diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665-0.txt | 396 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665-0.zip | bin | 122312 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665-8.txt | 5729 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665-8.zip | bin | 122243 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665-h.zip | bin | 9469335 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665-h/43665-h.htm | 375 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665.txt | 5729 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43665.zip | bin | 122167 -> 0 bytes |
8 files changed, 4 insertions, 12225 deletions
diff --git a/43665-0.txt b/43665-0.txt index 364f885..ac06ce6 100644 --- a/43665-0.txt +++ b/43665-0.txt @@ -1,38 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Java, Facts and Fancies, by Augusta de Wit - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Java, Facts and Fancies - - -Author: Augusta de Wit - - - -Release Date: September 7, 2013 [eBook #43665] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES*** - - -E-text prepared by Walt Farrell, Marc-André Seekamp, David Garcia, -Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team -(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (http://archive.org) - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43665 *** Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original 160 illustrations. @@ -5366,362 +5332,4 @@ Transcriber's note: Bride and bridegoom sitting in state Bride and bridegroom sitting in state - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES*** - - -******* This file should be named 43665-0.txt or 43665-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/3/6/6/43665 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43665 *** diff --git a/43665-0.zip b/43665-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a54fb04..0000000 --- a/43665-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/43665-8.txt b/43665-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f2f1d67..0000000 --- a/43665-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5729 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Java, Facts and Fancies, by Augusta de Wit - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Java, Facts and Fancies - - -Author: Augusta de Wit - - - -Release Date: September 7, 2013 [eBook #43665] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES*** - - -E-text prepared by Walt Farrell, Marc-André Seekamp, David Garcia, -Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team -(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (http://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original 160 illustrations. - See 43665-h.htm or 43665-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43665/43665-h/43665-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43665/43665-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - http://archive.org/details/javafactsfancies00witarich - - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - The dagger character is represented by a plus sign (+). - - - - - -[Illustration] - - -JAVA FACTS AND FANCIES - -by - -AUGUSTA DE WIT - -With 160 Illustrations - - - - - - - -London -Chapman & Hall, Ltd. -1905 - - - - -[Illustration] - -When the Lady Dolly van der Decken, in answer to questions about -her legendary husband's whereabouts, murmured something vague about -"Java, Japan, or Jupiter," she had Java in her mind as the most -"impossible" of those impossible places. And, indeed, every schoolboy -points the finger of unceremonious acquaintance at Jupiter; and -Japan lies transparent on the egg-shell porcelain of many an elegant -tea-table. But Java? What far forlorn shore may it be that owns the -strange-sounding name; and in what sailless seas may this other Ultima -Thule be fancied to float? Time was when I never saw a globe--all spun -about with the net of parallels and degrees, as with some vast spider's -web--without a little shock of surprise at finding "Java" hanging in -the meshes. How could there be latitude and longitude to such a thing -of dreams and fancies? An attempt at determining the acreage of the -rainbow, or the geological strata of a Fata Morgana, would hardly -have seemed less absurd. I would have none of such vain exactitude; -but still chose to think of Java as situate in the same region as the -Island of Avalon; the Land of the Lotos-Eaters, palm-shaded Bohemia by -the sea, and the Forest of Broceliand, Merlin's melodious grave. And it -seemed to me that the very seas which girt those magic shores--still -keeping their golden sands undefiled from the gross clay of the outer -world--must be unlike all other water--tranquil ever, crystalline, -with a seven-tinted glow of strange sea-flowers, and the flashing -of jewel-like fishes gleaming from unsounded deeps. And higher than -elsewhere, surely, the skies, blessed with the sign of the Southern -Cross, must rise above the woods where the birds of paradise nestle. - -Where is it now, the glory and the dream? The soil of Java is hot -under my feet. I know--to my cost--that, if the surrounding seas be -different from any other body of water, they are chiefly so in being -more subject to tempest, turmoil, and sudden squalls. I find the benign -influences of the Southern Cross--not a very brilliant constellation by -the way--utterly undone by the fiery fury