Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-27
Lifs o. rhe other Sac Of lhe world


A correspondent who went out in the
United States steamer Niagara, in company
with the Japanese Embassy, writes as fol-
lows of hotel life in Batavis, on the island
of Java;
Now about Batavia and the hotel at which
am stopping. How many in New York be-
lieve that on The opposite side of the globe,
ten thousand miles nearer the sun, hotels to
compare with the oriental magnifcence of
New York hotels can be found? But such is
the fact.
Everything we see here is so entirely differ
ent from what have seen or ever imagined
before, it is hard to tell where OF how to be-
gin. In all the imaginary wilds of specula-
tive fancy, had never dreamed of anything
to come up to or compare with Batavia. The
place approaching the nearest to it in the
East Indies or, in fact any other part OF the
world, is Calcutta and that by many is not
considered equal to Batavia.
The hotel at which l am stopping is the
Hotel des Indies, situated in the new or up
i per town, some half dozen miles from the
water. This is a fair specimen of five or
/ six others within half a mile Of each other.
/ My hotel and grounds coYer, ten acres. The
/ whole ground, like the rest Of the city, is
one immense forest Of trees and caRals. The
trees remind one very much Of the elms Of
New Haven. Houses are placed two or three
/ hundred feet back from the street, in front
the yard IS filed with trees, literally alive
with birds, and every variety of plants and
flowers. Every house has stoop or piazza
/ in front, on which, mornings and evenings,
! sit beautifully dressed ladies and children
4 The houses are whiteas the driven snow. In
front bird cages, elegant lamps, beautiful pic
lures and steel engraEings, handsome marble
top tables, rocking chairs, lounges, sc. These
4 articles are mostly of French manufacture,
of the incest description.
One can ride here for miles on roads as
smooth as a floor, and see nothing different
from what have described. At night the
city is one blaze of light from lamps-no gas
is allowed. The streets swarm with Malays,
JaFanese and Cinnamon, bat no negroes
They are very civil and attentive as walters,
and generally honest. Rooms are left open,
and articles of all kinds left exposed without
being stolen. There are no beggars to be met
with in the streets.
The hotel at which am stopping-the
main building two stories high, with an i'm
uiense piazza in fr0nt-is connected on each
SIDE by buildings like railroad depots, three or
four hundred feet long Each suit of rooms
contains room enough to make two three
and even half dozen ordinary rooms such
as we get at hotels in the United States. In
front and back are lighthouses, fountaics,
4 flower-gardens, and out-bouses for cooking
and for servants. Marble floors, tiled roofs,
ceilings from twenty to twenty-five feet high,
no carpets, and but few curtains.
! Meals are served in about the same style as
at first class hotels in New York.
The habits of living are quite different
At daylight coffee and tea are taken to your
room; at eight same, with light refreshments
twelve breakfast and at seven dinner. Cof-
fee and tea are always ready, day or night
same as baths No extra charge-take then
OF not as you please. No business is done
7 lin the streets in the middle of the day, OF
I account of the heat Nights and mornings
ire cool and delightful; birds are singing al
I hight