281
inhabitants of the tropics which I encountered.
As the moon rose the scene was grand beyond description, and the sailors' voices as they pulled the ropes echoed far and wide among the forest covered hills in the distance, and far away over the calm clear water, which reflected the moon's rays. The splendour of the moonlight and stars is far beyond what is ever seen in England.
On the following afternoon we began to move a little, and I made several drawings of the land as we went past. Never did I see such a fertile island as Java, even at the distance. Its lofty hills were partly hidden by clouds, yet where they could be seen they were covered with trees up to their very summits.
On the next day we were fairly in the Strait of Sunda, and could easily see Java on the right and Sumatra on the left. One peak in Sumatra called Krakatoa was in sight for a day or two. It was dreary work to sit on deck under the awning all day long, and see how slowly we moved. About noon the sea breeze blew toward the shore, and at five in the evening the land breeze blows from the island. No one who has not experienced the land breeze, after a hot day, can imagine how cool and refreshing it is, and it has such a delightful perfume which it brings with it from the land, that you seem in the midst of a blooming flower garden. In the early morning it is just about the same.
At last we sighted Anjer Hill in the evening, and in the morning I rose at four o'clock to see the village as we passed it, which however we did not do till nearly noon. The sun rose behind the hills, and was the grandest sight I ever saw,
About eight o'clock the steward came and told me a boat was alongside, so I went on deck to see it. It came off from the observatory and lighthouse on shore, which we saw very plainly, and the headman had a paper for the ship to fill up. There were plenty of fruit and provisions which the man brought on his own account. He and his crew were Javanese, and their appearance was not more prepossessing than their language, which is a strange conglomeration of harsh sounds as they speak it. They were all but naked. Every rag that one of them had on was hardly so large as a pocket handkerchief. Only fancy a fellow to come stalking on board in such a condition. The captain's wife instead of acting with modesty in such a case, was one of the foremost to go
281
inhabitants of the tropics which I encountered.
As the moon rose the scene was grand beyond description, and the sailors' voices as they pulled the ropes echoed far and wide among the forest covered hills in the distance, and far away over the calm clear water, which reflected the moon's rays. The splendour of the moonlight and stars is far beyond what is ever seen in England.
On the following afternoon we began to move a little, and I made several drawings of the land as we went past. Never did I see such a fertile island as Java, even at the distance. Its lofty hills were partly hidden by clouds, yet where they could be seen they were covered with trees up to their very summits.
On the next day we were fairly in the Strait of Sunda, and could easily see Java on the right and Sumatra on the left. One peak in Sumatra called Krakatoa was in sight for a day or two. It was dreary work to sit on deck under the awning all day long, and see how slowly we moved. About noon the sea breeze blew toward the shore, and at five in the evening the land breeze blows from the island. No one who has not experienced the land breeze, after a hot day, can imagine how cool and refreshing it is, and it has such a delightful perfume which it brings with it from the land, that you seem in the midst of a blooming flower garden. In the early morning it is just about the same.
At last we sighted Anjer Hill in the evening, and in the morning I rose at four o'clock to see the village as we passed it, which however we did not do till nearly noon. The sun rose behind the hills, and was the grandest sight I ever saw,
About eight o'clock the steward came and told me a boat was along side, so I went on deck to see it. It came off from the observatory and lighthouse on shore, which we saw very plainly, and the headman had a paper for the ship to fill up. There were plenty of fruit and provisions which the man brought on his own account. He and his crew were Javanese, and their appearance was not more prepossessing than their language, which is a strange conglomeration of harsh sounds as they speak it. They were all but naked. Every rag that one of them had on was hardly so large as a pocket handkerchief. Only fancy a fellow to come stalking on board in such a condition. The captain's wife instead of acting with modesty in such a case, was one of the foremost to go
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