Just like the year before the races were concluded with a masked ball which was not as funny as the last one, although a lot of work was done to the costumes and dress up. The final closure of the dinner in the social club of the Organisation was more cheerful. As president of the raceclub I had to give a speech to this occasion and I obviously had surpassed myself in this task. Always a bad speaker in public, I developed that evening an unknown word flow which delivered me several compliments.After the practical excercises our 2nd bivouac was set up which was this time near Batoe, where Mr. Heyting was the controller. It was exeptionally cold there and despite the walls of our huts consisted of double bamboo we sat in our capes playing some games. The bivouac went just like the last one and ended with the Sunday visit and party.On the morning of our return march I felt so sick, that I had to hand over the command to the eldest captain. The controller had his carriage take me home.Before I drop the subject of the 2nd bivouac altogether I have to describe the visit which the officers made to the lime plantation in Poenten.Wwe found the limetrees were planted in regular rows spread out over a large area; around each tree ran a ditch through which fresh water ran continously and on the trees we saw blossom as well as fruit. It was a feast for the eyes and we enjoyed the juicy fruit.When I got back in Malang it was evident that I had caught the flu; I felt better soon and mounted my horse, when I met my doctor Joopie Haak, who ordered me immediately to go home ands to bed. Joopie was right as the illness got worse and developed in pneumonia; I was quite sick for some time and for months I felt very weak. Luckily my work was not strenuous and I could keep doing my service.It came in handy, as I would soon get an inspection of the Department’s commander colonel Segov. The inspection was all but pleasant; there were many remarks and often unjustified, but could only keep my mouth shut. However, when Segov gave the order to a scientific get together of the officers, I let him know through his adjutant, that this interfered with the regulations; the answer was: “I don’t give a damn aout that”.
So the show still went on, though the next day I reported to the chief of Arms, that the department’s commander had held an inspection and what the inspection was about. It was not usual to mention such and I refrained from any comment; I still booked succes with it, as a week later I got a copy of a letter from the army management to the dep. of comt, in which it was put to his notice, that the investigation to the scientific development of the officers of the special arms had been ordered to the chiefs of their arms. Segov has never forgiven me for this, which already straight away was clear at the yearly handing in of the officers’ reviewlists.Did I get almost no remarks on my papers the previous year, now I received them back from Segov with 72 remarks.I considered myself in my right not to change these papers immediately because of the futile remarks and returned them to Soerabaja with the suggestion to leave the decisions to my service chief; this time too I was succesful and got the papers back approved. Segov suffered a fiasco once more and was madder than ever at me.One evening at the optical signalling my adjutant Fauel came to talk to me about private business; one of the youngest officers, ltnt. Lisnet would have had an accident with a known girl in town, Lotje Brodhaag and wanted to marry as soon as possible, to which he wanted my support. I answered that he should then immediately come with his fiancee and that the marriage request then the next day could be lodged and I would pretend as if I had noticed nothing. Now the high word came out, that such a visit was not possible because the miss was already 7 months pregnant.There was a dilemma and I asked for advice from ltnt. col. Collard, he adviced that Lisnet should go to Batavia at once and talk to the mother of the army commander, to bring about that she would talk round General v. Zyll de Jongh, on whom she had a lot of influence, to hint several authoritarians. After lenghty discussions we both found this the only solution.So Lisnet left, though presented his case first with the chief colonel Resner, who already sent me a trusted writing to warn me definitely not to issue a certificate, because then he would certainly be called to accountability.
So it was evident the affaire was lost for Lisnet and soon he took honourable discharge from the military service, however through protection he got a job with the Department of Buildings and Roads and married the mother of his child. In his new job he still got difficulties because of a cash shortage of about 6000 guilders, though this was settled and proven that this was not his fault; he ended with emploiment with the exploitation of the Atjeh tram, where he later on became chief.My relation with ltnt col. Collard slowly started to deteriorate, because he wanted to interfere with the internal business of my corps and sometimes I had to answer hateful notes. Most of them I cannot remember anymore, usually it was regarding futile things, which were the result of his nervous character. One example of this was a note, which he sent me after a parade, in which he as Inspector and I as commander of the troops simulated; that note was so silly and regarded primarily mistakes made by the Depot battalion, of which he himself was the commander, sothat I addressed the note back to him.He also started to middle in the punishment of my officers. My adjutant Fauel had become captain and was replaced by Ltnt de Waal; a few days before that my corps officers and a also few others were being treated in the social club by Fauel; it was a jollly lot and now and then a song was sung. This was lese majesty for our Collard, who in the same hall was playing an ombre game with me; he sat boiling on his chair and convinced me of his dissatisfaction of the case. I didn’t mind it at all and tried in vain to calm him down.The next morning captain Fauel was called to report with the ltnt.col. and was punished with 10 days arrrest. After his punishment Fauel made it known that he wanted to put in a claim about the case, and when the department’s commander didn’t agree with him, he went to the court martial. This delivered him house arrest for months; but ended with a brilliant rehabilitation through the High Military Court of Justice, whose considerations came out very much to the costs of ltnt. Collard, sothat it surprised me, that he could stll become a Colonel.
