JAVA. 
93 
buried, together with an entire coffee-plantation, houses, occupants, and all, by a copious fall 
of boiling mud, which had been shot out of the Smeroe from a distance of several miles. 
This plantation was not situated on the slopes of the volcano, the coffee-estates on the 
Smeroe itself escaping all injury. On our return journey, just before ascending the steep 
path of the ancient crater-wall, my friend somehow parted company with his pony, so being 
totally unable to walk the distance back to the hotel, he sat down and resolved to wait 
until we should reach Tosari and send another pony for him; so I rode on and left him, 
but repenting I sent the guide back with my pony and walked the rest of the way home. 
During my walk I found the nest of the Chat (Pratincola caprata), which was in the side 
of a steep bank, a site often chosen by the Whinchat in this country. Thus ended an 
expedition to one of the most magnificent sights I have ever beheld—the early hours of 
the morning giving an effect to the panorama seen from the top of the Bromo’s old 
crater-wall which it would be impossible to portray. 
On the 4th October Wagtails (Motacilla flava) began to arrive from the northern 
regions in large flocks, and with them the first signs of the coming wet season. 
During my stay in Tosari, I witnessed two native (Hindu) processions. The central 
figures in these ceremonies were two youths who had attained the age rvlien the rite of 
circumcision is performed. The lads were stripped to the waist and powdered all over with 
yellow dust, bedecked with white flowers and brass ornaments ; they were mounted on 
ambling ponies (which are the pride of the Javanese) and over them were held large 
coloured umbrellas. The procession was headed by musicians and priests playing horns, 
gongs, and drums, and marched for some considerable distance round the villages. 
On the morning of 25th October I bid adieu to Tosari; there I had spent many happy 
days roaming about on the mountains, and in the good company of several Dutch gentlemen 
who were visiting this health-resort; but all good times will come to an end, so on that 
morning I rode over the Tosari spur to Lawang, accompanied for some distance by my 
Dutch friends. 
The bridle-path gradually descends through most lovely scenery, until the plains are 
reached. Lawang is about eight hours’ ride from Tosari, and is 1500 feet above the sea- 
level ; the town has quite a suburban appearance, and, being connected by rail with 
Sourabaya, is a Saturday to Monday resort of the Dutch; the hotel is most comfortable 
and the food excellent. The country round about is undulating and mostly under 
rice-cultivation, carried on by terrace-irrigation, but coffee is also extensively grown in 
this district. The great volcano of the Smeroe is distinctly visible from Lawang, but 
the sharpness of its outline is now softened in the hazy atmosphere ; the rolling pillar 
of smoke can be clearly seen as it slowly rises to the skies (see illustration, facing p. 92). 
In Lawang I engaged a Javanese hunter to guide me to the best localities for bird¬ 
collecting. The coffee-plantations formed my best hunting-grounds, and there I collected 
numbers of a beautiful Pitta (Eucichla cyanura ), the breast of this species being golden 
yellow, finely banded with blue stripes ; of other gaudily-coloured Javanese birds, I will 
merely mention Bee-eaters, Barbets, and Kingfishers, of which I collected several varieties 
of each, all birds of most brilliant plumage. 
