The Boy Travellers in the Far East, Part Second: Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Siam and Java

In Short

This illustrated nineteenth-century travelogue follows two inquisitive American boys and their adult guide as they journey through Cochin China, Cambodia, Siam, and Java. Blending first-hand observation with historical digressions, the book charts their encounters with ancient temple ruins, royal processions, colonial governance, and tropical industries. The party travels by riverboat, steamship, and carriage, compiling detailed notes on everything from wild elephant captures to local tea processing. The volume endures as a vivid snapshot of Victorian-era geography, capturing the mechanics of nineteenth-century global travel and the era's expansive, inquisitive approach to foreign cultures through a narrative designed for young readers.

The Story

The narrative opens as Frank, Fred, and their mentor, Doctor Bronson, depart Hong-Kong to expand their tour of the Far East into the nations of Southern Asia. Sailing first to Saigon, the trio explores the recently established French territory in Cochin China. They observe how European colonial authorities have laid out modern, tree-lined avenues over small fishing villages, attracting a massive wave of Chinese merchants who quickly outnumber both the native inhabitants and the French garrison. From Saigon, their path leads toward the ancient heart of Cambodia, where the travelers examine the massive, decaying stone galleries of Nagkon Wat and Angkor. They study the intricate bas-reliefs depicting mythological avatars and ancient machinery, observing how the relentless roots of the tropical poh-tree force apart the unmortared stones of once-mighty temples.

Continuing their voyage, the party enters Siam, navigating the water highways of Bangkok where houses, warehouses, and residences cluster along the riverbanks. Floating on private boats, they witness the grandeur of the Siamese court, culminating in a spectacular royal flotilla where the king travels in a fifty-yard barge rowed by a hundred and twenty men in scarlet uniforms, its bow carved into a mythical seven-headed serpent. The group travels up the Menam River past the summer palace at Bang-pa-in to reach the ancient capital of Ayuthia. There, they learn the intricacies of elephant trapping, watching decoy animals and skilled handlers rope wild beasts in the jungle. Along the way, the Doctor uses quiet moments on the water to broaden the boys' education, prompting them to recount the historical travels of Marco Polo and discussing marine engineering, submarine diving, and underwater optical devices.

Sailing south past Singapore, the travelers cross the equator into the Dutch East Indies, landing at Batavia on the island of Java. The boys adapt to the rhythms of life in the tropics, where heavy rains arrive every afternoon at precisely three o'clock and daily sight-seeing is confined to the cooler morning hours. In Java, they examine the realities of Dutch colonial administration, noting the strict military regulations, required travel passports, and the frank economic motives of the rulers. They tour local agricultural operations, stepping inside processing facilities to document the multi-stage rolling, roasting, and winnowing of Java tea. Having surveyed the towns, temples, jungles, and trades of the East Indies, the travelers complete their regional observations, gathering their voluminous journals and sketches to share with readers back home.

How It Unfolds

Sailing for Cochin China The journey begins on the waters leaving Hong-Kong, carrying the travelers to the newly built French colonial port of Saigon.

Exploring Saigon and French Anam The boys stroll down macadamized avenues shaded by double rows of trees, examining the umbrella-like basket hats of the locals and learning how Chinese immigration has transformed the city's commerce.

Ancient Ruins of Nagkon Wat The party investigates the grand stone architecture of Cambodia, observing how giant poh-tree roots pry apart mortarless joints and how Buddhist monks reside in thatched huts within the courtyard.

Reflecting on Marco Polo During a voyage interruption, Doctor Bronson tests the boys' historical knowledge, prompting Frank and Fred to summarize the thirteenth-century adventures of the Venetian merchant at the court of Kublai-Khan.

Navigating the Waters of Bangkok Arriving in Siam, the group hires a four-oared lattice-windowed boat to navigate Bangkok's river highways, viewing riverside warehouses, stuccoed residences, and royal palaces.

The Royal Barge and White Elephants The travelers witness a dazzling procession of state barges inlaid with mother-of-pearl and crystal, while learning the cultural and political significance of the revered white elephant.

