The houses in the city are spacious, but only used as offices and stores by merchants and others, on account of the insalubrity of the city during the night; having concluded business by four or five o’clock, P.M. they drive to their residences in the vicinity. On the afternoon of my arrival I drove out with Mr. Vidal, (a mercantile gentleman, resident in Batavia,) to Moolenfleet, about two miles from the city, passing on the road some mansions in the usual style of Dutch architecture, having gardens before them filled with various flowering shrubs and plants, among which the _Hibiscus rosa chinensis_, _Poinciana pulcherrima_, and _Ixora_, in full blossom, were conspicuous from the brilliancy of their colours. We arrived at a tavern kept by a Monsieur Choulan, pleasantly situated at this place, but it is ill-conducted, (although the best and most respectable,) the proprietor having realized a fortune, does not consider it requisite to devote any further attention on those by whom he acquired it. Our after dinner display disappointed me, from having heard and read so much of the delicious fruits of Batavia, both for flavour and variety; the dessert was miserable; the Rambutan (fruit of the _Nephelium echinatum_) or hairy fruit, (Rambut signifying hairy,) and some Mangoosteens,[131] were good; the oranges were insipid; and the “Sour-sop” (introduced from the West Indies) was the best fruit upon the table; indeed, I may observe with truth, that I hardly tasted a good fruit during my stay at Batavia, except the Pine-apple and Mangoosteen; but it seems that fruits arrive at perfection in particular districts of the Island of Java; there being one in which Mangoosteens abound; at another, where the land is cool and elevated, pears, apples, and strawberries are produced: every kind is cultivated about Batavia, but none (excepting the pine-apple) attain excellence. The little Java ponies excited my attention, but these beautiful animals cannot endure much fatigue; they are purchased from thirty to one hundred and fifty Java rupees each; and if exported there is an export duty of nearly two pounds each: the residents are obliged to keep several of these animals, as there are always some incapable of duty from sickness. The Javanese consider that by keeping a species of monkey in the stable, the horses will not get sick, and should they become indisposed, Jacko possesses powers to cure them; the more valuable the monkey employed for the purpose, the more readily will the horses be cured, or the better will they be preserved in health. The Lampong monkey (brought from the Lampong Islands) is highly esteemed for this purpose by the superstitious Javanese for its qualities as a veterinary doctor.