being under lofty
trees, which were made to arch overhead, and to afford a most grateful
shade.

On our way, I mentioned my meeting with the pedlar.

"Should you know him again?" he asked.

"Among a hundred others," I replied.

"Oh, then, there will be little difficulty in making him tell the
truth," he observed, with a smile. "If he does not do so of his own
accord, I will get the resident to interfere, and he has wonderful
methods of making a dumb Chinaman open his mouth. We will see about it
the first thing to-morrow; for I agree with you, that the fellow's
information may be of great value."

So it was arranged, and my mind was somewhat tranquillised. My new
friend's residence was like most country houses built by the Dutch in
the island--long and low, and consisting only of one storey. In the
centre was the chief room, of good size, opening both in front and
behind, by two large door-ways, into spacious verandahs, as large as the
room itself, and supported by pillars. In each of the wings were three
good bedrooms. It stood in an enclosure of about an acre, with
coach-house, stables, and servants' houses and offices. The floors were
formed of tiles, and in the principal room a cane matting was used. As
it grew dusk, several people came in, some in carriages, and some on
foot, and we had a good deal of amusing conversation, while cigars were
smoked, and coffee, wine, and liqueurs were handed round. The Javanese
were described as an excellent and faithful race of people, patient,
good-tempered, faithful, and very handy and ingenious. A man who is a
carpenter one day, will turn a blacksmith next, or from a farmer will
speedily become a sailor; and a gentleman told me of a servant who,
after having lived with him many years, begged to be allowed to go to
sea, giving as his only reason, that he was tired of seeing the same
faces every day. I partook of a curious fruit, of which the natives are
very fond, called the Durinan. It required some resolution to overcome
my repugnance to the scent, which is most powerful. The flavour is very
peculiar; and I can best describe it as like rich custard and boiled
onions mixed together.

There are about 60,000 inhabitants in Sourabaya. The lower orders of
Javanese are a broadly built race of people, seldom above the middle
height. The men, when actively employed, have on generally no other
garment than a tight cloth round the loins; but at other times they wear