CHAPTER IX.
SaMARANG SoERAXARTA EMPEROR SuSUHUNAN IX. AND HIS CoTIRT —
D j o x j o k a r t a—S u l t a n H a m a n g x o e YI.—C h a t e a u d ’E a u—T o m b s
a t M a t a r a m — T e m p l e B o r o - b o d o— P r o v i r c e o f K a d o e — M a g e l -
l a n g — F o r t r e s s A m b a b r a w a — O e n a r a e g — F o r c e d L a b o u r —
D u t c h G o v e r n m e n t P o l i c y .
No word can express the damp appearance of
Samarang, and its only redeeming point is a splendid
broad avenue of tamarind trees, the “ Heerenstraat,”
nearly two miles long, and leading to the Resident’s
house at Bodjong. Along this route the Europeans
reside in large white-washed houses. They attend
the evening drive in considerable numbers, and, when
the sun is low, and the avenue shady, they mostly
dispense with their head covering. Even the
coachman lowers his glaced bowl-shaped topi and lets
it waddle round his neck, whilst the attendant outrunners
seldom encumber themselves with any part
of attire that can be dispensed with. Some of the
would-be aristocrats make their coachman pile an
immense shiny chimney-pot hat, with silver band on
the top of a brown handkerchief, folded turban fashion.
The genuine Javanees wear a very extraordinary sort
of high cap with broad brim, but entirely open behind,
to admit their chignon, or knot, in which they tie their
hair,—both men and women alike. In the evening
I was invited to witness the performance of Chinese
dancing girls ; they were quite young, and grotesquely
dressed, at the commencement wearing masks, which
they soon put aside on account of the h e a t; they
moved, or rather contorted their bodies in not very
elegant manner, without stirring from the spot, and
were accompanied by quite a regiment of gongs.
The whole thing was far from lively. At Batavia I
had seen Malay children dance, an infinitely prettier
sight.
The Chinese quarter at Samarang is worth a visit,
owing to its beautiful gardens sloping down to the
water’s edge, and the quaint pavilions, supported by