plantain, and constantly withdrawing it just as the poor animal was
laying hold of it with his trunk. We had not gone twenty yards from the
spot, when the elephant's keeper approached, and gave him a couple of
cocoa-nuts, (minus the husk, but with the shells,)--part of his daily
food, I presume. The elephant took one of these, and, with a wicked look
at the gentleman who had been teasing him, threw the nut at him with
great force. Fortunately he missed his aim. The nut struck a post within
six inches of the teaser's head, and was literally smashed: had it
struck where doubtless it was meant to do, it would certainly have
proved as fatal as an eighteen-pound shot. So much for teasing
elephants. We beat a speedy retreat, not choosing to risk a second shot.

Djockdjocarta can hardly be called a town; yet it is more than a
village. The houses of the European inhabitants are much scattered, and
many of them occupy very pretty situations. The climate is delicious;
and exercise on horseback may be taken with impunity from six to nine
A. M., and from three to seven P. M. It is not uncommon to see Europeans
riding about during the intervening hours; but this is generally avoided
by old residents.

A successful attempt was made here, by a countryman of mine, in 1823, to
grow indigo. The quantity produced was limited, but the quality was
excellent; and, but for some vexatious regulations of the Government
regarding the residence of foreigners in this part of Java, which drove
the spirited individual alluded to from the neighbourhood, I have no
doubt he would speedily have realized a handsome fortune. Since that
period, indigo-planting has been carried on in various parts of Java to
a large extent. The quantity produced annually is now about one million
and a half of pounds; and the quality is such as to command the first
prices in the continental markets. Indeed, the Bengal planters are
becoming quite jealous of those of Java.

Shortly before my arrival at Djockdjocarta, a daring house-robbery, by
a band of Javanese, took place in the neighbourhood. Six of the robbers
were afterwards caught, tried, convicted, condemned, and executed _a la
Javan_ on the scene of their crime: they were tied hands and feet to
separate stakes, and _krissed_ by a native executioner, who performed
his dreadful office so scientifically that his victims died without a
groan. The cool indifference with which five of the unfortunates
witnessed the executi