印尼记遊（十四）
Travelogue in Indonesia 14

四月十六日，曦晨，朝阳羞答答地躲在东山之后，不肯露出其 真面目来，只放出一兩线微弱的曙光射在山地上。气温只在六 十度之间，我很久不曾经过这么寒冷的环境了，穿着羊毛衣， 盖着厚厚的毛毡，犹觉发抖。这正适宜於酣眠的好时刻，可是，为了下午就得赶程至日惹 Jogjakarta，不得不早点起来，草草地用过早点，就出去浏览实琅干 Sragen 的幽丽精致。

子平为了要完成他的油画不出去，凤美为了要整理她的画稿也不离开，其余的几位早已外出。我与温君作伴，出外去画山野及湖边景色。只⻅薄雾笼罩着四面的山头、湖在山的环抱里， 是那么的幽闲、明净。你只要花二十盾就可以租一艘小船，在湖心荡漾一个钟头，若你不愿下水，那不妨花三十盾赁一匹⻢，在实琅干山上，奔驰半天！

由湖边至瀑布，约有二英里的路程，我和温君步行着去。路是那么的窄，铺上一层碎石。一个不小心，就有滑落万丈深渊的危险。这些道路，都是荷人经营。內层全是水道，外面才是沿着山势而凿成，仅容一人行的栈道，形势极险！原来实琅干的湖水、全由山泉引入，利用这湖水，以灌溉全山的农作物。

我们涉涧渡水，约一小时后抵达平亭，这里驻了许多⻢匹。原来那些赁⻢只能骑行至此，再前行就必须攀援而上了。因为山径险仄不容步，所以有许多人不能到达瀑布的所在地。我是爬山的老手，也花了将半小时的时间方得上了山，但也气喘吁吁了。庆光、城梅、 丽君、潮光，都已在山上作画，呈现在面前的，就是那如练的一道⻜瀑、半山全是云海，那瀑布就像从云端里⻜落来的一根银柱，山岚向上直冒，四围苍翠扑人，野花遍地争艳，弥望都是一片⻩绿，一片红紫，在清新的空气里透着芳香，在幽寂的山野充满了点缀，我们的心胸都为之开放，我们的气魄也因之出凡了！

「叶先生！有什么办法可以下笔呢！」庆光望着我而发问。

城梅就说：「我们还是来画中国画吧！」

「我看还是照相机靠得住！」潮光接着说 。

说真的，在这幽胜的境地里，⻘山衬托，一条银柱垂直地悬挂在云海之下、近处只一株百年枯树，挺秀干霄，姿态奇美，真是全无人间的烟火气。这岂不是一幅酷似八大山人手笔的杰作吗?

我再策枝扶石前行，走至瀑布之下，想一窥其源首，仰视则⻅山陡壁削，云气蒙蒙，那垂空的白练宏伟雄壮；作一直线形而下，其声如洪钟、如松涛，又如万金⻬鸣、不可名状！那细碎的水滴，蒙如细雨，珠溅四射迎面扑来，别有一番清涼的滋味。虽是素抱悲观消极者之流，到这里來，也足以舒畅其襟怀，而忧苦顿忘！

我蹲在岩石上、望着那惊涛溅沫，有如滚滾的巨洪、直向山下的巨石进迫。那巨石有如天神般地屹立不动。在水石相持之下、发出轰然巨响，不由你不心悸呢！水势因巨石之阻，折向⻄流入一平潭，灌区皆是黑色之石床，故水静之处，有若一面大镜。潭的面积约一英亩，其出口处，又形成一段瀑布往下注流。这与日前在李氏庄俯视之瀑，竟是互异其趣！此时，锡君赶來了，他今天最活耀，既划船， 文骑⻢，现在看看四处无人，又再表现一出野人出浴的镜头。 (十四)

On April 16th, at the break of dawn, the morning sun shyly hid behind the eastern hills, refusing to reveal its true face, only casting a faint glimmer of dawn light onto the mountains. The temperature hovered around sixty degrees Fahrenheit, and I hadn't experienced such cold in a long time. Despite wearing a woolen sweater and being covered with thick blankets, I still shivered. This was the perfect time for a deep slumber, but I had to get up early to continue my journey to Jogjakarta in the afternoon, so I reluctantly rose, had a quick breakfast, and went out to explore the serene and exquisite beauty of Sragen.

