As There
Were But Three Passengers Besides Myself, We Had Abundance Of
Room, And I Was Able To Enjoy A Voyage More Than I Had Ever Done
Before.
The arrangements are somewhat different from those on
board English or Indian steamers.
There are no cabin servants, as
every cabin passenger invariably brings his own, and the ship's
stewards attend only to the saloon and the eating department. At
six A.M. a cup of tea or coffee is provided for those who like
it. At seven to eight there is a light breakfast of tea, eggs,
sardines, etc. At ten, Madeira, Gin and bitters are brought on
deck as a whet for the substantial eleven o'clock breakfast,
which differs from a dinner only in the absence of soup. Cups of
tea and coffee are brought around at three P.M.; bitters, etc.
again at five, a good dinner with beer and claret at half-past
six, concluded by tea and coffee at eight. Between whiles, beer
and sodawater are supplied when called for, so there is no lack
of little gastronomical excitements to while away the tedium of a
sea voyage.
Our first stopping place was Coupang, at the west end of the
large island of Timor. We then coasted along that island for
several hundred miles, having always a view of hilly ranges
covered with scanty vegetation, rising ridge behind ridge to the
height of six or seven thousand feet. Turning off towards Banda
we passed Pulo-Cambing, Wetter, and Roma, all of which are
desolate and barren volcanic islands, almost as uninviting as
Aden, and offering a strange contrast to the usual verdure and
luxuriance of the Archipelago. In two days more we reached the
volcanic group of Banda, covered with an unusually dense and
brilliant green vegetation, indicating that we had passed beyond
the range of the hot dry winds from the plains of Central
Australia. Banda is a lovely little spot, its three islands
enclosing a secure harbour from whence no outlet is visible, and
with water so transparent, that living corals and even the
minutest objects are plainly seen on the volcanic sand at a depth
of seven or eight fathoms. The ever smoking volcano rears its
bare cone on one side, while the two larger islands are clothed
with vegetation to the summit of the hills.
Going on shore, I walked up a pretty path which leads to the
highest point of the island on which the town is situated, where
there is a telegraph station and a magnificent view. Below lies
the little town, with its neat red-tiled white houses and the
thatched cottages of the natives, bounded on one side by the old
Portuguese fort. Beyond, about half a mile distant, lies the
larger island in the shape of a horseshoe, formed of a range of
abrupt hills covered with fine forest and nutmeg gardens; while
close opposite the town is the volcano, forming a nearly perfect
cone, the lower part only covered with a light green bushy
vegetation.
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