The East Indies

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 41, 18 February 1939, Page 6

The East Indies

REGION OF BEAUTY AND ENCHANTMENT

A person who has recently returned from a tour of the East Indies, Mrs. J. Davidson, described her impressions of some of the strange places she visited to members of tho Palmerston North Citi-

zens' Lunch Club yesterday. The ship that took Mrs. Davidson to the Indies passed through Torres Straits, with its coral beds in either side, and across the Arafura Sea, which was studded with innumerable islands, to Bali. There the musical and deeply religious people lived simple lives, unspoiled by civilisation. They were born sculptors and adept with the chisel, their temples of soft sandstone being fantastically carved with representations of demons and devils. There were no railways, but asphalted roads through the rice fields, which were water-logged terraces controlled by a masterly system of irrigation.

Java, with its millions of people, proved very fascinating. In Surabaya the streets -were lined with booths containing coloured liquids and tropical fruits. In the conglomerate traffic would be seen bullock waggons, little three-wheeled motor-cars, small horsedrawn carts with bells and the more speedy automobiles. The tradesmen carried their wares on bamboo poles slung across their shoulders. The island offered numerous beautiful drives to mountain resorts where there were up-to-date hostels and hotels and European bungalows. Flowers grew in profusion on trees and very tall shrubs. From one to four in the afternoon the native markets remained open, but the natives were mostly seen lounging across their counters, under trees, or anywhere shady, all Cast asleep. There many ancient temples, some of which dated back to the eighth century, and the architectural genius of tho builders had been perpetuated throughout the ages. Somo of these sacred monuments had gallery upon gallery of carvings in base relief. Buddhism, the most popular religion, was really a wonderful philosophy which taught self-denial, self-conquest, selfcontrol and patience with other people.

Mrs. Davidson found Batavia terrifically hot. The smell of the villages and the hot, scented air of the tropics made one long for the open sea and sea breezes.

Singapore was ono of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world. In its harbour were seen boats of all shapes and sizes, from Chinese junks to armoured battleships. There were examples of Gothic architecture, Mohammedan mosques with minarets an.? Hindoo temples with statues of pink and blue cows iu tho beautiful city, which extended four miles along the foreshore of the island.

Saigon, in French Indo-China, was situated on a deep river which flowed through a low-lying land intersected by many streams and rivers. Boats visiting Saigon had to turn round in their own length in the river. Many of the poorer people slept in junks with little between them and the sky. All was strange and the new to the traveller, and it was a wonderful trip.