We began our homeward voyage from Manila Jan. 20, and reached Anjer,
Feb. 1. Anjer is the western point of Java; vessels pass it to and
from the China seas. “Passed Anjer,” in the marine reports, signifies
that a vessel has left the China seas on her homeward way, or has
just entered them on her outward voyage. Anjer supplies vessels with
poultry, vegetables, fruits and water. On enquiring for bananas, we
were told by a man who came on board that he would get us “a fathom of
them for a dollar.” It was a large Oriental statement, with a basis of
truth; but six feet of bananas for a dollar seemed too good to be true.
Batavia is about seventy-five miles from Anjer; the road to it is
characterized by Dutch solidity and thoroughness. Opposite the hotel
at Anjer is a banian-tree, said to be the largest in diameter in that
part of the world, composed of shoots which have descended from the
top, taken root, and become principal parts of the tree. We saw from
shore our ship under sail, waiting for us, beating about against a head
wind and current. The sight was animating. We rowed off to her four
miles, glad to be on board the noble thing which had borne us more than
half round the world, and was waiting to complete the great circuit. As
often as we now see in the marine record, “Passed Anjer,” we recall the
sensations with which we looked off from that lighthouse, which is the
first or last object of interest to all who navigate those East-Indian
seas.