Trapping Wild Beasts at Ayuthia Journeying up the Menam River to the old capital, the party observes the dangerous process of utilizing tame decoy elephants to capture and bind wild male elephants to jungle trees.

Observing Funeral Cremations On a riverbank near a temple, the travelers pause to watch a traditional cremation ceremony, prompting Doctor Bronson to explain the religious significance of fire in assisting the soul's transmigration.

Crossing the Equator to Batavia The party sails past Singapore and through the Straits of Malacca, calculating their precise timing as the steamship crosses into the Southern Hemisphere toward Java.

Life and Industry in Java Reaching the roadstead of Batavia, the boys adjust to afternoon tropical downpours and visit local tea plantations to record every step of harvesting, drying, and firing Java tea for European markets.

The People

Doctor Bronson The knowledgeable adult guide of the expedition, Doctor Bronson sets the educational agenda for the journey. He wants to cultivate keen observational habits and historical literacy in his young charges. Standing between the boys and the unfamiliar environments they visit, he translates foreign customs, explains complex mechanical and natural phenomena, and ensures their safety. He leaves the journey having successfully transformed raw travel into structured intellectual growth.

Frank An inquisitive and diligent young traveler, Frank takes a lead role in documenting their observations through written accounts and detailed sketches. He wants to understand the precise workings of everything he encounters, from temple architecture and river navigation to industrial tea preparation. By engaging deeply with historical texts like Marco Polo’s memoirs and taking precise field notes, he emerges from the expedition as a mature, analytical observer.

Fred Frank’s companion and cousin, Fred possesses a sharp eye for immediate, practical details and visual impressions. He wants to experience the novelties of travel firsthand, frequently spotting unusual wildlife, local attire, or sudden changes in the weather before the others. His lively curiosity balances Frank’s methodical note-taking, and his grasp of geography and literature develops substantially throughout their passage across the East Indies.

In Its Own Voice

"Saigon was a small fishing-village in 1861, when it was captured by the French and occupied as a military post."

Doctor Bronson explains the rapid colonial transformation of Cochin China as the party walks down the wide, tree-lined streets of the newly built city.

"The roots of the poh-tree insinuate themselves into the smallest crevice; then they grow and expand, and by so doing they gradually force the stones apart."

The Doctor describes how tropical vegetation slowly dismantles the ancient stone structures of Nagkon Wat to Frank and Fred.

"The Dutch rulers of Java do not pretend they are occupying the country for any other purpose than to make money out of it."

The narrative candidly characterizes the unvarnished commercial motives governing the administration of the Dutch East Indies during the boys' stay in Batavia.

What It's Really About

Beneath its episodic narrative of steamboats and jungle excursions, the book is an exercise in Victorian educational philosophy and geographic inventory. It argues that empirical observation, grounded in historical literacy and scientific curiosity, is the proper way for a young mind to engage with the world. The text continually contrasts ancient, decaying architectural marvels with modern European industrial and colonial engineering. Underneath the travelogue lies a quiet interrogation of how different imperial powers—French, British, and Dutch—administer foreign territories and exploit natural resources. It balances a genuine respect for indigenous craftsmanship and cultural traditions with the era's firm belief in Western technical superiority, urging young readers to observe foreign societies with structured, methodical scrutiny.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers modern readers a fascinating, unedited window into late nineteenth-century Southeast Asia as seen through the eyes of an energetic American journalist. It will appeal to enthusiasts of historical travel literature, colonial history, and nineteenth-century geography. Reading the text feels like stepping into a bustling Victorian lecture hall equipped with vivid lantern slides; the prose moves briskly from street-level observations of daily wear to technical breakdowns of submarine lights and elephant decoys.

The book does present specific hurdles for contemporary readers. Its length and dense descriptive detail require patience, and its format reflects the educational styles of the 1880s, complete with didactic dialogues where adults lecture eager youths. Furthermore, modern audiences will spot the unmistakable period attitudes of Western cultural superiority and imperialist assumption that framed nineteenth-century travel writing. Yet, for those willing to engage with its historical context, the text remains an extraordinarily rich, detailed portrait of Bangkok, Saigon, and Java on the cusp of the modern age.