of the noonday-sun; and have -learnt to appreciate the fine irony of the inherited style and title, -as compared with the present habitat, of the said Birds of Paradise. -And yet--all disappointing experience notwithstanding, and in spite -of the deadly dullness of so many days, the fever of so many sultry -nights, and the homesickness of all hours--I have still some of the -old love for this country left; and I begin to understand something of -the fascination by which it holds the Northerner who has breathed its -odour-laden air for too long a time; so that, forgetting his home, his -friends, and his kindred in the gray North, he is content to live on -dreamily by some lotos-starred lake; and, dying, to be buried under the -palm-trees. - - AUGUSTA DE WIT. - - - - -FIRST GLIMPSES - -[Illustration: "A "brownie" of that enchanted garden that men call -Java."] - -[Illustration] - - -My first impression of Java was not that of effulgent light and -overpowering magnificence of colour, generally experienced at the -first sight of a tropical country; but, on the contrary, of something -unspeakably tender, ethereal, and soft. It was in the beginning of -the rainy season. Under a sky filmy with diaphanous fleecy texture, -in which a tinge of the hidden blue was felt rather than seen, the -sea had a pearly sheen, with here and there changefully flickering -white lights, and wind-ruffled streaks of a pale violet. The slight -haziness in the air somewhat dulled the green of innumerable islets -and thickly-wooded reefs, scattered all over the sea; and, blurring -their outlines, seemed to lift them until they grew vague and airy as -the little clouds of a mackerel sky, wafted hither and thither by the -faintest wind. In the distance the block of square white buildings on -the landing-place--pointed out as the railway station and the custom -houses--stood softly outlined against a background of whitish-grey sky -and mist-blurred trees. - -Slowly the steamer glided on. And, as we now approached the roadstead -of Batavia, there came swimming towards the ship numbers of native -boats, darting out from between the islets, and diving up out of the -shadows along the wooded shore, like so many waterfowl. Swiftest of -all were the "praos'" very slight hulls, almost disappearing under -their one immense whitish-brown sail, shaped like a bird's wing, and -thrown back with just the same impatient fling--ready for a swoop and -rake--so exactly resembling sea-gulls skimming along, as to render the -comparison almost a description. On they came, drawing purplish furrows -through the pearly greys and whites of the sea. And, in their wake, -darting hither and thither with the jerky movements of water-spiders, -quite a swarm of little black canoes--hollowed-out tree-trunks, kept -in balance by bamboo outriggers, which spread on either side like -sprawling, scurrying legs. As they approached, we saw that the boats -were piled with many-tinted fruit, above which the naked bodies of -the oarsmen rose, brown and shiny, and the wet paddle gleamed in -its leisurely-seeming dip and rise, which yet sent the small skiff -bounding onward. They were along-side soon, and the natives clambered -on board, laden with fragrant wares. They did not take the trouble -of hawking them about, agile as they had proved themselves, but -calmly squatted down amid their piled-up baskets of yellow, scarlet, -crimson, and orange fruit--a medley of colours almost barbaric in its -magnificence, notwithstanding the soberer tints of blackening purple, -and cool, reposeful green; and calmly awaited customers. Under the -gaudy kerchiefs picturesquely framing the dark brows, their brown -eyes had that look of thoughtful--or is it all thoughtless?--content, -which we of the North know only in the eyes of babies, crooning in -their mother's lap. And, as they answered our questions, their speech -had something childlike too, with its soft consonants and clear -vowels, long-drawn-out on a musical modulation, that glided all up -and down the gamut. They had a great charm for me, their flatness of -features and meagreness of limbs notwithstanding; and I thought, that, -if not quite the fairies, they might well be the "brownies" of that -enchanted garden that men call Java. - -[Illustration: "Fishing-praos, their diminutive hulls almost -disappearing under the one tall whitish-brown sail, shaped like a -bird's wing and flung back, as if ready for a swoop and rake."] - -[Illustration: "The ship lay still, and we trod the quay of Tandjong -Priok."] - -But alas! for day-dreaming--the gruff authoritative voice of the -quartermaster was heard on deck; and--after the manner of goblins at -the approach of the Philistine--all the little brownies vanished. They -were gone in an instant: and, in their pretty stead, came porters, -cabin-stewards with trunks, and passengers in very new clothes. For we -were fast approaching; and, presently, with a big sigh of relief, the -steamer lay still, and we trod the quay of Tanjong Priok. - -It would seem as if the first half hour of arrival must be the same -everywhere, all the world over; but here, even in the initial scramble -for the train, one notices a difference. There is a crowd; and there -is no noise. No scuffling and stamping, no cries, no shouting, no -gruff-voiced altercations. All but inaudibly the barefooted coolies -trot on, big steamer-trunks on their