Through Central Borneo | Page 8

more time on this
interesting excursion there is satisfactory accommodation in a small
hotel near by. The government has of late years successfully restored
this magnificent ancient structure which at its base forms a square, with
the length of the side 150 metres, and rises to a height of more than 30
metres. At first sight it does not seem as large as expected, but on
entering the first gallery one is struck by the monumental magnitude
and unique beauty of the edifice.
Built upon a small hill from blocks of trachyte, it consists of twelve
terraces rising one above another, and connected by staircases. The
uppermost terrace, fifteen metres in diameter, has a dome. Each gallery
is surrounded by a wall adorned with niches in handsome settings, each
containing a life-sized Buddha, with legs crossed, soles turned
downward. There are 432 such niches, and from this great number of
statues of the famous religious founder the place probably derived its

name, Boro Budur equals Bara Buddha (Buddhas without number).
There are no less than 1,600 has reliefs, handsome carvings in hard
stone mostly representing scenes from the life of Buddha and "which
must," says Wallace, "occupy an extent of nearly three miles in length.
The amount of human labour and skill expended on the Great Pyramids
of Egypt sink into insignificance when compared with that required to
complete this sculptured hill-temple in the interior of Java." It dates
from the eighth or ninth century after Christ, and in reality is not a
temple, but a so-called dagoba, dedicated to the keeping of some
Buddhist sacred relic which was deposited in the dome, its principal
part. In the beautiful light of afternoon the walk through the galleries
was especially impressive. From that vantage point there is presented a
fine, extensive view of a peaceful landscape, and at the time of my visit
an actively smoking volcano in the far distance added a picturesque
feature. In the vicinity is another noble Hindu structure, the so-called
temple of Mendut, inside of which is found a large and singular
Buddha sitting on a chair, legs hanging down. The figure is nude and
the expression on its features is very mild.
The journey from Djokjakarta to Soerabaia consumes about half a day
and the trip is pleasanter than that of the previous day, when the rolling
of the fast express on a narrow-gauge track was rather trying, while at
dinner-time the soup and water were thrown about in an annoying
manner. I have no doubt that this defect will soon be remedied, for Java
is still what a very distinguished English visitor said sixty years ago:
"the very garden of the East and perhaps upon the whole the richest,
best cultivated, and best governed tropical island in the world."
Soerabaia is the great shipping port for sugar, tobacco, etc., and a more
important commercial centre than Batavia. The day after my arrival I
started for Borneo where I intended to proceed to the Kayan or
Bulungan River in the Northeast. It was my purpose to take advantage
of the occasion to acquaint myself with that district and its natives
which would extend my travels by a few months.

CHAPTER II

BORNEO--CLIMATIC AND BIOLOGICAL
CONDITIONS--NATURAL RESOURCES--POPULATION--
HISTORY--GOVERNMENT OF THE NATIVES--RACIAL
PROBLEMS
Leaving Greenland out of consideration, Borneo is the second largest
island on the globe, the greater part of it, southern and eastern,
belonging to Holland. In a recent geological period this island as well
as Java and Sumatra formed part of Asia. A glance at the map shows
that Borneo is drained by rivers which originate in the central region
near each other, the greater by far being in Dutch territory, some of
them navigable to large steam launches for 500 or 600 kilometres. The
principal chain of mountains runs, roughly speaking, from northeast to
southwest, the average height being perhaps 1,000-1,500 metres, with
higher peaks now and then. There are also ranges from east and west.
The remainder is irregular hilly country, with low swampy coasts. The
highest mountain is Kinabalu, in the north, about 4,500 metres above
the sea and composed of "porphyritic granite and igneous rocks." There
are no active volcanoes. The whole island is covered with forest
vegetation from the coasts to the tops of the hills and ranges.
The climate is humid and warm and remarkably even, the thermometer
in the inland rarely reaching above 85° F. in the shade. Rain is copious
most of the year; at night it sometimes rains continuously; but a day of
uninterrupted downpour did not occur during my two years of travel. It
comes in showers, usually lasting an hour or two, when it clears as
suddenly as it began, and within half an hour all is dry again. In the
interior, on account