114 
TRASS/. 
with his family to reside here. We were one 
day sitting in our comfortless dwelling, en- 
grossed in writing, when a hearty voiee hailed 
us from the window ; and now our pleasant 
intercourse with the Maehiks brings an element 
of regret into our heartfelt longing to be off. 
They are in a temporary dwelling until the 
large house they have chosen on the plain is 
ready for occupation. But this has not hin- 
dered their hospitality, and daily comes a 
humorous invitation, generally in the form of 
a prescription, to join them at some meal. 
We have engaged Kobez to continue with us 
as cook, and Lopez and Carl go as hunters and 
bird-skinners. These last are excellent men. 
Kobez is not a great acquisition ; but, as you 
may suppose, a good domestic readily finds a 
good situation, and 'would not undertake the 
makeshifts of life on a savage island. Kobez 
is very anxious to take a store of trassi. 
"What is trassi ?'* Hear how H. details his 
first acquaintance with it, while in Java, shortly 
after his arrival in the East. " A vile odour 
w T hieh permeates the air 'within a wide area of 
the market-place proceeds from a compound 
sold in round black balls, called trassi. My 
acquaintance with It was among my earliest ex- 
