Page:Life in Java Volume 2.djvu/207

 ARBITRARY POSTING ARRANGEMENT. 191

for travellers appears to be set aside, or made sub- servient only to their will and convenience. You may happen to arrive in a town a full week before these functionaries, but if previous notice has been given by them to the equerry of the posts, bidding him keep horses in readiness for their appearance, woe to the unfortunate individual who, having enabled you to continue your journey, is unable to satisfy their demands. The traveller must patiently remain in the town till they return from their in- spectio]!, unless he can manage to procure coolies, oj* buffaloes, to continue his journey. This arrange- ment is undoubtedly very conducive to the travel- ling comfort of Goverimient servants ; but it is rather arbitrary, and exceedingly disagreeable to travellers.

As horses were procurable neither for love nor money, we arranged for relays of coolies to j)ull our carriage to W'onosobo, its next destination, which was more than eiirhteen miles off. This

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