JAVA HOTELS* 
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a 
the scene before me. Hotels here are all rather 
similar in plan. Imagine a quadrangle, the front 
of which is isolated from the three other sides 
of the square by the carriage-ways which lead 
into the centre. In this front block is the re- 
ception-hall, fronted by a verandah. The veran- 
dah is paved with marble, and disposed in it 
are numerous small tables, chairs, and lounges. 
Towards evening it is brilliantly lighted, and is 
the resort of the occupants of the hotel before 
and after dinner. Passing from the verandah 
through the reception-hall, you find the dining- 
room extending back into the square. It is 
simply roofed, and flowers in pots and pendent 
creepers fill the open sides. A few bedrooms 
have place in this front block : they are perhaps 
cooler, and are generally occupied by bachelor 
gentlemen who permanently reside in the house. 
For my part, I prefer one of those out in the 
courtyard formed by the remaining three sides 
of the square, for these have each a verandah, 
furnished with a table and a lounging-chair, 
making as it were a parlour for the occupant of 
the bedroom behind. I could best picture these 
rooms by comparing them to a row of cottages ; 
but instead of a porch to each, imagine a con- 
tinuous verandah the length of the row. They 