shoulders; they do not hustle, -each patiently awaiting his turn at the office and on the platform; -and, as they stand aside for some hurrying, pushing European, their -else impassible faces assume a look of almost contemptuous amazement. -Why should the "orang blanda"[1] thus discourteously jostle them? Are -there not many hours in a day, and many days to come after this? And do -they not know that "Haste cometh of the evil?" - -[1] "People from Holland" the name for Europeans generally. - -The train has started at last, and is hurrying through a wild, dreary -country, half jungle, half marshland. From the rank undergrowth of -brushwood and bulrushes rise clumps of cocoanut palms, their dark -shaggy crowns strangely massive above the meagre stems through which -the distant horizon gleams palely. In open spaces young trees stand out -here and there, half strangled in the festoons of a purple-blossomed -liana that trails its tendrilled length all over the lower shrub-wood. -Thickets of bamboo bend and sway in the evening wind. - -To the right stretches a long straight canal, dull as lead under -the lustreless sky; the breeze, in passing, blackens the motionless -water, and a shiver runs through the dense vegetation along the -edge--broad-leaved bananas, the spreading fronds of the palmetto, and -mimosas of feathery leafage, above which the silver-grey tufts of -bulrushes rise. After a while the jungle diminishes and ceases; and a -vast reach of marshy country stretches away to the horizon. We neared -it as the sun was setting. Though it had not broken through the clouds, -the fiery globe had suffused their whiteness with a deep, dull purple -as of smouldering flames. A tremulous splendour suddenly shot over -the rush-beds and rank waving grasses of the marshy land; the shining -reed-pricked sheets of water crimsoned; and along the canal moving like -an incandescent lava stream, the broadly curving banana leaves seemed -fountains of purple light, and the palmetto and delicate mimosa fronds -grew transparent in the all-pervading rosiness--almost immaterial. Even -after the burning edge of the sun, perceived for a brief moment, had -sunk away, these marvellous colours did not fade; softly shining on -they seemed to be the natural tint of this wonderful land--independent -of suns and seasons. Then, all at once, they were extinguished by the -rapidly-fallen dusk, as a fire might be under a shower of ashes; and, a -few minutes after, it was night. - -At the lamplit station of Batavia I hailed one of the vehicles waiting -outside--a curious little two-wheeled conveyance, which, with its -enormous lanterns, airily supported roof, and long shafts between -which a diminutive pony trotted, looked like a fiery-eyed cockchafer -that darts about, moving its long antennae. I hoisted myself on to -the sloping seat, and, for some time was driven through an avenue, -the trees on either side of which made a cloudy darkness against -the pale strip of sky overhead. There was an incessant high-pitched -twittering of birds among the leaves; and, every now and then, a -fragrance of invisible flowers came floating out on the windless air. -We passed a tall building, shimmering white through the darkness--the -Governor-General's palace I was told. Then the horse's hoofs clattered -over a bridge, and, past the turn of the road, a long row of brilliant -windows flashed up, with a white blaze of electric light in the -distance. - -Past the resplendent shop-windows on the left side of the street--the -other remaining dark, featureless--a leisurely crowd moved; open -carriages, bearing ladies to some evening entertainment, bowled along; -a many-windowed club-building blazed out; a canal shone with a hundred -slender spears of reflected light--I had reached my destination, the -suburb of Rijswijk. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -A BATAVIA HOTEL - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -If, in this commonplace-loving age, there be one thing more commonplace -and utterly devoid of character than another, it is a hotel. Hotels! -where are railroads there are they. The locomotive scatters them -along its shining path together with cinders, thistleseeds, and -tourists. They are everywhere; and everywhere they are the same. The -proverbial peas are not so indistinguishably alike. Surely, a whimsical -imagination may be pardoned for fancying a difference between the pods -"shairpening" in some Scotch kailyard, the petits-pois coquettishly -arranged in Chevet's shop-window, and the Zuckererbsen mashed down to -a green pulse in some strong-jawed Prussian's plate--a difference, the -far and faint and fanciful analogy to the more obvious one between -the gudeman, the French chef, and the Königlich Preussischer Douanen -Beamten Gehilfe who own the said peas. But a hotel, on whatever part -of Europe it may open its dull window-eyes, has not even a name native -of the country, and declaring its citizenship. The genius of speech -despairs of making a difference in the name, where there is none in -the thing; and thus, from Orenburg to Valentia, and from Hammerfest -to Messina, a hôtel is still called a hôtel, and the traveller still -expects and finds the same Swiss portier and the same red velvet -portières, the same indescribable smell of sherry, stewed-meat, -and cigars in the passages, the same funereally-clad waiters round -the table