SCENERY. 
281 
submit to the most oppressive sensations from a pertinacious ad- 
herence to national clothing. 
A visit to Buitenzorg, the country residence of Baron Van der Ca- 
pellan, gave us our only opportunity of seeing the beautiful scenery of 
the island. Buitenzorg is distant about thirty miles south of Batavia, 
is a thousand feet above the level of the sea, and is situated on the 
banks of a torrent at the foot of the Sallak Mountain. The Sallak 
of six summits rises to the height of six thousand feet, and is 
covered with verdure to its highest pinnacle. The dense and im- 
pervious vegetation clothing its steep declivities gradually unfolding 
towards the base disclose the huts of the natives, planted on gentle 
slopes, which are terraced into paddy fields, intersected with rivulets, 
and skirted with groves. Boundless luxuriance and softness are the 
leading features of Java scenery. Yet whilst the landscape is rarely 
broken by bare and rugged rocks, it possesses all the grandeur 
arising from lofty mountains, deep ravines, and rushing torrents, and 
possesses in an eminent degree that picturesque character which is 
peculiar to tropical countries, and results from the universal growth 
of the palm tribe. Very often also it derives a character of the highest 
sublimity from the tempests which visibly gather round the summits 
of the mountains. In looking upon the Sallak, I have often watched 
one of these grand natural spectacles which must be seen to be fully 
appreciated. The Sallak stretches away nearly north and south, 
losing its height at first abruptly, and then in gentle undulations. 
A large dense, but broken cloud, rising gradually from the southern 
limit, acquiring in its progress increasing magnitude, and sending 
before it a faint breeze, usually announced the approach of a storm. 
Soon becoming of the deepest black, it ascended to the summit of 
the mountain, and incorporated with a thunder cloud that already 
clothed it. Its volume thus increased assumed the form of a stu- 
pendous crescent, the upper horn enveloping the front, the lower, 
the base of the mountain ; whilst the landscape behind, seen through 
its hollow, and still illumined by a brilliant sun, was distinctly visible. 
o o 
