Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-06-26
BATAVIA.

{.
"Ieisnot only of this quarter, but of ey-
| cry part of the East indies that people OF
Europe form avery strange idea. You
/ seem to think that here we find our money.
ready coined inthc mountains, and thar 1--we
nample upon pearls like sand under our
! feet, while alas! here as well assin Europe,
one must, gain ones wealth by the sweat
Of one s brow. India isnot at Presentwhat
| it was for the frs. adventures |; and tho
some Philosophers maintain. that the moral
world grows worse and worse,it is only to
she commercial world that this principle is
| truly applicable. With respect 70 the stats
of the. military in this part, | can assure
vow that a simple ensign would blushto be
foundin the streets on foot, though the
hire of a carriage would devour One fourth
ofhis days pay. In fact to obtain respect
officers in general lay aside the military
costume, to appear i.ll,abits OF silk, en-
hroidercd withgold and silver. These ex-
pences they are only able to bear through
the courtesy of the inhabitants. Ayoung
man once invited, is soon introduced into
the best houses in Batavia. NAV say that
| have Jared sumptuously every day since
! have been here, without any trouble ex.
cePt getting into ,hescarriages, which have
been sent to convey me to the scenes OF
hospitality. use
these considerations would have de.
tanned me in this city, but my anxiety to
obtain the salubrious air of the Country has
,ou, weighed them. That off the city is
so unwholesome, that it is no strange thing
very frequently, to hear that a person is
dead and buried, with whom you have din.
cd only three days before even aglass OF
pure wine, taken when one is unwell, may
occasion instant death, SO that here. even
when we'll, we are compelled to observe a
regimen iustas whenwe are sick in Europe
., for this purpose must observe, that
night is not less dangerous than day, as an
exposure to the moons rays is equally as
fatal as those ofthe sun, from ten in the
morning till three in the afternoon.
"In fact the heat is 80 intense, that e.,
ven shirt is intolerahle to sleep in. Our
winter alsois little better than four months
constant rain, in the intervals of which,
when the clouds are penetrated by the sun,
the season becomes SO unwholesome, that
the population is, as it were, threatened
with death. -
Still perhaps, there is not city in Eu'
rope. where the buildings are more magni-
6cent and regular. The luxury of the fur
niture is nearly equal to that OF the princess
and sovereigns of the European continent,
as gold and silverabound here. in the houses
of the most obscure individuals. -
|. " The time and manner OF our visits are
so different from yours, that | must inform
you of the particulars
We generally rise about day break,
the day being pretty equal all the year
round it is mostly broad day light at six
|sin the morning, so that by six, people hay-
ing taken their coffee, and smoked their
tobacco, are generally out upon their bu-
siness; this is. the best time TO meet with
seyery man of business, or even to obtain
an audience of the governor general. At
nine, as the heat begins to be intense, the
streets are quite clear; dinner IS soon O.
vcr after noon; after which, seldom TAX
ing above two glasses of wine, and smok-
ing pipe OF tobacco, every one retires TO
rest asregnlarly as if it were night. In
this interval, which lasts till FIVE in the at
ternoon, the most profound silence is OBJ
served! then again, tea, business, and Vie
sits occupy attention till nine at night the
common hour for supper.
/" This city unites some of the whole
human species; bns,the Chinese are most
numerous. MY hair dresser Is one OF
this description g ] do not understand a
word he says = but his singular gestures are
moss.amusing he is the completess panto-
1 mime I ever saw.
/" Europeans make their fortunes here