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CHAPTER III. 
AT SEA — DUTCH OFFICIAL MIGRATIONS — 8AMARANG STRAITS 
OF MEDNEA SURABAYA — MERMEN AND MERMAIDS — 
CARGO OF BIRDS CHARACTERISTICS OF JAVA THE 
DUTCH COLONIAL SYSTEM. 
Macassar Sea, 
With daylight on the 15th April we were speed- 
ing from the Hotel der Nederlanden, in Batavia, to 
the wharf, to embark in the steam-tender waiting 
to take us out to the roads, where the Bromo was 
riding at anchor. We had dined the previous 
evening in the suburbs, and afterwards attended 
a fancy-dress ball in the public gardens, return- 
ing after midnight to finish packing and make 
ready for the start early next morning. After 
this night of fatigue, the rapid drive in the cool 
morning air was delightfully refreshing, and I 
wished it could have lasted some hours instead 
of thirty minutes. The sun rose too quickly, 
and waiting on the steam -tender till all was 
ready was indeed trying. Officers looked over- 
