Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Bali and Lombock
(JUNE, JULY, 1856)
The islands of Bali and Lombock, situated at the east end of Java, are particularly interesting.
They are the only islands of the whole Archipelago in which the Hindoo religion still main-
tains itself—and they form the extreme points of the two great zoological divisions of the
eastern hemisphere; for although so similar in external appearance and in all physical fea-
tures, they differ greatly in their natural productions. It was after having spent two years in
Borneo, Malacca and Singapore, that I made a somewhat involuntary visit to these islands on
my way to Macassar. Had I been able to obtain a passage direct to that place from Singapore,
I should probably never have gone near them, and should have missed some of the most im-
portant discoveries of my whole expedition to the East.
It was on the 13th of June, 1856, after a twenty days' passage from Singapore in the 'Kem-
bang Djepoon' (Rose of Japan), a schooner belonging to a Chinese merchant, manned by a
Javanese crew, and commanded by an English captain, that we cast anchor in the dangerous
roadstead of Bileling on the north side of the island of Bali. Going on shore with the captain
and the Chinese supercargo, I was at once introduced to a novel and interesting scene. We
went first to the house of the Chinese Bandar, or chief merchant, where we found a number
of natives, well dressed, and all conspicuously armed with krisses, displaying their large
handles of ivory or gold, or beautifully grained and polished wood.
The Chinamen had given up their national costume and adopted the Malay dress, and
could then hardly be distinguished from the natives of the island—an indication of the close
affinity of the Malayan and Mongolian races. Under the thick shade of some mango-trees
close by the house, several women-merchants were selling cotton goods; for here the women
trade and work for the benefit of their husbands, a custom which Mahometan Malays never
adopt. Fruit, tea, cakes, and sweetmeats were brought us; many questions were asked about
our business and the state of trade in Singapore, and we then took a walk to look at the vil-