veyed to the hotel. I t was a long drive and a hungry
one, since no breakfast had been provided on board
before starting. The first portion of the road led
through the mercantile and crowded native quarter,
thence through wide shady avenues to the European
town, consisting of handsome villas almost concealed by
a rich vegetation, until I reached the Nederlanden Hotel,
which enjoys the prestige of being the best; but, finding
it full, I proceeded to the Hotel de la JMarine. Here the
accommodation was good, a handsome circular structure
facing the road, surrounded by the indispensable
verandah, which was supported by columns of apparently
snow-white marble, in reality chenamed, and
large public rooms within. At the back, at right
angle with the road, there were two long rows of
buildings with numerous doors, each giving admittance
to a front and back sitting and bedroom, a colonnade
running along the whole length, and between them a
garden resplendent with gay flowers. Au fond were
several magnificent baths 5 these were in constant
requisition during the early part of the day, and again
between the siesta (which is quite an institution in
Batavia) and the dinner hour. When going to bed I
was very much puzzled what to do with a'long narrow
bolster, made of fine bamboo fibre, and covered with a
white slip, which I found lying lengthways on the
mattress. Upon making enquiry as to its use, I was
told that people place it between their legs to keep
them cool, and it certainly has that effect. I afterwards
found this curious habit universally adopted in
Java. Still, the nights being hot, and the perpetual
singing of the mosquitoes, in their vain attempt to
penetrate the net curtain, disturbing one’s slumber,
induces people to rise early; and between five and
six o’clock every door is thrown wide open, a large
lounging chair placed under the verandah, and the
occupant in a very light wrapper proceeds to the bath,
which offers every variety of application. Many very
curious costumes does one behold on this occasion,
especially amongst the gentler sex ; however, it would
not be polite to criticize what was not intended for the
public eye.
Thus refreshed, each seeks comfort in his easy-chair,
and there discusses a cup of tea or coffee and a rusk,
handed by one of the numerous attendants, all dressed
in white with a red sash. Soon a sort of Freemasonry
is established with one’s neighbour, and after having
been at the hotel for a few days you know pretty well
every one residing under the same colonnade, and frequently
his whole history to boot, entrusted to you in
the strictest confidence. You thus learn that, excepting
a few ships’ captains, they are nearly all merchants