Close to our home lived the retired Resident van Zutphen with a few grown up daughters; the man past away in 1893 and his daughters didn’t put him on show on his deathbed, but dressed the body in full uniform and put him like that on show for the visitors, which caused a lot of gossip.One of the daughters who was left behind was blind, and told her aquaintances, that she could feel different colours, which most of the public didn’t want to believe. One evening in her home I saw how she felt along a dress of a girl and made the remark, that she had such a lovely pink dress on; the conversation came now about the feeling of colours and the majority again unbelieving, except I, who during my leave had experienced such a thing, and so I told them. In the end of my 2nd chapter I forgot to mention this case and so I want to insert it here.When I was in Deventer I asked the director of a carpet factory, the deaf Mr. Kronenberg to look at his factory this was kindly allowed and and Mr. Kr. started to show me around. It was rainy weather and when we came in the room where the carpets were finished off and about 16 women were knotting the wool on the ropes of the loom, I asked casually if the damp weather didn’t have any influence on the ropes and so on the weaving; “Since you ask me this question I will show you the whole factory in detail; this is usually not a pleasure for me as most visitors show little interest in the business.”He led me around for more than 3 hours and so I also came in the hall, where the wool for the carpets was issued, which in hundres of containers along the walls in different shades were stored; with the issuing of the of the wool a blind woman was in charge, which went completely on sensation.When I showed my surprise about this, the director had me blindfolded and I really felt noticable differences when feeling the different colours; the blind woman had made this to perfection through practice and hardly ever made an error.The way on which the runners were made was also odd, which went completely mechanically in contrary to the carpets, which are made completely by hand. Through a system of long falling needles, which move up and down through carton discs with cutout holes is woven according to a special pattern without any worker; they call this the Jacquard method.
Generally speaking my children were fine and the girls have learned quite a bit under guidance of Miss Ovink; so I had all reason to be satisfied.The opposite was the case with Miss ter Meulen; I found that she was noticeable slacking, she was not as caring for the clothes of the children, especially for Johan, who often looked very untidy and the household started to cost more all the time especially noticeable in the high shop bills. The largest item for portwine made me suspicious that she used this item too much and I so I began to check her. If I gave her one or the other remark she became cheecky and I really started to dislike her, since I also got convinced, that she liked to drink. However I could not find it in my heart to sack her immediately, when the circumstances for this came towards me.After the Chief had asked if I would be suitable for the field service, I was shortly after that transferred to Atjeh and Dependences; when I told this to Miss ter Meulen she informed me that she did not want to come too, unless I raised her wages with 50%. In this I found a good motive to sack her now and placed an add in the newspaper.To this add I had 40 applications from the whole of the Indies, the most appealing to me seemed the one of Mr. Stibbe in Soerabaja, who applied for his sister in law, Miss Agnes Naessens. Therefore I made a trip to Soerabaja and visited family Stibbe and took on Miss Naessens for my household.When at my return Miss ter Meulen heard the results of my trip she was in tears and declaired to be very sorry of her attitude and even begged me, falling on her knees, to be allowed to stay in her job; I remained unmovable and was never sorry for that.
So my days in Malang were counted and I must say, that I was pleased a change was coming again. Originally the sphere of activity with the troops was a pleasant distraction for me and the 2nd year too I found a lot of pleasure in my work; the 3rd year I started to find repeating the same excercises rather boring and my transfer to Atjeh was a real solution for me.On the whole my job was a soft one and so I regard my 3 year’s stay in Malang as a kind of holiday in my service time.Two days before my leave Miss Naessens arrived and in those 2 days the two misses still made several clothes for the kids for the trip, in which Miss ter Meulen rose to the occasion to show the day with the neccessary waspishery.On the 4th May 1893 we left Malang and were taken to the station by a large amount of civilians and officers whilst the depot battalion was playing music; what affected me the most was that my entire corps, which had been given time off by my successor Kuyl was also gathered on the platform as a token of gratefulness for the treatment they had experienced from me.From our journey to Atjeh I remember just about nothing; I even don’t know if this went via Padang or Singapore; one thing only is certain that we arrived on the 14th May in Kota Radja and were received by my collegue Marcella.My first job was to present myself with the Governor General Major Deykerhoff; he received me haughtily and pointed out to me that I was about to start a very difficult job, which had been taken care of by my predecessor in such an excellent way, I got the impression that he didn’t expect such from me.Marcella also seemed to see his job as very important, at least he told me that the change over of the service certainly would take 6 weeks as I had to stay with him during that time, I suggested to move in as paying guests.
