Scented Isles and Coral Gardens: Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies/Preface
The letters contained in this volume were written some years ago, and were not originally intended for publication. They describe at first hand a fascinating part of the world, which is visited by few people, and under conditions which have passed or are rapidly passing away.
It is curious to look back on the opinions expressed and the facts stated just as they happened at the time, for if here and there, in brackets, changes have been noted or comments made, it has been best to leave it all as originally written. People of intelligence can always discern where real changes have taken place, or where time must inevitably alter circumstances, things, and places. There have been many changes, yet, curiously enough, not nearly so many as one might have expected, and Progress in places has made little way. These letters are the flotsam and jetsam of years gone by, but I have been encouraged to publish them by those who are better able to gauge their value and interest than I am. If in places they may seem patchy and discursive this is due to the circumstances in which, and the object with which, they were written.
For the coloured pictures an apology is due. The author, as is evident, is no artist, and they are only published here to try and give even a small and imperfect idea of the colour which the pen can only tell of but never paint.
For the other illustrations I am indebted to many sources—to the Official Australian publications; to my friends Jonkheer Carel van Haeften and Jonkheer Francis van Haeften; in some cases to unknown photographers; and lastly I wish to express my most grateful thanks to Messrs. Ruys & Co. of the “Rotterdamsche Lloyd Royal Mail Line” for their courtesy in placing me in communication with the “Vereeniging Toeristenverkeer te Batavia” or “Official Tourist Bureau” of Weltevreden, Batavia, Java, and to the latter for the very kind permission they gave me through their Amsterdam representative to make use of any illustrations in their publication Java the Wonderland.
Any one contemplating a tour in what is so truly called a Wonderland, can do no better than place himself in the hands of the above-named companies, from whose officials they will receive every aid, courtesy, and information. They may wander for months in the fascinating Dutch East Indies and not exhaust their varied interests.
I also would here like to take the opportunity of thanking all those people, personally unknown to me, who, on reading another publication of mine, did me the honour and the kindness to write me such very pleasant and friendly letters. Especially did I appreciate those from invalids, and if I did indeed afford them some hours of amusement and interest I am grateful that I was allowed to do it. I hope those same kind people will “Please come again’’ and make another journey with me in these pages. They have told me how they laughed at this or enjoyed that situation, and I in return say they cheer one on the way, and whether it is at me or the incidents they laugh, what matters is that they do laugh, as that is good for them.