d'hôte, and the same dishes upon it. Thus I thought in -my old European days. But, since, I have come to Java, and I have -seen a Batavia hotel--_a rumah makan_. Ah! that was a surprise, a -shock, a revelation--I would say "un frisson nouveau" if Batavia and -shivering were compatible terms. "Un étouffement nouveau" better -expressed my sensations, as it flashed upon me in full noon-day glory. -Noon is its own time, its hour of hours, the instant when those -opposing elements of Batavia street-life--the native population most -conspicuous of a morning, and the European contingent preponderant in -the evening--attain that exact equipoise which gives the place its -particular character; and when the conditions of sky, air, and earth -are attuned to truest harmony with it. - -The great, strong, full noon-day sun beats on the stuccoed buildings, -heating their whiteness to an intolerable incandescence. It has set -the garden ablaze, burning up the long grey shadows of early morning -to round patches of a charred black, that cling to the foot of the -trees; and making the air to quiver visibly above the scorched yellow -grass-plots. Among their dark leafage, the hibiscus flowers flare -like living flame; and the red-and-orange blossoms, dropping from the -branches of the Flame of the Forest, seem to lie on the path like -smouldering embers. Through this blaze of light and colour, move -groups of gaudily-draped natives--water-carriers, flower-sellers, -fruit-vendors, pedlars selling silk and precious stones--their heads -protected from the sun by enormous mushroom-shaped hats of plaited -straw, and their shining shoulders bending under a bamboo yoke, from -the ends of which dangle baskets of merchandise. Small, brown, chubby -children, a necklet their one article of wear, are gathering the tiny, -yellow-white blossoms that bespangle the grass under the tanjong trees. -Grave-faced Arabs stride past. Chinamen trudge along--lean, agile -figures--chattering and gesticulating as they go. - -[Illustration: "A seller of fruit and vegetables his baskets dangling -from the ends of a bamboo yoke."] - -But, among the crowd of orientals, no Europeans are seen, save such -as rapidly pass in vehicles of every description, from the jolting -dos-à-dos onwards--with its diminutive pony almost disappearing between -the shafts--to the elegant victoria drawn by a pair of big Australian -horses. But, even when driving, the noon-day heat is dangerous to the -Westerner; and the European inmates of the hotel are all in the dark -cool verandahs, enjoying a dolce far niente enlivened by chaffering -with the natives and drinking iced lemonades, the ladies--here is -another surprise for the newcomer!--all attired in what seems to -be the native dress of sarong and kabaya! A kabaya is a sort of -dressing-jacket of profusely-embroidered white batiste, fastened down -the front with ornamental pins and little gold chains; and under it is -worn the sarong, a gaudily-coloured skirt falling down straight and -narrow, with one single deep fold in front, and kept in place by a silk -scarf wound several times round the waist, its ends dangling loose. -With this costume, little high-heeled slippers are worn on the bare -feet; and the hair is done in native style, simply drawn back from the -forehead, and twisted into a knot at the back of the head. Altogether, -this style of attire is original rather than becoming. - -And, if this must be confessed of the ladies' costume, what must be -said of the garb some men have the courage to appear in? A kabaya, -and--may Mrs. Grundy graciously forgive me for saying it! for how -shall I describe the indescribable, save by calling it by its own -by me never-to-be-pronounced name?--A kabaya and trousers of thin -sarong-stuff gaily sprinkled with blue and yellow flowers, butterflies, -and dragons! - -[Illustration: "Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvety rambootan and -smooth-skinned dookoo."] - -But all this is only an induction into that supreme mystery, celebrated -at noon, the rice-table. Here is indeed, "un étouffement nouveau." All -things pertaining to it work together for bewilderment. To begin with; -it is served up, not in any ordinary dining-room, but in the "back -gallery," a place which is a sight in itself, a long and lofty hall, -supported on a colonnade, between the white pillars of which glimpses -are caught of the brilliantly-flowering shrubs and dark-leaved trees -in the garden without. In the second place, it is handed round by -native servants, inaudibly moving to and fro upon bare feet, arrayed -in clothes of a semi-European cut, incongruously combined with the -Javanese sarong and head-kerchief. And, last not least, the meal itself -is such as never was tasted on sea or land before. The principal dish -is rice and chicken, which sounds simple enough. But on this as a basis -an entire system of things inedible has been constructed: besides -fish, flesh, and fricassees, all manner of curries, sauces, pickles, -preserved fruit, salt eggs, fried bananas, "sambals" of fowl's liver, -fish-roe, young palm-shoots, and the gods of Javanese cookery alone -know what more, all strongly spiced, and sprinkled with cayenne. There -is nothing under the sun but it may be made into a sambal; and a -conscientious cook would count that a lost day on which he had not sent -in at the very least twenty of such