Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-28
From the New York Times.
A LADY TRAVELLER.
Interesting Interview with Madame Ida
Pfetner.


1t is not generally known to our citizens
that during the last month, we have had so.
journing in our midst a celebrity Of no small
note in the person of lady who has struck
out course as q traveller certainly original, so
far as her sex is concerned, and we are not
sure that any person OF either sex has adhered
to that course with the same pertinacity,
through nearly fourteen years, and found in
the varied incidents of travellers life, SO much
to incite continuance Of the same course, and
with an enthusiasm as great as at the COM
mencement, as she. The lady to whom. we
refer is Madame Ida Pfeifer, native of Wen
ma, Austria. Her adventures have formed the
subject of many newspaper article, besides
two or three interesting books which she has
written, and it is more than likely, should she
meet with no worse fate than that which has
befallen her in her past experience, that she
will live to furnish much more extended views
than she has yet done from her peculiar point
of view.
On Saturday last it was our good fortune to
have an interview with Madame PrEIFrER, at
the residence. of Dr. AIGNER, Of the New York
Demokrat, with whom she is at present sojourn-
ing as q guest. The interview was one of the
most pleasing character, and the memory of it
will be recalled in the future with many happy
conversation with DR.. AIGNER and his lady.
She is q lady apparently of about 45 years Of
age, though we were informed by her that she
has already reached her 58th year. She is
rather below the medium height, and possesses
small frame, and one which we should hardly
think sufficiently strong to successfully resist
the fatigue and exposures of as many years
travel. Her eyes are Of dark chestnut color,
and are expressive of intelligence and midness
of character. Her features are regular and
well moulded, and her face bears sweet and
lively expression, which is much heightened
during conversation. Her hair, though thin,
shows no signs of age. In her dress Madame
PFEIFFER is extremely plain-we suppose from
the necessity which exists in her travels, to
make her wardrobe as simple and compact as
possible. Her present tour is her fourth, and
her third around the globe, and was COM
menced in May, 1851. She went from England
: to the Cape of good Hope, and after remain
ing there brief period, she penetrated into
the country of the Hottentots, some two hun
dred miles into the interior. From the Cape
she went to Singapore, and from thence to
the Island Of Borneo. During her stay there,
Madame Pfeiffer resided for month among
fierce tribe of natives called the Dyaks, and by
the, English Head Hunters, who dwell on the
river Lupar. She then went over the noun
tains and lakes to Sungau and Landek. At
Landek she VISITED the extensive diamond
mines She visited most of the Dutch posses
sions on the island. The point she next
reached was the Island of Java, and was there
entertained by the different sultans. She re-
manned for some time among the ruins of the
ancient Hindoo temples on that island. From
Java, she next visited Sumatra. She went into
the interior Of the island, and remained four
weeks among tribe of cannibals-one of the
most savage of the East Indies-known as the
Battaker. Having limited knowledge of the
Malay tongue, Madame Pfeiffer conversed with
the savages without much difficulty, and their
cannibalships took occasion to inform her
nearly every day that they should have the
pleasure soon Of killing her, and of enjoying
the luxury Of eating her. She had her fears
that they would do so, but she managed to
suppress any signs of fear, and at the same
time laughed off the matter, as if it had been
said in Jest, telling them that she was an old
woman, and that her flesh was tough, and
would be, therefore, unpleasant to eat. The
savages showed Madame Pleifer the imple-
ments they used in the slaughter of their vic
tins, and gave an elaborate explanation, for
her satisfaction of their whole processes in get
ting up their bills of fare. Madame Pfeifer,
while at Sumatra, assembled the volcano of Me-
trape to its crater, ten thousand feet above the
sea- She visited successfully the Islands Of
Banda, and observed the cultivation of the nut
meg, and Ambou, where largo quantities Of
cloves are raised and exported.
On the Island of Tenarta, the next island
she visited, Madame Pfeifer was received with
great honors by the Sultan, who spared no
efforts to give her reception Ia Europienne.
A carriage he had for her to use in her travels,
but Of horses or mules he had none. He did,
however, "the next best thing" and placed
some twenty men to the vehicle, and they fur
nished the locomotive power. Gas was an in
novation which the Sultan Of Ternata had not
seen fit to make, and gas lamps at night were
for that reason quite unknown but the gal
liant Sultan, anxious to do the civilized thing
when Madame Pfeiffer moved through the city
at night in the carriage propelled by twenty man
power, had his people stationed at regular in
teryals on each side Of the street with lighted
hambeaus Madame Pfeifer witnessed the
dances given before the court Of the Sultan.
From Ternata she went to Menato one of the
Celebes islands. She remained there nearly a
month, and travelled into the interior, and had
an abundant opportunity TO admire its beaut-
fol vegetation. Her next stopping place was
the Island Of Macassar She visited here not
only the Dutch possessions, but also those Of
the native princess. She visited successfully
all>of the different kings of the Ceebes, and
travelled over the greater part Of Their domin-
ions.
From the Celebes Madam Pfeiffer returned
to Java, and embarked soon after from Batavia
TO San Francisco California, where she arrived
in September, 1853. She visited, successfully,
Sacramento, Marysville, the Wet Diggings, the
Quartz Mining Districts, the village called
Crescent City, near Oregon, and subsequently
the tribe of Indians located on the Rock River,
in Oregon Territory She passed several days
with the Indians, in their huts, partaking Of
their rude fare, consisting of fish without salt,
acorns, and roots, uncooked aud even unwash-
ed, style of serving rather offensive to civil
cation, but which Madame Pfeiffer managed to
subsist very well upon, though she would have
preferred moderate application of water to
the food prior to eating. She next visited the
Quicksilver Mines, near San Jose. Acapulco
was her next stopping place, from whence she
proceeded to Lima, Peru. Whilst in Peru, she
visited the mines Of the Temple Of the Sun, a