The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-02-21

n T is very easy to enter Java. says
writer In the New York sun.
Tourists are welcomed cordially
and the customs officials are eff
ficient about II, SO that the first i'm
preston of Java is pleasant. Some
say that it is just as easy to get OUT
of as into Java, limiting that the Dutch
resent mlsbehaviOr and unfair criti-
cism and that undesirable visitors are
sometimes requested to leave forth
with.
Most visitors land at Tandjong Pri'
ok, the harbor for Batavia. about sew
en- miles from the city. This harbor
was built between 1877 and 1886, and
was considered one Of the finest CO.
lonial harbOrs in the world until some
of the British harbors excelled, ana
now the Dutch are re-establishlng their
claim for this distinction with the
harbor construction at Soerabaya. De
spite the fact that there are two mar
bors. outer and inner, the commerce
of Batavia has really outgrown the
facilities offered by the present mar
Dor works.
The outer harbOr has a depth OF 70
feet, and is protected by two break
waters, each 5000 feet in length. The
inner harbor Is some $500 feet long
and over 500 feet wide, with quays on
each side. The east quay has coaling
sheds. The piers are Of concrete con-
struction, with spur tracks from the
railway. The cost of this harbor was
over SIC, 100000.
Protected From croeodiIes.
About a quarter of an hours drive
from Tandjong, In one Of those funny
antiouated hacks drawn by ponies, II
"Petit Trouville," where sea bathing
may be enjoyed. The bathing pool II
inclosed to keen out crocodiles ana Il
probably perfectly safe, but l have
seen fences on land give way before
a rushing bull and convenient tre'
provided the protection which tn
fence failed to give. So l refraine'
from enjoying the security OF TN
fenced-in pool. A crocodile Is fully o.
powerful and as fast as an infuriate'
bull, and he is just as immune to rea
son. The Dutch have not provides
convenient trees as an extra sare
puard. but most of them know tn
crocodiles by name and do not seer
afraid of them. 1t is different wit
strangers.
The drive from Tandjong Prick
, Batavia is a fitting prelude to TOT
of Java. In this short drive, seve
miles or so, is found the happy con
bination of good roads, an unsurpasse
luxuriance Of tropical vegetation an
a kaleidoscope whirligig OF people
native and foreign, dressed In the
, own peculiar manners and going abo'
!, their business in their individual way
! All the way TO Batavia the road ruI
/, along the canal. and along the can
. are rice fields, cOconut groves. natl
settlements and q new surprise at
= cry turn Of the way. Tall cocoon
palms reach out over the canal fro
: the great groves along the bank
Nestled among them are the pictu
esQue native houses with their bamD
woven sides and matched roofs; owe
head Is the turquoise blue sky 30
peculiar to the tropics. and to intensi
. It's blueness are the cotton clouds
motionless as the palms.
~ The Goat an Institution.
All this beauty is shown both abo
and below, for there In the canal
the reflection Of the whole scene, ev
- to the cattle. the sleek bumped kir
the buffalo and the goats. We INT
. not forget the goats. They are as
evitable as they are innumerab
Goats are to Java what dogs arc
America. They run at will-are I
- erybody's friend.
II there Is a fight or a fire, tn
ecamper about on the edge Of
crowd. II tire blows out, there th