nondescript dishes to the table of -his master, for whose digestion let all gentle souls pray! And, when to -all this I have added that these many and strange things must be eaten -with a spoon in the right hand and a fork in the left, the reader will -be able to judge how very complicated an affair the rice-table is, and -how easily the uninitiated may come to grief over it. For myself, I -shall never forget my first experience of the thing. I had just come in -from a ride through the town, and I suppose the glaring sunlight, the -strangely-accoutred crowd, the novel sights and sounds of the city must -have slightly gone to my head (there are plenty of intoxicants besides -"gin" _vide_ the Autocrat of the Breakfast Table). Anyhow, I entered -the "back gallery" with a sort of "here-the-conquering-hero-comes" -feeling; looked at the long table groaning under its dozens of -rice-bowls, scores of dishes of fowls and fish, and hundreds of -sambal-saucers, arrayed between pyramids of bananas, mangosteens, and -pine-apples, as if I could have eaten it all by way of "apéritif;" -sat me down; heaped my plate up with everything that came my way; -and fell to. What followed I have no words to express. Suffice it to -say, that in less time than I now take to relate it, I was reduced to -the most abject misery--my lips smarting with the fiery touch of the -sambal; my throat the more sorely scorched for the hasty draught of -water with which, in my ignorance, I had tried to allay the intolerable -heat; and my eyes full of tears, which it was all I could do to prevent -from openly gushing down my cheeks, in streams of utter misery. A -charitable person advised me to put a little salt on my tongue, (as -children are told to do on the tail of the bird they want to catch). I -did so; and, after a minute of the most excruciating torture, the agony -subsided. I gasped, and found I was still alive. But there and then I -vowed to myself I would never so much as look at a rice-table again. - -[Illustration: "The big kalongs hanging from the topmost branches in a -sleep from which the sunset will presently awaken them."] - -I have broken that vow: I say it proudly. It is but a dull mind which -cannot reverse a first opinion, or go back upon a hasty resolve. And -now I know _how_ to eat rice, I love it. Still, that first meal was a -shock. It suddenly brought home to the senses what up to that minute -had been noted by the understanding only: the fact of my being in a -new country. The glare of the garden without, the Malay sing-song of -those dark bare-footed servants, the nondescript clothes of the other -guests, united with the tingling and burning in my throat to make me -realise the stupendous change that had come over my universe, the -antipodal attitude of things in Europe and things in Java. I had the -almost bodily sensation of the intervening leagues upon leagues, of the -dividing chasm on the unknown side of which I had just landed. And it -fairly dizzied me. - -Now, the natural reaction following upon a shock of this kind throws -one back upon the previous state of things--in the case the ways and -manners of the old country--and one stubbornly resolves to adhere to -them. But, though this may be natural, it is not wise. I, at least, -soon discovered for myself the truth of the old sage's saw: "Vérité -en deçà des Pyrénées, erreur en delà," as applied to the affairs of -everyday life; the more so, as oceans and broad continents, the space -of thousands of Pyrenean ranges, separate those hither and thither -sides, Holland and Java. The home-marked standard of fit and unfit -must be laid aside. The soul must doff her close-clinging habits of -prejudiced thought. And the wise man must be content to begin life over -again, becoming even as a babe and suckling, and opening cherub lips -only to drink in the light, the leisure, and the luxuriant beauty of -this new country as a rich mother's milk--the blameless food on which -to grow up to (colonial) manhood. - -But to return to that first "rice-table." After the rice, curries, -etc. had been disposed of, beef and salad appeared, and, to my -infinite astonishment, were disposed of in their turn, to be followed -by the dessert--pine-apples, mangosteens, velvety "rambootans," and -an exceedingly picturesque and prettily-shaped fruit--spheres of a -pale gold containing colourless pellucid flesh--which I heard called -"dookoo." Then the guests began to leave the table, and I was told -it was time for the siesta--another Javanese institution, not a whit -less important, it would appear, than the famous rice-table--and -vastly more popular with newcomers. Perhaps, the preceding meal -possesses somniferous virtue; or, perhaps, the heat and glare of the -morning predispose one to sleep; or, perhaps--after so many years of -complaining about "being waked too soon"--the sluggard in us rejoices -at being bidden in the name of the natural fitness of things, to "go -and slumber again." I will not attempt to decide which of those three -possible causes is the true one; but so much is certain: even those who -kick most vigorously at the rice-table, lay them down with lamb-like -meekness to the siesta. I confess I was very glad myself to escape into -the coolness and quiet of my room. Plain enough it was, with its bare, -white-washed walls and ceiling, its red-tiled floor and piece of coarse -matting in the