Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 67.djvu/298

292 two miles from her moorings, over the town and over a hill eighty feet high.

Early on the morning of April 5, forty-five days after leaving San Francisco, we entered Koninginne Bay, a beautiful little indentation in the precipitous coast of Sumatra. Here is a safe harbor (Emmahaven) where ocean ships go alongside of stone docks. The railroad system of the island has its coast terminus at this point. The coal brought down from the mines in the interior is carried to the ships' bunkers in flat baskets by an endless chain of natives, while the ships are loading with coffee, rice, rattan, gutta-percha, hardwoods and spices of all sorts.

The city of Padang, about four miles north of Emmahaven, is reached by the railroad. Carriages from the two principal hotels were at the railway station, and after a circuitous drive through avenues of trees, our journey was temporarily ended at the Oranje Hotel, 'Het Grootste Hotel van Sumatra.'

My first business was to present my letters of introduction, and to call upon the governor. His Excellency, Governor Joekes, received us cordially and gave the necessary instructions to the heads of all departments who could in any way assist the expedition.

The old race-track (Patuoen Kuda) near the edge of the city was chosen as the site. Shelters for the instruments were built by the native carpenters out of bamboo and atap (palm thatch). A few small cartloads of these simple materials, which are supplied almost ready for use by a bountiful nature, sufficed to build everything. Shelters, sheds and fence (even to the hinges and fastenings of the gate) were constructed from them.

One orangdjaga (watchman) was employed to guard the small native house at the eclipse camp where the freight was stored and two more to watch the mounted instruments, only a furlong distant. The day after one had been employed to watch the instruments, he came with a frantic appeal for another, because he could not possibly stay alone. Upon questioning him I found that Patuoen Kuda was 'haunted' and that no native would stay there alone at night. A companion was found for him, after which the two were regularly found sound asleep in the midst of things. Their mere presence seemed to be effective, for nothing was missed during our stay.

Tbe advent of so many foreigners, composing the astronomical expeditions, excited great interest among the natives. At first the Malays were disturbed, for they thought the sole object of these foreigners, particularly the British and Americans, was to spy out their country. As the serious preparation for observation began they became less suspicions, but still scouted the idea of an eclipse, saying that 'if these men could foretell such an event, they would be half