The last letter, written from Koepang, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) is
a travelogue and full of praise for Java.
Koepang, Timor Island
Dutch East Indies
Sunday June 27 1937
Dear Helen:
If you are living the normal life a nice young girl should live you are
in the deepest of slumbers now – while trying to estimate the probable date
you would receive this letter I noticed that although it is a quarter to
six Sunday morning here in this out of the way corner of the earth, it is
a quarter of five Monday morning in Ye Little Woods.
We arrived here about noon from Surabaya, Java, with intentions of going on
to Port Darwin, Australia, but upon arrival received a weather report indicating
head winds of about forty miles per hour lay ahead of us. As Port Darwin time
is two hours ahead of
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local time – that is – the sun sets there two hours earlier than it does
here – we decided not to risk landing at a strange airport after darkness had
fallen.
So here we be – in a town without hotel accommodations – for the night.
However, it is not as bad as would appear at first sight. Throughout India,
Burma, Siam, and the Dutch East Indies, the various governments have established
what are known as “Rest Houses” – rather comfortable habitations
erected to take care of the infrequent travellers who drop in unexpectedly.
Native cooks and servants set an astonishingly splendid lunch before us within
a quarter of an hour after our arrival – and now – because we are arising
at four to-morrow
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and so must be off to the Land of Nod early – they are preparing our dinner.
We spent considerably more time in Java than we expected to – had some minor,
but important, instrument adjustments to be made, and as the Dutch Line is
using the new DC3 Douglas – equipped with similar instruments – we decided
to have the work done in their shops at Bandoeng, Java. We remained there from
last Sunday until yesterday – Saturday. Took off once and got as far as Surabaya
– about three hundred and fifty miles – only to have the instruments fail
again – so returned to Bandoeng. They are functioning perfectly now, thank
goodness for the Dutch mechanics.
So to-morrow we hope to
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take-off for Port Darwin – the next day for Lae, New Guinea, and then to
the three long over water hops – Howland Island – twenty six hundred miles
– Honolulu – eighteen hundred – and Oakland – twenty four hundred and ten.
We had a most enjoyable time in Java – visited a volcano – made a trip
to the capitol, Batavia, where we were entertained by friends of mine and the
American Consul General – and made several sight-seeing trips to nearer places.
While in Java we partook of the famous Javanese meal – Riza Katofel – first
a helping of rice – and then about twenty seven different dishes – some of
each being added to the original rice dish. Quite a dish!! Each dish is served
by
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a different boy – they line up – twenty seven of them – and appear over
your left shoulder in a seemingly endless string of silver dishes and brown
hands. Everything is piled on the plate before one commences to eat – and,
as you can imagine – the resultant heap presents a rather formidable appearance.
But – believe it or not – I cleaned my plate!! I will admit I did not ask
for a second helping – although I understand the Dutch frequently do. I am
glad I did not do so – or could not – as you will – because my stomach
served the playground of hundreds of little imps playing around with tiny
– but sharp – pitchforks all the night of that
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memorable day!
Java proved for the most interesting and beautiful country we have visited
– terraced rice fields climb the hillsides to heights – and at inclinations
– almost unbelievable – and they afford a pretty picture – patterned in
all hues of tans, browns, greys, greens and yellows. In between the rice paddies
are large areas of beautiful woodlands – and the entire island is a succession
of low, level coastal plains – high plateaus, deep and beautiful valleys,
rolling hills and towering, rugged mountains – many climbing to more than
thirteen thousand feet. The days are not too warm, and the nights are delightfully
cool – a veritable paradise. The natives are gentle, friendly
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people, very industrious, and, in contrast to other places in the far east,
the men seem to do most of the work.
The cities are numerous, fairly large, and almost without exception, very
clean and truly beautiful – paved streets, good street lighting, pleasant
substantial homes set in nicely – but not too formally – landscaped grounds.
I hear the dinner gong or its equivalent – and Amelia is calling – so
I must close.
With kindest regards – and the hope I shall be back in the not distant future
–
Sincerely
Fred My kind regards to your Mother and Frances please.
Fred |