The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-04
BENNINGTON VT. THURSDAY, JULY f. 1889.

Cleanliness and neatness prevail. Many
imposing business houses and princely
residences give a peculiar charm to the
quaint scenes, and add an air of enter
prise to the place. Its population num-
bers one hundred and fifty thousand,
many of whom are Dutch, the native
portion being Malsys, with large set
tlement OF Chinese who occupy their
own quarters in the city Batavia is an
important trade center. 1t has all the
facilities of railway and telegraphIc
communication with other parts of the
island, and contains large industries and
considerable wealth.
The public hotels for the most part
are one-storied buildings, occupying
three sides of court the front of which
contains the sitting and dining rooms,
and each wing consists of single row
of sleeping apartments that are reached
by veranda along the court side. In
front of the door of each chamber is an
immense reclining chair, upon which
the occupant of the room after rising
lounges in night apparel, and where he
sits and drinks cup OF coffee brought
to HIM by a servant. The dless of the
men, who spend the early part of the
day on the verandas, is simple garment
called pajamas, and that of the women
is the serouy for the lower part of the
boay, with long sleeved waist buttoned
up to the throat. In their distdbiHe
they loiter about until nearly noon, when
they dress for breakfast, the principal
meal of the day. The canals, which
thread the city ARE used not only for the
navivatIon of boats and washing of
clothes, but for bathing. Early in the
day the women and children make
lively sight down in the waters, clad in
their bathing suits, which consist of
wide strip of cloth wrapped about the
body and reaching from the arms 10 the
ankles. The change from the wet to the
dry garment, or serouy, is so dexterously
done that an observer fails 10 see when
the transformation takes place, the one
dress being on over the other which is
quickly allowed to drop down to the
feet.
The island of Java, the queen of the
Eastern Archipelago, as 1t is called,
stretches away to the east more than six |
hundred miles under hot tropical sky.
Its surface rises into lofty hills of vo!-
canic nature, with many deep gorges
and rushing streams. Its mountains are
covered to their very SUBMITS with lux
urious foliage, many of which are vol |
canoes. AT its eastern extremity, lies |
the city of Sourabaya, the capital of a |
resIdency amid delightful surroundings, |
1t is cut in two by large river, on one
side of which IS the European town con-
nected by bridges with the Chinese and |
Javan quarters on the opposite bank.
With pleasant streets, shaded by trop-
ical trees and large airy buildings, it is
comfortable place, even though under
the burning sun. The houses are pro-
vided with bathrooms, with stone floors
and large stone tubs, into which the wa
ter from the adjacent hills is constantly |
running, by the side of which the bather
stands and pours the cool liquid over his
body.
In our honor ball was given by the |
American consular agent, and was held
in a stonehoored arcade in the Public
Garden. A Dutch band was present and |
at intervals played Yankee Doodle. As
the eligible ladies were few, the resident
attendants, who arrived before we did,
showed their acumen by engaging all
the dances, and left Ut the only alterna
tive of looking on the mazy waltz, and
comforting ourselves with the excellent
collation. which was served, interspersed |
with strains of our National anthem,
SALISBURY.