here the barges take in their cargoes. This part of
the city is chiefly filled with the storehouses and
offices of the merchants. In front of the governor’s
residence is a large common. Two of its sides are occupied
by private residences and the church, the roof
of which has fallen in, and indeed the whole structure
is in a most dilapidated condition compared to the rich
Club-House on the other side of the green. Having
landed and taken up my quarters at a hotel, I called
on Governor Van den Bosche, who received me politely,
and said that the inspector of posts, Mr. Theben
Terville, whose duty it is not only to care for transporting
the mails, but also to supervise and lay out
the post-roads, had just arrived from Java, and must
make an overland journey to Siboga, in order to examine
a route that had been proposed for a post-road
to that place.
He had promised the inspector, who was an old
gentleman, the use of his “ American,” a light four-
wheeled carriage made in Boston. There was room
for two in it, and he would propose to the inspector
to take me with him, and further provide me with
letters to the chief officials along the way; but as it
would be two or three days before Mr. Terville, who
was then in the interior, would be ready to start, he
proposed that I should leave the hotel and make
my home with him as long as I might remain in
Padang. “ Besides,” he added, “ I have eight good
carriage-horses in the stable, and I have so much
writing to do that they are spoiling for want of exercise;
now, if you will come, you can ride whenever
you please.” So again I found myself in the full tide
of fortune. It is scarcely necessary to add that I did
not fail to avail myself of such a generous offer. In
the evenings, when it became cool, the governor was
accustomed to ride through the city, and occasionally
out a short distance into the country. Our roads
were usually shaded with tall trees, frequently with
palms, and to fly along beneath them in a nice carriage,
drawn by a span of fleet ponies, was a royal
pleasure, and one never to be forgotten. One pleasant
day we drove out a few miles to a large garden
where the governor formerly resided. The palace
had been taken down, but a fine garden and a richly-
furnished bathing-house yet remain. The road out
from Padang to this place led through a series of low
rice-lands, and just then the young blades were six
or eight inches high, and waved charmingly in the
morning breeze. The road, for a long distance, was
perfectly straight and bordered by large shade-trees.
It was one of the finest avenues I ever saw. Here I
was reminded of the region from which I had so
lately come, the Spice Islands, by a small clove-tree,
well filled with fruit. Much attention was formerly
given here to the culture of the clove, but for some
years raising coffee has proved the most profitable
mode of employing native labor. There were also
some fine animals in various parts of the garden,
among which was a pair of the spotted deer, Axis
maculata. Thus several days glided by, and the
time for me to go up into the interior and meet
the inspector came almost before I was aware
of it.
February 21 si, 1866.—At 8 a .m. we started from