The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-10-17

GREAT school Of islands.
AZ nosing their way northefly In
single file, strives ever to gain
Roadway against the tides Of
the Indian ocea and the steady blast
Of the monsoon, and thus to pass Bor-
neo and reach sanctuary in the Bay Of
Bengal. The leader Is Sumatra-enor-
nous. sinister and unsophisticated, all
but rubbing coasts with the great fin
ger OF the Malay peninsuia-that STEM
der. ~sea-lapped mountain range that
has never lost hope of becoming still
another island. Close behind the lead
er swim Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa,
Flores and a host Of lesser fry-names
redolent with spices and reminiscent
of pirates and early explorers.
From the deck Of the steamer every
island seems to be still In almost prim-
tive glory, with only a scattering Of
hamiets and native huts to break the
feather forest of fronds, writes Will
liam Beebe In Asia. But as entrance
by train into a beautiful city shows 1t
as II made up of railway yards, coal
dumps, tenements and posters Of
chewing gum and Turkish baths, so
the ships passenger is sometimes de-
ceived. Borneo and Sumatra are sim
cere. and their great primeval forests,
their orang-utans and elephants are as
the imagination pictures them. But
Dutch builders have eclipsed the will
derness of Java and have transformed
II into an Indian isle of superficial
beauty, overrun by a host of cringing
natives. with stupidity and fecundity
as outstanding attributes. The thrifty
Dutch who have wrought this change
have lost the gentle, kindly nature Of
their forebears and with the sarong
garb of the natives have acquired a
heavy dizziness and a cupidity which is
manifested in suspicion Of all stran-
gers and an inhospitabie attitude for
eign to any but Teutonic colonists.
Exaggerations In Ways Of Life.
But ! was still ignorant Of all this
as l sat on the deck of the steamer of
the 'Koninkluke Paketvaart Maat-
schappiji'-the latter being inserted
at this point as local color, and be-
cause / am writing and not speaking
tins paragraph. Among all nations
one Is not surprised at unexpected ex-
aggerations In habits and ways Of life,
as my first tropical Dutch dinner wit
uGssed. "Riz tavel" was an~nounced--an
achievement which would strain the
capacity Of a brigade supply depot on
the battle front, whose technique re-
calls the Japanese tea ceremony, and
whose ultimate results equal q West
Indian pepper pot in diversity and an
old-fnshfoned wedding bouquet in riot
Of color. Upon q large plate You pile
rice-a veritable Full Yama Of the
white ~grains-and then you carry the
simile further and carve ont a mighty
crater. II 1t is O formal and complete
riz tavel, twice Is walters should line
up, each presenting a small d~ish-tiny
red fish, sliced sausage, beets, beans,
sprouted seedsEin fact, q melange Of
fish, flesh, fowl and vegetables. until
Fuji's crater is OVERLOOKING, and lava
like streams Of beet blood and gravy
wind slowly down its slopes. Then this
edible kaleidoscope is mixed and
kneaded and eaten. If the diner is
non-Hollandais. he excuses himself
from dessert.
AOutIt for centIemen.v
Later. In the reading room, I opened
q book Of hints for the traveller to
Java, and on page eight pernsed a long
and elaborate list entitled minimum
Outfit for Gentlemen" 1t reads like
q resume Of all the clothes I had ever
owned since ! put on long trousers.
After the two dozen suits Of pajamas
and the dozen flannel trousers. and the
black coat, waistcoat and fancy trou-
sers. It ended: ALSO = waterproof
coat. cape and hat; = sun-helmet, Z
cap for use on board. q straw hat for
ashore. Z soft felt hat. and Z tall silk
or opera hat. Gloves should be kept
IN 4 dry botfis with chloride OF lime.'
NY dazed mind refused TO register
further. 1 thought sadly Of my modest
outfif. Of my Few pojamax wrapped
1sscssx cAs
and / wondered Il anywhere in the
heart OK TIE 1ayanese jongles I could