22 SET OUT ON HORSEBACK. 



Nov. 12. — As we were now to leave the 

 main road and travel on horseback, our baggage 

 was to be carried by coolies, of which we procured 

 this morning twelve or fourteen, and sent them 

 forward. At nine o'clock we set out in a carriage 

 which Mr. Etty had lent us to go the first post. 

 The route so far was the same as we had pursued 

 yesterday, turning off due south when we got a 

 mile out of Probolingo. The instant we arrived at 

 the first post-house a man stepped forward with a 

 tray of cups of tea and glasses of cocoa-nut water, 

 and rice-cakes, and we found a large party awaiting 

 us with small horses or ponies. We had brought 

 four English saddles with us, the native saddle 

 being inconvenient for those not accustomed to it. 

 Each of us found also a man on horseback ready to 

 attend him and carry his gun and game-bag, and 

 1 got a careful man on foot to carry my mountain 

 barometer. A petty chief rode before us, and another, 

 with a small party, brought up the rear, so that 

 we formed quite a cavalcade, although the natives, 

 with their gaily- coloured dresses, blue and red 

 coloured saddles, silver trappings to their horses, 

 and ornamented krisses in their girdles, quite cut 

 us out in appearance, with our dingy shooting 

 jackets and soiled trowsers. For a mile or two we 

 rode slowly up some slight ascents of rugged ground, 

 bare, brown, and uncultivated, although apparently 

 the soil was good ; but on arriving at the summit of 

 the low ridge we had a different and more beautiful 



