The Whole Surface Of The Country Is Divided Into
Irregular Patches, Following The Undulations Of The Ground, From
Many Acres To A Few Perches In Extent, Each Of Which Is Itself
Perfectly Level, But Stands A Few Inches Or Several Feet Above Or
Below Those Adjacent To It.
Every one of these patches can be
flooded or drained at will by means of a system of ditches and
small channels, into which are diverted the whole of the streams
that descend from the mountains.
Every patch now bore crops in
various stages of growth, some almost ready for cutting, and all
in the most flourishing condition and of the most exquisite green
tints.
The sides of the lanes and bridle roads were often edged with
prickly Cacti and a leafless Euphorbia, but the country being so
highly cultivated there was not much room for indigenous
vegetation, except upon the sea-beach. We saw plenty of the fine
race of domestic cattle descended from the Bos banteng of Java,
driven by half naked boys, or tethered in pasture-grounds. They
are large and handsome animals, of a light brown colour, with
white legs, and a conspicuous oval patch behind of the same
colour. Wild cattle of the same race are said to be still found
in the mountains. In so well-cultivated a country it was not to
be expected that I could do much in natural history, and my
ignorance of how important a locality this was for the
elucidation of the geographical distribution of animals, caused
me to neglect obtaining some specimens which I never met with
again.
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