They “calculate” and they “guess,” and have a fair notion of the value of a dollar, and are smart fellows at a bargain; they occasionally deal a little in the marvellous sea-serpent line, but they are amusing, with one exception, which will appear hereafter. Batavia deserves a great deal more notice than we had time to bestow upon it, being the capital of all the Dutch possessions in the Far East, with a mixed population, chiefly Javanese, of about 120,000. Like Manila, the city is approached from seaward by a long straight canal, running between two massive walls; and, as there is a strong current generally setting out, the easiest way to stem it is to land the crew and track the boat. The houses near the sea, although large and handsome buildings, are used for business purposes only. The situation is on a swampy flat, and at certain times unhealthy. The appearance of a British man-of-war is so uncommon, that the _Mæander_ excited considerable speculation; but when we had stated our destination, and that our chief object was to pay our respects to His Serene Highness, Duke Bernard of Saxe-Weimar, the explanation seemed to be satisfactory. I had met His Serene Highness last year at Madeira. We were entertained at a grand dinner given by the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, General and Commander-in-Chief, whose example was followed by several of the heads of departments. Dinners and balls followed in rapid succession. The Batavia races took place while we were there, most of the prizes being carried off by horses of English breed. The enterprising members of this Turf Club gave a ball and supper, and made their appearance in scarlet coats. Even during this short stay in the roads, some of those whose hammocks were in the fore-part of the ship, and got the first of the land breeze, did not escape the fatal effects of malaria. [Sidenote: Oct. 16.] Sailed 16th. Kept along the Java Coast. The fishing-boats, or “flying canoes of Java,” as they are not inaptly styled, were objects of surprise and admiration. They are long, with just beam enough to enable a man to sit between the gunwales. Passing Maduira and Java, we came abreast of the Island of Bali, the only island in the Archipelago where the two great forms in the Hindoo religion, the Brahminical (the original) and the Bhuddist (the reformed), exist together, undisturbed. Bali has a remarkably high peak; and looks like a mountain sloping out into extensive fertile and rich plains, producing two crops a year; and as we passed along we saw abundance of cattle, fruit-trees, and vegetables. [Sidenote: Nov. 5.] It would be superfluous for me to attempt to describe all the beautiful islands we passed. Beyond the influence of Dutch protection, no more fishing canoes enlivened the scene; no smoke rose from the numerous inlets along the coasts to indicate the abodes of human beings. In the dense green vegetation of the jungle, death-like stillness reigned supreme.