THROUGH SUMMER SEAS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 766, 15 March 1910, Page 6

THROUGH SUMMER SEAS.

, A TRIP TO ; THE MOLUCCAS. The-, new 3500-ton steamer Van Der Eagen, of the K.P.M.,Lino of steamers, is about to. leave on a, tour of that beautiful archipelago variously termed the East , Indies, the Moluccas, or' the Malay Archipelago, that' offers special and'novel attractions to the holiday-maker. The trip has been made possible by . the opening-up of" the new route to' Singapore via Java, and . the steamer''is, to leave..Sydney on March 27 . for Sirigapore, via Brisbane, . Townsville, Port .Moresby, - Thursday Island; Dobo (Aroe Islands),. Banda, and Macassar.-.A stay of from four-to six hours is to be inade at Banda the Beau- ', tiful,' to enable ', passengers to ascend the . volcano Goonong Api, and to view the wonderful "sea gardens." Passengers who so desire may leave the ship at Banda, : and pick up the new liner Van Linschoten on her maiden voyage to Australia. For; these three weeks'a wonderful programme has arranged, including ..ascents of neighbouring volcanoes, visit* to the rare and little-traversed islands of Ai and Sun' Rozengain, Coram, and Amboyha. At most of these places the'natives of the Moluccas can be seen almosl . fai that ; ' prftnitive state in : which th< •Spanish' nagivator Magellan originallj found them, and their ecremonies, rites and dances are now much as'they wer< lenturies ago. The unusualness of whai . Eiis fascinating. trip offers'is, therefore timost as fine., a feature as its beauty, foi the Moluccas, are now one. of the fev . gpots on the face of the earth which havi not been made more or less common Ir the march of commerce. The trip fron Sydney to Sydney occupies fifty-one days and .£4O (this sum includin; steamer :fares, hotel Expenses, and 1 fee for all conveyances).