. William H. Seward's travels around the world. s first effect upon all minds isto excite a wish never to leave it. We almost contracted for atleast an occasional home at Nagasaki. We left Hono;-Kong andSingapore reluctantly; but Batavia, and more than all Buitenzorg,wins our thoughts irresistibly away from all that is practical in life,to delight in repose and serene contemplation. The truth, however, is, that the admiration of tropical scenery,though universal, wears off as suddenly as it comes. We have not JAVANESE FRUIT. 291 thus far found an American or European content with a genialclime
. William H. Seward's travels around the world. s first effect upon all minds isto excite a wish never to leave it. We almost contracted for atleast an occasional home at Nagasaki. We left Hono;-Kong andSingapore reluctantly; but Batavia, and more than all Buitenzorg,wins our thoughts irresistibly away from all that is practical in life,to delight in repose and serene contemplation. The truth, however, is, that the admiration of tropical scenery,though universal, wears off as suddenly as it comes. We have not JAVANESE FRUIT. 291 thus far found an American or European content with a genialclime. The merchant, mariner, or missionary, even the womenand children, stay here against their wills, and wait impatiently fortheir release this month or the next, or, at farthest, this year or thenext. If we should forget every thing else at Buitenzorg, we are notlikely to forget its baths. Leaving the palace-door, and drivingthrough a winding, palm-shaded lane, we came to the bamboo-grove. Dismissing carriage and attendants there, we penetrated. JAVAXESE FRUIT. to its dark centre, by a tangled foot-path. There we found amarble basin, eighty feet across, filled with flowing water. Thedepth is regulated at will, and a slight bamboo rail is stretched 292 THE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO, ETC. across the basin for security against accident. -Tall palm-trees pro-tect the bather from the sun, while the surrounding grove is animpenetrable screen. Coming out of the bath, we picked up whatwe thought to be a green walnut. On removing the hard, acridshell, pungent scarlet mace betrayed itself; breaking through this,and the inner shell, which it covered, a fragrant, white, milky pulpdisclosed the incipient nutmeg.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury180, bookdecade1870, booksubjectvoyagesaroundtheworld
