e very abundant, and
that they often carried off men to eat them, and sometimes even came
into the houses when hard pressed by hunger. No one will venture out at
night without torches to keep them at a distance. We afterwards found
that their fears were not exaggerated, for a man from a village close to
us going out to work before daybreak was carried off by a tiger from
between two companions, who in vain endeavoured to save him. After this
we took care not to expose ourselves to the chance of forming a supper
for a tiger. The next evening I was nearly stepping on a snake, the
bite of which is said to be certain death. I mention these
circumstances merely to show that, fertile as is the country and
magnificent the scenery, it has its drawbacks. While we were in the
high country, it rained generally from two till four o'clock, and then
the weather became as fine as ever. It always rained in earnest, and
never have I seen more downright heavy pours. The inhabitants of the
mountains are far superior in stature and independence of manners to
those of the plains. Their houses are, however, inferior in many
respects; they are built of planks roughly split from trees with a
wedge, while their posts are formed of the camarina equally roughly
squared. The roof is composed of reeds or shingles. The interior
consists of but one room, with a square fireplace of brick at one end,
and seats round it; the bed-places of the family are on either side; and
overhead are racks to hold spears and agricultural instruments, the
whole blackened with the constant smoke, which has no other outlet
besides the door and window. The houses of the peasantry on the plains
are composed almost entirely of bamboo; the posts and beams of the
stoutest pieces of that plant, and the walls of split bamboo woven into
mats, the roof being covered with leaves of the _hissah_ palm.

We were now approaching the end of our journey, and the widow began to
be very nervous as to the reception she was likely to meet with from her
relations. The lieutenant, especially, tried to keep up her spirits;
and it appeared to me, whatever the arguments he used, that he succeeded
very well.

I am afraid that, in my descriptions, I have not done full justice to
the beauty of the scenery, the high state of cultivation of the country,
the excessive politeness of the people--I might almost call it slavish,
were not the natural impulses of the Javanese so kind--the luxu