centre, its cane-bottomed chairs. But how I delighted in -the absence of carpets and wall-papers, when I found the stone floor so -deliciously cool to the feet, and the bare walls distilling a freshness -as of lily-leaves! The siesta lasted till about four. Then people began -to hurry past my window, with flying towels and beating slippers, -marching to the bath-rooms. And, at five, tea was brought into the -verandah. - -Then began the first moderately-cool hour of the day. A slight breeze -sprang up and wandered about in the garden, stirring the dense foliage -of the waringin-tree, and making its hundreds of pendulous air-roots -to gently sway to and fro. A shower of white blossom fluttered down -from the tanjong-branches, spreading fragrance as it fell. And, by and -by, a faint rosiness began to soften the crude white of the stuccoed -walls and colonnades, and to kindle the feathery little cirrus-clouds -floating high overhead, in the deep blue sky where the great "kalongs" -were already beginning to circle. - -At six it was almost dark. - -The loungers in the verandah rose from their tea, and went in. And, -some half-hour later, I saw the ladies issue forth in Paris-made -dresses, the men in the garb of society accompanying them on their -calls, for which I was told this was the hour. The "front gallery" of -the hotel, a spacious hall supported on pillars, was brilliantly lit. -A girl sat at the piano, accompanying herself to one of those weird, -thrilling songs such a Grieg and Jensen compose. And when I went in to -the eight-o'clock dinner, the menu for which might have been written -in any European hotel, I had some trouble in identifying the scene -with that which, earlier in the day, had so rudely shocked my European -ideas. I half believed the rice-table, the sarongs and kabayas, and -the Javanese "boys" must have been a dream, until I was convinced of -the contrary by the sight of a lean brown hand thrust out to change my -plate of fish for a helping of asparagus. - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE TOWN - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -It is only for want of a better word that one uses this term of "town" -to designate that picturesque ensemble of villa-studded parks and -avenues, Batavia. There is, it is true, an older Batavia, grey, grim -and stony as any war-scarred city of Europe--the stronghold which the -steel-clad colonists of 1620 built on the ruins of burnt-down Jacatra. -But, long since abandoned by soldiers and peaceful citizens alike, -and its once stately mansions degraded to offices and warehouses, it -has sunk into a mere suburb--the business quarter of Batavia--alive -during a few hours of the day only, and sinking back into a death-like -stillness, as soon as the rumble of the last down-train has died away -among its echoing streets. And the real Batavia--in contradistinction -to which this ancient quarter is called "the town"--is as unlike it as -if it had been built by a different order of beings. - -It is best described as a system of parks and avenues, linked by many -a pleasant byway and shadowy path, with here and there a glimpse of -the Kali Batawi gliding along between the bamboo groves on its banks, -and everywhere the whiteness of low, pillared houses, standing well -back from the road, each in its own leafy garden. Instead of walls, a -row of low stone pillars, not much higher than milestones, separates -private from public grounds, so that from a distance one cannot see -where the park ends and the street begins. The shadow of the tall -trees in the avenue keeps the garden cool, and the white dust of the -road is sprinkled with the flowers that lie scattered over the smooth -grass-plots and shell-strewn paths of the villa. - -Among the squares of Batavia, the largest and most remarkable by far is -the famous Koningsplein. It is not so much a square as simply a field, -vast enough to build a city on, dotted from place to place by pasturing -cattle, and bordered on the four sides of its irregular quadrangle by -a triple row of branching tamarinds. From the southern distance two -aerial mountain-tops overlook it. The brown bare expanse of meadowy -ground, lying thus broadly open to the sky, with nothing but clouds and -cloudlike hill-tops rising above its distant rampart of trees, seems -like a tract of untamed wilderness, strangely set in the midst of a -city, and all the more savage and lonely for these smooth surroundings. -Between the stems of the delicate-leaved tamarinds, glimpses are caught -of gateways and pillared houses; the eastern side of the quadrangle -is disfigured by a glaring railway-station; and, notwithstanding, -it remains a rugged solitary spot, a waste, irreclaimably barren, -which, by the sheer strength of its unconquered wildness, subdues its -environment to its own mood. The houses, glinting between the trees, -seem mere accidents of the landscape, simply heaps of stones; the -glaring railway-station itself sinks into an indistinct whiteness, -dissociated from any idea of human thought and enterprise. - -[Illustration: "A triple row of branching tamarinds."] - -[Illustration: "The idyllic Duke's park, very shadowy, fragrant, and -green."] - -Now and then a native traverses the field, slowly moving along an -invisible track. He does not disturb the loneliness. He is indigenous -to the place, its natural product, almost as much