of Lisbon, 

 rising from the banks of the river. Notwithstanding all I 

 had read of Wallace and of Bates, I was going out full of 

 extravagant ideas of tropical blossoms; and had little idea, 

 as I rounded the cape of Gibraltar, leaving to the north of 

 me purple hills of heather, scarlet fields of poppies, and rich 

 jjarterres starred with cistus and orchids, with anemones 

 and geraniums, and sweet with aromatic shrubs and herbs, 

 that I would encounter nothing half so rich or bright amid 

 all the profusion of the " summer of the world." 



It will please him to have recalled the Straits of Messina, 



