The Inhabitants familiar with Disease, &c. zoy 
The country round Batavia is for fome miles a continued 
range of country houfes and gardens. Many of the gardens 
are very large, and, by fome ilrange fatality, all are planted 
with trees almolt as thick as they can Band ; fo that the coun- 
try derives no advantage from its being cleared of the wood 
that originally covered it, except the fruit of that which has 
been planted in its room. Thefe impenetrable forefls Hand 
in a dead flat, which extends fome miles beyond them, and 
is interfecled in many directions by rivers, and more flill by 
canals, which are navigable for fmall veffels. Nor is this the 
word, for the fence of every field and garden is a ditch ; and 
interfperied among the cultivated ground there are many fil- 
thy fens, bogs and moraffes, as well frefh as fait. 
It is not drange that the inhabitants of fuch a country 
fhould be familiar with difeafe and death : preventive medi- 
cines are taken almofl as regularly as food ; and every body 
expeCts the returns of ficknefs, as we do the feafons of the 
year. We did not fee a fingle face in Batavia that indicated 
perfect health, for there is not the lead tint of colour in the 
cheeks either of men or woman : the women indeed are mcft 
delicately fair ; but with the appearance of difeafe there never 
can be perfect beauty. People talk of death with as much in- 
difference as they do in a camp ; and when an acquaintance i3 
laid to be dead, the common reply is, “ Well, he owed me 
“ nothing ; or, “ I mull yet my money ofhis executors.” 
To this dei’eription of the environs of Batavia there are but 
two exceptions. The Governor’s country houfe is fituated 
upon a riling ground ; but its afeent is fo inconfiderable, that 
it is known to be above the common level only by the canals 
being left behind, and the appearance of a few bad hedges : 
his Excellency, however, who is a native of this place, has, 
with fome trouble and expence, contrived to inclofe his own 
garden with a ditch ; fuch is the influence of habit both upon 
the take and the underftanding. A famous market alfo, cal- 
led Paffar Tanabank, is held upon an eminence that rifes per- 
peniicuLtrly.about thirty feet above the plain ; and except 
thefe fituations, the ground, for an extent of between thirty 
and forty miles round Batavia, is exaCtly parallel to the hori- 
zon. At the diilance of about forty miles inland there are hills 
of a confiderable height, where, as we were informed, the air 
is healthy, and comparatively cool. Here the vegetables of 
Europe flourifh in great perfection, particularly ftrawberries, 
which can but ill bear heat ; and the inhabitants are vigo- 
rous and ruddy. Upon thefe hills fome of the principal people 
have country houles, which they vilit once a year ; and one 
was begun for the Governor, upon the plan of Blenheim, the 
famous feat of the Duke of Marlborough, in Oxfordfhire, but 
it has never been finiihed, To thefe hills alfo people are fent 
