BY THE KEY. J, E. TENISON-WO0DS. 



105 



One soon began to feel the effects of our elevation. The air 

 got a little chilly, and mists commenced to wreath the valleys and 

 obscure the view. Malang was reached about dusk. There are 

 two hotels ; one close to the railway station with a 6ne view, the 

 other two miles away in the middle of the town, beautifully placet! 

 on the side of the lawn esplanade and close to the residency. We 

 stayed at the latter hotel and found it an excellent house, large 

 as usual in every respect from the verandah to the wardrobes, and 

 comfortable as usual, except for the odious custom of dining at 

 9 at night, equally destructive to good digestion and quiet sleep. 



Malang is the sanitary station of Java. The hotel was surrounded 

 by a bevy of small buildings, which are hired by the month by 

 invalids, who try thus to get rid of their fever or recover from 

 their cholera. Surabaya seemed to be the infected place whence 

 most of the sickness came, and I must say the number of ghastly 

 white faces around the dinner-table was wither significant of the 

 climate on the coast. Still, if the towns were well drained, the 

 drains covered over, and due distinction were made between the 

 waters used for drinking, bathing, and draining, Java would not 

 be such a pestilential place. 



I cannot help remarking here on the hotel system, which is 

 utterly different from what prevails in Australia. If a landlord 

 here depended upon the sale of wines and spirits his business 

 would collapse. There is no such thing as a bar. I have already 

 said that spirits and bitters are placed upon the verandah tables 

 before meals, and each one can help himself. There is no extra 

 charge on the bill of six rupees a day. Wines, spirits or beer 

 are bought by the bottle. What is not used at table is taken to 

 your room. Only twice did I see a drunken man at an hotel in 

 Java. The servants do not drink. In fact, labour is so plentiful, 

 that the smallest fault is visited with dismissal, and though the 

 wages are but a few cents a day, such a punishment is dreaded 

 sufficiently to keep the humble Javanese servant in order. 



There is not much to be seen in Malang, but the climate is 

 delightful. The cool refreshing dew which mantles on the bushes 



