CHAP. XI.] 



COMFJNV. 



165 



theatre. Every brook and rivulet had been diverted from 

 its bed, aad instead of tiowiug along tlie lowest ground 

 were to be found crossing out- road Iialf-way up an a»ceut, 

 yet bordered by ancient trees and moss-grown stonea so 

 as to have all the appearanco of a natural channel, and 

 bearing testimony to the remote period at wliich the work 

 had been dona As we advanced further into tlie country, 

 the scene was diversified by abrupt ix>cky hills, by steep 

 ravines, and by clumps of bamboos and palm-trees near 

 houses or villages; whQe in the distance the line range 

 of mountains of wliich Loinbock jjeak, eight thousand feet 

 high, is the cuhninatmg point, formed a fit background 

 to a view scarcely to be surjjassed either in human interest 

 or picturesque beauty. 



Along the first part of our road we passed hundreds of 

 women carrying rice, fruit, and vegetables to market ; and 

 further on an almost uuintemiptiid line of horses laden 

 with rice hi bags or in the ear, on their way to the port of 

 Arapaiiam. At every few miles along tiie road, seated 

 under shady trees or slight sheds, were sellers of sugar- 

 cane, pahn-wine, cooked rice, salted eggs, and fried plan- 

 tains, with a few other native delicacies. At these stalls 

 a hearty meal may be made for a penny, but we contented 

 ourselves with drinking some sweet palm-wine, a most 

 delicious bevemgo in the heat of the day. After having 

 travelled about twenty miles we reached a higher and drier 

 region, where, wat-er being scarce, cultivation was cunlined 

 to the little Hats bordering the streams. Here the country 

 was as beautiful as before, but of a dift'ereut chaiucter ; con- 

 sisting of undulating downs of short tmf iuteispersed with 

 line clumps of trees and bushes, stjmetimes the woodland, 

 sometimes the open ground predominating. We only 

 passed through one small patch of true forest, wliero we 

 were shaded by lofty trees and saw around us a dark and 

 dense vegetation, highly agreeable alter the heat and gkre- 

 of th*^ open country. 



At length, about an hour after nooia, we reached our 

 destinarion— the \dllage of Coupang, situated nearly in the 

 centre of the island— and entered the outer coiu't of a 

 house belonging to one of tlie chiefs witli whom my friend 

 Mr. Pioss had a slight acquaintance Here we were re- 



