ours and fifty minutes, in a
comfortable carriage drawn by six ponies, changed every five miles. I
need hardly say that we always went at full gallop. The country was
not very interesting, being chiefly low and rice-bearing, nor did I
see the cheerful firm-looking maidens who struck me so much at Manila.
This island is _exploite_ entirely for the Government and dominant
race, and with no little success, for I am told that the surplus
revenue last year was L6,000,000, L4,000,000 of which were remitted to
Holland. I shall end by thinking that we are the worst colonisers in
the Eastern world, as we neither make ourselves rich, nor the governed
happy.

[Sidenote: Botanic Garden.]
[Sidenote: Monument to Lady Raffles.]

_February 9th_.--I took a drive at six this morning, and then a walk
through the botanic garden, which is attached to this house and has a
great reputation. I am no judge, as you know, but everything seems in
beautiful order, and it is of great extent. After a light repast I got
a carriage to take me down to a spacious swimming-bath, paved with
marble and shaded by magnificent trees, in which I felt rather tempted
to spend the day. I should mention that, before dinner yesterday, when
the rain slackened, I went into the garden, and was arrested as I
wandered along the paths musingly, by a monument with an English
inscription. It is to the wife of Sir Stamford Raffles, who died here
in 1814, while the colony was in our hands; died _here_, that is, at
Buitenzorg, for this inscription has taught me the name of the place,
which I had not been able to catch before. I see little of my host. We
dined at half-past six; nobody but his staff and daughter and my
rather numerous following, who are not, I fear, all as well dressed as
he approves of; a short _seance_ after dinner, and then to our private
apartments. Today we met in the same stiff way at twelve, for
breakfast. I have not seen a book or a paper in the house, but that
may be because I am not admitted to the parts of the mansion where
they are to be found. An expedition has been organised for me, and I
start tomorrow morning. It will occupy four days, but it would be
absurd to come to such a place as this, and to leave it without seeing
anything. The Governor-General has spent thirty-one years of his life
here, but for a time (