ANCHOR IN THE ROADS. 401 



way across the strait, with many boats and prahus, 

 and a considerable number of square-rigged vessels 

 at anchor, among which were an old sloop -of- war, 

 two steamers, and a schooner or two, belonging to 

 the Dutch navy. As soon as we had anchored, 

 several naval officers came on board of us, some of 

 whom spoke English, and all were remarkably polite 

 and attentive. We could still see nothing of the 

 town of Sourabaya, except a tower or two, and here 

 and there the roof of a house and a flagstaff over the 

 trees, in front of which were extensive mud-flats, 

 dry at low water. A kind of pier projected from 

 these into the anchorage, to which we were directed 

 to proceed when we wished to land. About two 

 o'clock, Captain Blackwood, Mr. Bell, and myself, 

 went away in the first gig, but on coming to the 

 pier-head, found it enclosed a canal, and the tide 

 being out, we grounded on a shoal. We immediately 

 called one of the native boats, of which there were 

 many about, and transferred ourselves to it. These 

 boats are flat- bottomed, with a broad seat and 

 awning for passengers, propelled by two men, or 

 boys, with paddles in the bows, and steered by 

 another in the stern. As soon as we entered the 

 canal, the two boys landed on the right hand pier, 

 and fastening a tow-rope to the head of a short mast, 

 or stanchion, proceeded to track us up. This canal 

 is the mouth of the Kediri river, or at least one of 

 its principal branches, called the Kali mas, or 

 Golden Channel. It is carried out by means of two 

 vol. i. °2 D 