So my days in Malang were counted and I must say, that I was pleased a change was coming again. Originally the sphere of activity with the troops was a pleasant distraction for me and the 2nd year too I found a lot of pleasure in my work; the 3rd year I started to find repeating the same excercises rather boring and my transfer to Atjeh was a real solution for me.On the whole my job was a soft one and so I regard my 3 year’s stay in Malang as a kind of holiday in my service time.Two days before my leave Miss Naessens arrived and in those 2 days the two misses still made several clothes for the kids for the trip, in which Miss ter Meulen rose to the occasion to show the day with the neccessary waspishery.On the 4th May 1893 we left Malang and were taken to the station by a large amount of civilians and officers whilst the depot battalion was playing music; what affected me the most was that my entire corps, which had been given time off by my successor Kuyl was also gathered on the platform as a token of gratefulness for the treatment they had experienced from me.From our journey to Atjeh I remember just about nothing; I even don’t know if this went via Padang or Singapore; one thing only is certain that we arrived on the 14th May in Kota Radja and were received by my collegue Marcella.My first job was to present myself with the Governor General Major Deykerhoff; he received me haughtily and pointed out to me that I was about to start a very difficult job, which had been taken care of by my predecessor in such an excellent way, I got the impression that he didn’t expect such from me.Marcella also seemed to see his job as very important, at least he told me that the change over of the service certainly would take 6 weeks as I had to stay with him during that time, I suggested to move in as paying guests.
Knowing the stingy character of my collegue, it didn’t surprise me, that he eagerly accepted my offer; my children noticed those characteristics quite soon too from the way in which he acted towards his wife about the household; they had a captain boarding to be able to live a bit cheaper, something at which the children made the neccessary comments.Our service change over started with visiting the posts in the concentrated line, from which I straight away noticed, that lately the neccessary care had not been given to the woodworks and that the palisadings were rotten underneath. Further we visited severeal sea posts, which as a result of the introduced Marine regulations bit by bit were to be recommended for change in permanent buildings and for which the projects were made already.The woodworks for all these posts were prepared on Java and the ones for Poeloe Rajah were already sent.So they had already started the building of this post under supervision of captain Tielenius Kruithof.The posts Malaboe, Segli and Edi only needed small changes and additions and had also been started. So for new buildings only Telok Semaweh and Sabang were on the program.It was remarkable that general Deykerhof had brought about that for all projects the introduction of marine regulations didn’t need any sanctions from the engineering head office, something of which the consequences were definitely felt later on.When after the return of our trip I still watched the work of Marcella for a while, I found, that I now was informed enough to take over the reins and I told this my collegue; who protested so much, that I made use of the fact that I was older; I had to order him to clear his writing desk; thus I didn’t need the estimated 6 weeks.Marcella still stayed a few days in his house, held quite a profitable sale and then went to stay with his friend the Governor, from where after a few days he followed his new destination.Our whole family was happy he had left and we were by ourselves in our beautiful house, which soon enough was nicely but simply furnished.
Our next door neighbour was the mil. pharmacist Duursma, who was married and had 3 children; the eldest son, named Durk, was in Europe, the 2nd child, a girl was about 6 years and was almost completely blind and also had a nice young sister, to which the blind one was very attached. Soon enough she was a faithful visitor with us and it was remarkable how she, by feeling soon could find the way around; her usual question in a singing voice was: “Do you also have a little sister and do you also have a pussycat?”. Although the child was of course very retarded, her eyes and mental handicap came quite good later on in Holland.Several houses further on lived the family Nuysink in a ltnt’s house. The man was head of the public primary school, where all my children were educated; we always stayed on good terms with him.Under my command I had captains de Haan and Zon; the first one was my right hand at the office and charged with the local works, the other was chief of the Atjeh tram’s exploitation. He was a real Jew, who knew how to work himself in such a way to the favour of the Governor that even a satiric picture appeared, on which he was pictured holding the Governer’s jacket’s tails and was licking what sat behind that; I have never been able to get along with this Jew.The relation with the family de Haan on the whole had remained good; Mrs was the daughter Leentje of my first detachment commander Matthijsen, who had sat many times on my lap aboard the Dordrecht II and with whom I often talked about our journey coming out here. They only had one son, Charles with them – the other was in Holland – this youngster was unfortunate to break his leg at school and this gave rise to heavy fights between the de Haans and the Nuysinks; especially Mrs. because they called the blind Duursma girl aunt Chicken, she was greatly offended and still the head of the school was in this not the guilty one since the school building stood high above the ground between iron styles no handrails were attached, something which Mr. Huysink had repeatedly pointed out; the families always stayed on tense terms.
In the beginning General Deykerhoff was all but friendly to me; I sat with him in one of the wagons of the Atjehtram, which knocked about a bit and he gave me a few sharp remarks about that, which really should have been adressed to his friend Zon. I had had a small malaria attack and when I was better again I met the General, who informed me that he could not use any sick service chiefs, luckily he couldn’t repeat this hatefulness, since it was the last time that I had been plagued by malaria, after that it had disappeard completely.