CHAP. XIX] 



J DUTCH MAIL STEAMER^ 



285 



CHAPTEE XIX. 



BAND A, 



(deokhbkr 1857, MAY 1S59, apric, 1861.) 



rpHE Dutch mail steamer in wliieh I travelled from 

 Macassar to Banda and Aiiihoyna was a roomy and com- 

 fortable vessel^ a]tl»ougl[ it would only go six miles an hour 

 in the finest weather. As there were but three passengers 

 besides myself, we had abundance of room, and I was able 

 to enjoy a voyage more than I had ever done before. The 

 arrangements are somewhat different from those on board 

 English pr Indian steamers. There are no eabin servants, 

 as eveiy cabin passenger invariably brings his own» and 

 the ship's stewaixls attend only to the saloon and the 

 eating department. At six A.Jt. a cup of tea or coffee is 

 provided for those who like it. At seven to eight thei'e is 

 a light breakfast of tea, eggs, sardines, &c. At t'en, Madeira 

 giu and bitters are brought on deck as a whet for the 

 substantial eleven o'clock breakfast, which difPei's from 

 a dinner only in the absence of soup. Cups of tea and 

 coffee are brought round at three p.m. ; bitters, &c. again 

 at five, a good dinner with beer and claret at half-past six, 

 concluded by tea and coffee at eight, Between whiles 

 beer and sodawater are supplied when called for, so there 

 is no lack of little gasti-onomical excitements to while 

 away the tedium of a sea voyage. 



Our first stopping place was Coupang, at the \vest end 

 of the large island of Timor. We then coasted along that 

 island for several hundred miles, having always a view 

 of hilly ranges covered with scanty vegetation, rising ridge 

 behind ridge to the height of six or seven thousand feet 

 Turning off towards Banda we passed Pulo-Cambing, 

 Wetter, and Eonia, all of which are desolate and barren 

 volcanic islands, almost as uninviting as Aden, and offer- 

 ing a stran^^e contrast to the usual vertlure and luxuriance 

 of the Archipelago. In two days more we reached the 

 volcanic group of Banda, covered with an unusually dense 



