Page:Life in Java Volume 1.djvu/106

88 town, situated some fifteen or twenty miles off, at the foot of the mountain Oenarang, in the midst, we were told, of charming scenery.

As we passed through the canal on our return to the steamer, we found it even more crowded than before. There seemed to be several craft of a more bulky description, whose sides were innocent of paint; whilst the basket work and bamboo erections on deck, doubtless a feeble imitation of something in our saloons and cabins, threatened every minute to overtopple and crush the greasy-looking natives below, who, for want of better employment or amusement, were occupied, in different parts of their floating home, in examining minutely each other's flowing tresses—men as well as women—proclaiming ever and anon, by a dexterous movement of the finger and thumb, the capture made!—the victim slain!

As the sea was calm, we reached the vessel