Name: Meine zweite Weltreise : Zweiter Theil : Sumatra. Java. Celebes. Die Molukken.
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Rating: 5 (1 reviews)
Author: Pfeiffer, Ida, 1797-1858

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Meine zweite Weltreise : Zweiter Theil : Sumatra. Java. Celebes. Die Molukken.

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By Mark Roberts Posted on Mar 30, 2026

In Category - Ideas & Debate

Authors: Pfeiffer, Ida, 1797-1858 Published By : Pfeiffer, Ida, 1797-1858

Book Language: German

If you think modern travel is tough, meet Ida Pfeiffer. In 1851, this Austrian widow in her 50s set off alone on a multi-year journey through some of the most remote islands on Earth. This book is her story of that wild trip through Sumatra, Java, Celebes, and the Moluccas—the famous 'Spice Islands.' Forget guidebooks and hotels. Ida traveled by whatever boat she could find, slept in huts and on floors, and faced down everything from fever and hunger to what she saw as constant danger. She wasn't a scientist on an official expedition; she was a fiercely independent woman with a notebook, a pistol, and an unstoppable curiosity. The real conflict here isn't just with jungles or seas, but between her Victorian-era worldview and the complex, vibrant cultures she encounters. It's a raw, unfiltered, and often shocking adventure that makes you wonder: could I have done that? It's a time capsule of travel when every mile was earned the hard way.

File: Meine zweite Weltreise : Zweiter Theil : Sumatra. Java. Celebes. Die Molukken.

Ida Pfeiffer's Meine zweite Weltreise (My Second World Voyage) picks up her incredible story as she pushes deeper into the Dutch East Indies. This volume is her detailed travel diary from that leg of the journey.

The Story

There's no traditional plot, just one remarkable event after another as Ida moves from island to island. She describes steaming jungles in Sumatra, the refined court culture of Java, the rugged landscapes of Celebes (Sulawesi), and finally reaches the legendary Moluccas, the source of the nutmeg and cloves that once fueled empires. She gets by on sheer grit, bartering trinkets for food and relying on the occasional kindness of local rulers or Dutch colonists. The narrative is a mix of breathtaking natural description, close calls with illness and rough travel, and her pointed observations on everything she sees.

Why You Should Read It

You read this not for a balanced cultural study, but for the sheer, uncompromising force of Ida's personality. Her views can be hard to take—she's judgmental, ethnocentric, and quick to label things 'savage.' But that's part of the book's power. It's an authentic, unvarnished record of a 19th-century European mind confronting radical difference. Beyond that bias, her courage is undeniable. Every page hums with her determination to see what's over the next hill, to witness a ritual, or to collect a plant specimen. When she's awestruck by a volcano or genuinely moved by an act of hospitality, it feels all the more real. She was a true pioneer, and her stubborn voice is unforgettable.

Final Verdict

This is a fascinating book for a specific reader. It's perfect for armchair adventurers who love real-life exploration tales, and for history fans interested in first-contact narratives from the colonial era. Read it with a critical mind, understanding it as a product of its time. If you can do that, you'll be rewarded with a thrilling, bumpy, and utterly unique ride across the world with one of history's most formidable travelers. Just be prepared for some jarring opinions along with the incredible sights.