THE islands of Bali and Lombock, situated at the eastern end of Java,
are particularly interesting. They are the only islands of the whole
Archipelago in which the Hindu religion still maintains itself--and they
form the extreme points of the two great zoological divisions of the
Eastern hemisphere; for although so similar in external appearance
and in all physical features, they differ greatly in their natural
productions. It was after having spent two years in Borneo, Malacca and
Singapore, that I made a somewhat involuntary visit to these islands on
my way to Macassar. Had I been able to obtain a passage direct to that
place from Singapore, I should probably never have gone near them, and
should have missed some of the most important discoveries of my whole
expedition the East.
It was on the 13th of June, 1856, after a twenty days' passage from
Singapore in the "Kembang Djepoon" (Rose of Japan), a schooner belonging
to a Chinese merchant, manned by a Javanese crew, and commanded by
an English captain, that we cast anchor in the dangerous roadstead of
Bileling on the north side of the island of Bali. Going on shore with
the captain and the Chinese supercargo, I was at once introduced to a
novel and interesting scene. We went first to the house of the Chinese
Bandar, or chief merchant, where we found a number of natives, well
dressed, and all conspicuously armed with krisses, displaying their
large handles of ivory or gold, or beautifully grained and polished
wood.
The Chinamen had given up their national costume and adopted the Malay
dress, and could then hardly be distinguished from the natives of the
island--an indication of the close affinity of the Malayan and Mongolian
races. Under the thick shade of some mango-trees close by the house,
several women-merchants were selling cotton goods; for here the women
trade and work for the benefit of their husbands, a custom which
Mahometan Malays never adopt. Fruit, tea, cakes, and sweetmeats were
brought to us; many questions were asked about our business and the
state of trade in Singapore, and we then took a walk to look at the
village. It was a very dull and dreary place; a collection of narrow
lanes bounded by high mud walls, enclosing bamboo houses, into some of
which we entered and were very kindly received.
During the two days that we remained here, I walked out into the
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