circumlocution. At first he held that the letter would
have to be forwarded, accompanied by a statement
naming1 the object of my visit. This I overruled by
pleading want of time; at last, little by little, concessions
having been made on both sides, and after a
lengthy consultation with his chief, the secretary
informed me that I might present myself at the general
reception His Excellency was going to hold at an early
hour on the following morning, when an audience would
be granted, provided I presented myself either in
uniform or in full dress; neither of which I was
prepared to do, having left my heavy luggage at
Singapore containing all that might be useful in the
present emergency, and never dreaming that a dress-
suit could be required in my rambles here. I t required
a fresh conference to settle that point, and at last I
carried the day by promising to be attired in the best
clothes my present wardrobe afforded in order that
His Excellency’s dignity might not suffer by so serious
an indecorum on my part.
At 9.30 a.m. I proceeded in state, this time to the
principal entrance of the palace, the verandah of which
I found already filled with gentlemen in sable tailcoats
and white cravat, with a sprinkling of military
and naval uniforms. Tea was handed round, and about
half an hour having elapsed, servants in scarlet livery
announced the arrival of His Dutch Majesty’s representative.
The latter, in whom I had expected to
behold a formidable and punctilious gentleman of the
old school, stood barely five feet in his shoes, and
appeared very affable and obliging, for when my turn
came, everybody being ushered into his presence
according to strict rule of etiquette, and my object
explained, he at once promised to send me a circular-
letter addressed to the “ Residents” of the different
provinces, instructing them to provide me with horses
and do all in their power to enable me to visit the
interior with comfort. He also invited me to spend a
few days with him at his palace at Buitenzorg after my
return from the East, and altogether we parted excel-
ent friends. I much regretted afterwards that want
of time and bad weather compelled me to leave Java
without paying the intended visit.
Batavia has a fine museum, where I had an opportunity
of becoming acquainted with the produce of
every important island in the Archipelago. I t also contained
life-like representations of the different tribes
inhabiting the same, of their dwellings, by small models
executed in bamboo, as well as their handicrafts, curious
specimens of native manufacture, arms, musical instruments,
etc.,—altogether a most complete and interesting