To the botanist and zoologist, objects of peculiar interest are continually presenting themselves, not previously described, or indeed known in Europe. While a field of investigation might be opened by the geologist, the cultivation of which may be expected to repay his labours a thousand fold. CHAPTER XVIII. Leave Sydney—Rottenest Island—Colonial prospects—Voyage to Batavia—Prince’s Island—The Java coast—Anchor in Batavia roads—The river—Alligators—Streets of Batavia—M. Choulan’s tavern—Forests—Java ponies—A veterinary monkey—Public buildings—The traveller’s tree—Celebrated Javanese chief—Sketch of his life and actions—Exactions of the Dutch government—The orang-utan—Society in Batavia—Animals of Java—Doves—Dried specimen of the hippocampus. On the 14th of March I left Sydney, in the ship “Sir Thomas Munro,” for Batavia, taking the southern passage, the winds obliged us to pass round Van Dieman’s Land. On the 22nd, “Schouten’s Island” was seen bearing west by south, and “St. Patrick’s Head,” north-west by compass, about twenty-five miles distant; and on the 23rd, Cape Pillar bore west by south-half-south; and “Maria Island” north by west-half-west by compass; distant about thirty miles. We had to beat against strong westerly winds; and at noon, of the 22nd of April, D’Entrecasteaux Point bore east by north, distant about twenty miles, and extreme of the land to the northward, north-east by compass. The appearance of the coast was sterile. On the 23rd, we passed “Cape Leeuwin.” When first seen, it had the appearance of a moderately high island, the land connecting it with the main being low, and not at that time visible from the deck.