as the cicadas -trilling among the grass blades, the snakes darting in and out among -the crevices of the sun-baked soil, and the lean cattle, upon whose -backs the crows perch. There is but one abiding power and presence -here--the broad brown field under the broad blue sky, shifting shades -and splendours over it, and that horizon of sombre trees all around. - -This vast sweep of sky gives the Plein a tone and atmosphere of its -own. The changes in the hour and the season that are but guessed at -from some occasional glimpse in the street, are here fully revealed. -The light may have been glaring enough among the whitewashed houses -of Ryswyk and Molenvliet--it is on the Plein only that tropical -sunshine manifests itself in the plenitude of its power. The great sun -stands flaming in the dizzy heights; from the scorched field to the -incandescent zenith the air is one immense blaze, a motionless flame in -which the tall tamarinds stand sere and grey, the grass shrivels up to -a tawny hay, and the bare soil stiffens and cracks.--The intolerable -day is past. People, returning home from the town, see a roseate -sheen playing over roofs and walls, a long crimson cloud sailing high -overhead. Those walking on the Plein behold an apocalyptic heaven and a -transfigured earth, a firmamental conflagration, eruptions of scarlet -flame through incarnadined cloud, runnels of fire darting across the -melting gold and translucent green of the horizon; hill-tops changed -into craters and tall trees into fountains of purple light. And many -are the nights, when, becoming aware of a dimness in the moonlit air, -I have hastened to the Koningsplein, and found it whitely waving -with mist, a very lake of vapour, fitfully heaving and sinking in the -uncertain moonlight, and rolling airy waves against a shore of darkness. - -[Illustration: "The Business-quarter of Batavia."] - -The seasons, too--how they triumph in this bit of open country! When, -after the devouring heat of the East monsoon, the good gift of the -rains is poured down from the heavens, and the town knows of nothing -but impracticable streets, flooded houses, and crumbling walls, it is -a time of resurrection and vernal glory for the Plein. The tamarinds, -gaunt gray skeletons a few days ago, burst into full-leaved greenness; -the hard, white, cracked soil is suddenly covered with tender grass, -fresh as the herbage of an April meadow under western skies. In the -early morning, the broad young blades are white with dew. There is a -thin silvery haze in the air, which dissolves into a pink and golden -radiance, as the first slanting sunbeams pierce it. And the tree tops, -far off and indistinct, seem to rise airily over hollows of blue shade. - -[Illustration: "A footsore Klontong trudging wearily along."] - -Not far from the Koningsplein there is another square, its very -opposite in aspect and character--the idyllic Duke's Park very shadowy, -fragrant, and green. One walks in it as in a poet's dream. All around -there is the multitudinous budding and blossoming of many-coloured -flowers, a play of transparent bamboo-shadows that flit and shift over -smooth grassplot and shell-strewn path, a ceaseless alternation of -glooms and glories. Set amidst tall dark trees, whose topmost branches -break out into a flame of blossom, there stands a white pillared -building, palace-like in the severe grace of its architecture. Is it -the Renaissance style of those gleaming columns and marble steps, -or that name of "the Duke's Park," or both, that stir up the fancy -to thoughts of some sixteenth-century Italian pleasaunce, such as -Shakespeare loved as a setting for his love-stories? A Duke as gentle -as his prince of Illyria, Olivia's sighing lover, might have walked -these glades, listening to disguised Viola as, all unsuspectedly, she -wooed him from his forlorn allegiance. - -The irony of facts has willed it otherwise. - -[Illustration: The Chinese quarter.] - -A duke it was, sure enough, who stood sponsor to the spot. But as -(according to French authorities) there are fagots and fagots, even -so there are Dukes and Dukes--and vastly more points of difference -than of resemblance between Viola's gentle prince, and the thunderous -old Lord of Saxen-Weimar, to whose rumbling Kreuzdonnerwetters and -Himmel-Sakraments this abode of romance re-echoed some fifty years ago. -A distant relative to the King of the Netherlands, he was indebted -to his Royal kinsman's sense of family duty for these snug quarters, -a very considerable income (from the National Treasury) and the post -of an Army Commander, which upheld the prince in the pensioner. His -tastes were few and simple, and saving the one delight of his soul, -a penurious youth, and the hardships of the Napoleonic supremacy -having so thoroughly taught him the habit, that it had become a second -nature to him; and would not be ousted now by the mere fact of his -having become rich. He was proud of his parsimony too, prouder even -than of his swearing, remarkable as it was; and, amidst the pomp and -circumstance he had so late in life attained to, neglected not the -humble talents which had solaced his less affluent days. So that, -looking upon the many goodly acres around his palace, lying barren -of all save grass, flowers, blossoming trees, and such like useless -stuff, he at once saw what an unique opportunity it would afford him -for