IN JAVA

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 142, 18 July 1929, Page 13

IN JAVA

By Frederick Stubbs, F.R.G.S.

A THOUSAND MILES BY CAR.

(Rights Reserved.) AN ORIENTAL COURT. One day I took the traiu to Solo, about 40 miles distant, with a population of 100,000. It has a hotter climate than Djocja, is less modernised, with ill-kept roads and buildings, no sanitary system, dirty, the foulestsmelling town I know of — the river used for every purpose! There are only two Sultans left in Java, the Sultan of Djocja, whom I have already described, and the Sultan of Solo, who has the higliest rauk of all and is known as the Susuhunan, the Pivot of the World, No. X., by whom all things are lield tpgetlier and around whom all revolve. The Sliah of Persia, it may he remembered, claims a similar title (The Centre of the Universe.) Djocja and Solo are the only two principalities with native rulers left in Java. The Sultan of Solo is not adniired by Europeans, but nevertheless rules over (and taxes!) manv thousands of people. He has 10,000 retainers within the palace precincts, which spreacl over scores of acres and are similar in character to those of Djocja. The actual dwelling and State apartments of the Sultan are in the centre. How many wives and children he has liobody lcnows. I doubt if He knows himself, but he is saicl to have a prodigious number, and lives in a strange hiixture of Oriental extravagance aucl squalor. What with the dirt and the smells, I was never more glad to get away from a city in my life. GAROET, July 16. I arrivecl at this pleasant little town this morning. It is a hill town 2300 feet above sea level, lying in one of the most bnautiful settings of tlie Preange.r Regeucy. Five rolcanic mountaiiis enclose the plain on which it is situated. The temperature at this time of the year is that of a perfcct Summer's day. I was luxuriously housed for a very moderate cliarge at the Papandian Hotel, within view of

the Papandian mountain (4500ft.), eight miles away, which is still activc, erupting smolce and steam continuouslv. In 1779 an eruption blew off the whole top of the mountain, leaving a great gash 1000ft. deep in the side of the mountain and destroying 40 villages and 3000 people. It was in this hill-town that I first inspected a pawushop (no, not for my own benefit, but, yours, courteous reader). The pawushop is a national institution found in every town, and is owned and controlled by the Government. I never passed one that was not thronged with natives pawning their loincloths (fortunatelv the Government insists npon their being washecl before pawning), their jewellery, sewing machines, tools, anytliing they possess. Onlv a small eommission is charged, and it appearecl to me that the institution was ndmirably managed, though I fear it may teml to make the natives even more unthrifty than they naturallv are. Tn the mnrlcet I saw a man get a dinner of fish and rice for twopence. For one-fifth of a penny one cnuld purchase a cake of sugar or could chew a betel-nut for balf tbat sum. Gold-fish (still alive) cost only one penny each; a large serviceable knife could be bought for sixpefic6. One peculiarity of manv native Shopkeepers is that they will refuse cuStPm aitogether rather than let a Europeaii ha,ve an article at the saiiie price as a native. BATIK-WORK. In this town I saw for the first time' the famous Batik-work being done. The cotton or silk cloth (chiefly nsed for sarongs) is designed and coloured by the same hand. usually by a woman artist who receives ahout sixpence a

day for labour. It is not easy to describe the process, but is something like this — first, the flowers, etc., with which the cloth is decorated, are traced. Then those portions that are not to take a certain colour, are eovered with melted wax so that they shall not take the dye in which the cloth is first dipped. The dyed portion is then in its turn C.overed with wax while the first portion is dyed ; and so on until in course of time each part of the design has received its appropriate colour. These cloths_ are exquisitely beautiful and sometinies take two or three months to finish. July 20. To-day I drove amidst 50 charming lakelets to some hot springs. They are thought much of here, but will not compare with those to be seeu in Xew Zealand and elsewhere. Lake Bagendit, liowerer, was really attractive, an extensive piece of water, exquisitely situated, with glorious view of the mountains. Crossing this lake in a canoe propelled hy four women (their babies with them). I saw the tall nets, 40ft. liigh, used by tbe natives for catcliing birds. This is done at night. The natives whistle, cleverly imitating tho note of the birds, when these presently come to see what is liappeniug at this unseeinly hour and are caught. The Javanese heiug extremely fond of birds, tlie latter may be seen, confined in large wicker cages, in every part of tbe country, so those caught at Lake Bagendit fincl a ready sale._ I was also interested during my little voyage on this lake, in watching the fishermen who gradually converge ih some 20 canoes driving tlie fish before them, until the latter are enclosed in a small space and easily netted._ We had delicious fish freshly caught in the neighhouring lakes and ponds, served at every meal. Incleed, one gets excfellent fish every where in Java, for in every province there are ponds from which fish are taken aud kept alive until wantecl for the table. If tlie market is glutted they are returned to the pond. Many of the fish al'e beautifully mai'ked, a lai'ge proportion being gold-fish, which may be purchased in any market-tqwn alive for a penny a piece. I remained in Garoet with its fiue climate, excellent hotel, and attractive scenery for two enjoyable weelcs, then made for Bandoeng,