Subin stayed behind to work on his oil painting, and Foong Moi was busy organizing her sketches, while the others had already ventured outside. I teamed up with Mr. Wen and set out to paint the landscapes of the mountains and the lake. We saw a thin mist enveloping the surrounding mountain peaks, and the lake nestled within the embrace of the mountains was tranquil and clear. For just twenty rupiahs, you could rent a small boat and spend an hour drifting on the lake. If you preferred not to go on the water, you could rent a horse for thirty rupiahs and gallop through the mountains of Sragen!

The journey from the lakeside to the waterfall was approximately two miles, and Mr. Wen and I decided to walk. The path was narrow and covered with loose stones. One wrong step could lead to a perilous fall into a deep abyss. These roads were originally constructed by the Dutch. Inside, there were water channels, and on the outside, they had carved narrow paths along the mountain slopes that could only accommodate one person at a time. It was an extremely treacherous terrain! The lake water in Sragen was sourced from mountain springs and was used to irrigate the entire mountain's crops.

We crossed streams and rivers, and after about an hour, we reached a plateau where many horses were stationed. It turned out that these rented horses could only take you up to this point, and from here on, you had to ascend on foot. The mountain path was narrow and perilous, and many people could not reach the location of the waterfall due to its challenging terrain. I was experienced in mountain climbing, but it still took me half an hour to reach the top, and I was quite breathless. Keng Kwang, Seah Boey, Lih Juin, and Teo Kwang were all painting on the mountain, and what lay before me was a cascading waterfall, like a silvery pillar falling from the clouds, with mist rising up into the sky. All around, there was lush greenery, wildflowers were in full bloom, and the landscape was a riot of yellow, green, red, and purple. In the fresh air, fragrances wafted, and in the tranquil mountain wilderness, it was adorned with beauty. Our hearts opened wide, and our spirits soared in this serene and exquisite environment!

"Mr. Yeh! Is there any way to start painting?" Keng Kwang looked at me and asked.

Seah Boey suggested, "Why don't we paint Chinese paintings?"

"I think the camera might be more reliable," Teo Kwang added.

To be honest, in this serene and beautiful place, with green mountains as a backdrop, a silver pillar hung vertically beneath the sea of clouds. Nearby, there was only a centuries-old withered tree, tall and graceful, with a stunning posture. It truly lacked any earthly qualities. Wasn't this a masterpiece that resembled the hand of Bada Shanren?

I continued to navigate through branches and rocks, walking to the base of the waterfall, hoping to catch a glimpse of its source. When looking up, I saw steep cliffs and misty clouds, and the hanging white waterfall was magnificent and imposing. Falling straight down, it sounded like a tolling bell, like the rustling of pine trees, and like the roar of a thousand rivers, indescribable! The fine water droplets fell like a drizzle, splashing and coming at you from all directions, offering a refreshing sensation. Even for those inclined towards pessimism and negativity, coming here was enough to ease their worries and forget their troubles!

I squatted on a rock, gazing at the turbulent spray, resembling a rolling flood, pushing towards the giant rocks below the mountain. The giant rocks stood still like divine beings. As water and stone confronted each other, they produced thunderous sounds that made your heart race! Due to the obstruction of the giant rocks, the water diverted westward into a calm pool, where the bed was made of black stones. In the quiet areas, it resembled a large mirror. The pool's size was about an acre, and at its outlet, it formed another waterfall flowing downwards. This was completely different from the view of the waterfall I saw from Li's estate a few days ago! At this moment, Sik Chun arrived. He was the most active today, first rowing a boat, then riding a horse, and now, seeing that there was no one around, he once again staged a scene of a wild man bathing.