The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-06

Singapore, Feb. 8. 1sO6.-We had not
thought Of visiting Java, but we heard
so much OF it from returning tourists
as we journeyed through Japan. China
and the Philippines that we turned
aside from Singapore and devoted two
weeks to a trip through the island.
steamers run to both Batavia (Which
Is the capital and the metropolis of
the western end Of the island) and
Soerabaja, the chief city of eastern
Java, and a railroad about 400 miles
long connects these two cities. A tour
of the islands can thus be made in
from ten to fifteen days according to
connections, but unless one is pressed
for time, he can profitablv employ a
month or more in this little island
attractive by nature and made still
more beautiful by the hands of man.
There are excellent hotels at the prin-
cipal stopping places. and the rates are
more moderate than we have found
elsewhere in the orient.
The lover of mountain scenery finds
much i'm Java to satisfy the eye. The
railroad from Batavia to Soerabaia
twice crosses the range. and as the
trains run only in the daytime one
can, without leaving the cars. see every
variety of tropical growth from swamp
10 mountain top, from cocoanut groves
and rice fields on the low land to the
tea gardens and coffee plantations of
bie nlSnef alLlIQQeS, not TO speak OF
mountain streams, gorges and forests.
Java is the home Of the volcano and
contains more of these fiery reservoirs
than any other equal area on the
earth's surface. While only about 500
miles in length. and from so to 800
miles I'm width. it has. according to
Wallace. thirty-eight volcanoes. some
of them still smoking. and all of them
interesting relics Of i period when the
whole island was deluged with molten
lava. Some assert that almost all of
Java has been built up by the erIip-
tions of volcanoes. Two extinct vol
canoes. Salak and Gedeh, can be seen
from furthermore. and from the top of
Boro Boedoer temple nine volcanoes
can be counted when the air is clear
at least. Groneman so declares in his
description OF this temple. although
not so many were visible the day we
visited there.
1t is only twenty-three years ago
that krakatau, which stands upon an
island of the same name in the Strait
Of Sunda, just off the east end of Java.
startled the world with an eruption
seldom equalled in history. 1t began
smoking in May. 1883. and continued
active until the 26th Of August follow
Ing. when explosions took place which
were heard DIT Batavia. eighty miles
distant and the next day the explo-
sions were still more gigantic being
audible 1000 miles away. The loss of
life caused by the mud and ashes and
by the waves set I'm motion bv the
eruption was officially estimated at
over $4,000. Various scientific societies
especially of Holland. England and
France. made exhaustive reports on
the Krakatau eruption. The Royal
society of Great Britain estimated that
the volume of smoke rose to height
Of seventeen miles and that several
cubic miles of mud. lava and stones
poured forth from the crater to the
ruin OF large area At one place the
water rose more than seVenty-fiVe feet
and threw a steamship over the har-
horhead into Chinese market but
under the influence of a tropicaI sun
and abundant moisture the slopes of
the volcano soon grew green again. and
now the natives speed their skiffs
through the adjacent waters and the
inhabitants of this volcanic belt live
and move with little thought of the
mighty forces which have so often
demonstrated their powers in the
archipelago.
IF one is interested i'm the study Of
trees. plants and flowers. he can en-
Dloy himself Indefinitely in the famous
Botanical Garden in BuitenzorE.
While Batavia is the nominal capital
of Netherlands. India, the governor
general lives at Buitenzorg-a city
built on mountain slope forty miles
from Batavia, where an altitude of
some fOO IeeI gives an average temper
allure of eight degrees below that of
the sea coast. The Botanical Garden
surrounds the palace. and for nearly a
century the authorities have been col
Letting specimens of the flora of the
tropics
The present superintendent OF the
garden. Herr Wigman, is an enthusiast
in his line. and we are indebted to him
for a most enjoyable tour through the
garden. The main entrance leads
through an avenue of gigantic kanari
trees. set some forty feet apart and
forming a verdant roof that entirely
excludes the sun. The officials believe
that they have made this the most at
tractive driveway in the world, and so
far a $ my observation goes they are JUS
titled in their claim. Climbing vines
OF every variety have been trained upon
these trees until their enormous trunks
stand like so many columns draped In
living green. One climbing vine, with
a tSrTnk one would mistake for a tree
If IT stood alone, has festooned row
OF trees 800 feet long and is still reach
ing out for new conqueSts. Herr Wig
man shows this monster vine with par
donable pride. but he has found on MS