style. It is situated in tlie middle of a large, oblong
lawn, that is surrounded with a row of trees much
like our locust-trees, and which are now in full bloom.
Near the gate are a guard-house and long series of stables.
Dismounting here, I walked up to the broad
piazza, where the major sat smoking his pipe in the
Dutch style, and discussing in the Dutch language
the state of the weather, the crops, and such things
as interested the Dutchmen of those lands. His
manners were polished, and he received me in a most
stately way. His friends were going to Menado, so
that I should have companions the rest of the way.
Our dinner was in European style, which seemed the
more remarkable to me because it differed so much
from the way I had been entertained by the rajahs
of the Moluccas. In our dining-room was a fine
series of pictures representing scenes in that most
charming tale, “ Paul and Virginia.” We were just at
the foot of Mount Klabat, but we could not see its
summit on account of thick rain-clouds that covered
its sides, and now and then rolled down and poured
out heavy showers over the village. As one of these
floated away to the east, the sun came out brightly
and changed the falling drops into a remarkably
broad and brilliant rainbow, which seemed suspended
from the cloud, and floated along with it in
a most magical manner.
Here I saw for the first time the plant from
which “ manilla hemp1’ is manufactured. It is a
species of banana, Mum textiUs, and grows to a
height of twelve or fifteen feet. It appears to be
indigenous, and can be raised O ’ here from the seed.
The fibres are taken from the large, succulent leaves,
Though it resembles the banana so closely that at
first most people would mistake it for that plant,
its fruit is small, disagreeable to the taste, and no
edible. Several residents have made strenuous
efforts to extend its cultivation, but the result has
shown that the natives can be more profitably employed
in raising coffee. The rain-clouds having
cleared away, we all started for Menado. The horse
that had been kindly famished me by an officer was
not fast nor sure-footed; and, finally, as we were
going down a gentle declivity at a quick canter, he
fell headlong. As I am, at least, a much better
sailor than horseman, I went off over his head with
a most surprising momentum, my feet, unfortunately
passing so far into the stirrups that I could not
extricate either of them. This so frightened the horse
that he reared and plunged fearfully, but I had no
idea of being dragged off like Mazeppa, and held on
to the reins until my feet were once more clear, when,
with one leap, I was again in the saddle, and ready
for further experience in this mode of travelling.
Though I was aware my position was somewhat dangerous,
I could not help feeling amused at the alarm
manifested by my companions. They all seemed delighted
to know that I had escaped with only such
inconvenience as one clad in a summer suit of white
would necessarily experience in coming down m such
an unceremonious manner into the midst of a muddy
stream. Late in the evening we came to the Resident’s
house, where a cordial welcome awaited me,
and I had the pleasure to find myself once more m