The Tomahawk., 1918-10-24

al, Java.
for my head? In despair I closed the
Dutch guide book, seized the pjth hcl-
met which alone stood between me and
social disqualification and went on
deck. AS Dutch gourmar1d l had
failed; my wardrobe was parody on
what Java demanded Of its visitor.
longed to be back again in the simple
life of Borneo, or the normal existence
of British India.
With official letters from the Hol-
land government in addition to my reg
ular credentials, the stupid customs
men of Tandjong-Priok refused admis-
sion to guns and all instruments the
use of which was strange to them. This
I accepted with regret but eQuanimity,
but only my complete loss Of temper
and my clear intention to start some"
thing at once, persuaded them to re-
turn to me my personal letters and
passports.
All Scrubbed and Labeled.
After q few uneventful days in Bata.
via we went up to its mountain suburb,
Bultenzorg, and here was Dutch ex-
aggeration at its best-the great botan-
zeal gardens which far excel Kew, Per-
ediniya and Hope, and admit only those
of Georgetown poor second. Yet
one tired after a while Of the perfectly
cAred-for lawns and walks, the labeled
palms and tagged orchids. The houses
60
and behind the Venetian blinds one de-
tected inharmony and discomfort. But
distance and the setting sun made the
outlook from our hotel veranda per-
feet and altogether lovely. A mass OF
green rolled steeply down 200 feet t"
the Tydane, hurrying swiftly along
with scores Of men, women and chill
dren tumbling about in 1t. For half q
mile the valley stretched out before
us, dense carpet Of verdure-feath'
!! cry palms or clOse-leaved taller trees,
here and there broken by the red-tiled,
white-trimmed little roofs Of the wat
tied huts, The deciduous trees stood
motionless, but every breath Of air
fluttered the myriad streamered palm
frOndS into q dur.
Dominating the whole background
and rising slowly and gracefully from
the valley was Mount Salak, its sum-
init Jagged and broken, but clearly
revealing the contour of the mighty
crater. Only in early morning was 1t
quite free of cloud. Soon 'wisps OF
mist would begin to weave about the
summit. skeins of translucent blue
tangling the outjutting crags, later to
be dissipated, or to increase In strata,
become opaque and close silently down
over the great mountain. With slight
variations this description will apply
to the great proportion OF Java, the
human element being usually more
emphasized, with its exterior Of pic
turesaueness, but with ideals which
begin and end with guilders and OIL
spring.
One thing impressed me in Buiten-
zorg: the marvellous balanced pole
method Of transportation, everything
from babies to dried fish being swung
on two baskets or platforms attached
to a plant pole resting on the shout
ders or back Of the neck. Up the path
to our veranda battered peripatetic de-
partment stores, the great twin piles OF
garish notions, mostly made in Ger
many" coming to rest as the floor
walker and owner .squatted between
them. Far more attractive were the
dual piles Of bright colored fruit, papa
Jas, rambutans, salaks, the acid bilim-
bi, and finally the DURAN and mango
steen as examples Of opposite ends OF
the gustatory gamut. The percentage
demanded by the money lenders made
of their balanced pole a veriest paro-
DIV Of the scales Of Justice. One Of the
last glimpses Of Buitenzorg's streets
showed an ambulatory restaurant, with
red-hot stove In one swing and In
the other q pile Of dishes and visnds.