the exercise of his favourite virtue. And, setting about the matter -in his own thorough-going way, he cut down the trees, ploughed up the -grassplots, and had the grounds neatly laid out in onion-beds, and -plantations of the sirih, which the Javanese loves. Here one might meet -the Duke of a morning--a portly, bald-pated, red-faced old warrior with -a prodigious "meerschaum" protruding from his bristling white beard, -stars, crosses, and goldlace all over his general's uniform, and a pair -of list slippers on his rheumatic old toes. An orderly walked behind -him, holding a gold-edged sunshade over his shining pate. And, every -now and then, the Duke would stop to look earnestly at his crops; and, -stooping with a groaning of his flesh, and a creaking of his tight -tunic, straighten some trailing plant, or flick an insect off the sirih -leaves. - - "The Duke was in his kitchen-garden, - A counting of his money," - -as one might vary the nursery rhyme. - -[Illustration: "The West monsoon has set in, flooding the town."] - -For money it was he counted, when he gazed so long and earnestly at his -vegetables--the alchemy of his thrifty imagination turning every young -stalk and sprouting leaflet into a bit of metal, adorned with his Royal -kinsman's effigy. And when the green pennies-to-be were plentiful, -well content was the gardener; and if not--"Mountains and vales and -floods, heard Ye those oaths?" Tradition has kept an echo of them. -They were something quite out of the common order, and with a style -and sound so emphatically their own as to baffle imitation, and render -description a hopeless task. - -[Illustration: "The Kali Batawi on its way through the Chinese -quarter."] - -Nor did this originality wear off as, in the course of time, the worthy -Duke began to forget the language of the Fatherland. For, losing his -German, he found not his Dutch, and the expressions he composed out -of such odds and ends of the two languages, as he could lay tongue -to, would have astonished the builders of Babel Tower. Fortunately, -however, his anger was as short-lived as it was violent, and, when the -last thunderclap of Kreuzmillionen Himmels Donnerwetter had gradually -died away in an indistinct grumbling, he would summon his attendant -for a light to rekindle his pipe with a "come now, thou black pigdog" -that sounded quite friendly. A kind-hearted old blusterer at bottom, -he treated his dependents well and never sent away a beggar pennyless. -"Doitless" I should have written, for his donations never exceeded that -amount. - -There is a tale of an A. D. C., his appointed almoner for the time, -having one day come to him with a subscription-list on which the -customary doit figured as His Serene Highness the Duke of Saxen -Weimar's contribution; and hinting at what he considered the -disproportion between the exiguity of the gift, and the wealth and -worldly station of the giver. He must have been a very rash A. D. C. -The Duke turned upon him like a savage bull. And, after a volley of -oaths: "Too little!" he roared: "Too little!" and again, "Too little! I -would have you know, younker! that a doit is a great deal when one has -nothing at all!" - -It was a cry de profundis--laughable and half contemptible as it -sounded, the echo from unforgotten depths of misery. - -He had known what it meant "to have nothing at all." Wherefore, and -for those winged words in which he uttered the knowledge, let his -onion-beds be forgiven him. Of the outrage he committed, only the -memory is left--the effects have long since been obliterated: bountiful -tropical nature having again showered her treasures of leaf and flower -over the beggared garden, and re-erected in their places the green -towers of her trees. - -[Illustration: Entrance to a rich Chinaman's House.] - -Rijswijk, Noordwijk, and Molenvliet, the commercial quarters of -Batavia, are more European in aspect than the Koningsplein; the -houses--shops for the most part--are built in straight rows; a pavement -borders the streets, and a noisy little steam-car pants and rattles -past from morning till night. But, with these European traits, Javanese -characteristics mingle, and the resulting effect is a most curious -one, somewhat bewildering withal to the new-comer in its mixture of -the unknown with the familiar. Absolutely commonplace shops are -approached through gardens, the pavement is strewn with flowers of the -flame-of-the-forest: and, at the street-corners, instead of cabs, one -finds the nondescript sadoo, its driver, gay in a flowered muslin vest -and a gaudy headkerchief, squatting cross-legged on the back seat. -Noordwijk is unique, an Amsterdam "gracht" in a tropical setting. -Imagine a long straight canal, a gleam of green-brown water between -walls of reddish masonry--spanned from place to place by a bridge, -and shaded by the softly-tinted leafage of tamarinds; on either side -a wide, dusty road, arid gardens, sweltering in the sun, and glaring -white bungalows; the fiery blue of the tropical sky over it all. -Gaudily-painted "praos" glide down the dark canal; native women pass up -and down the flight of stone steps that climbs from the water's edge to -the street, a flower stuck into their gleaming hair, still wet from the -bath; the tribe of fruitvendors and sellers of sweet drinks and cakes -have established themselves along the parapet, in the shade of the -tamarinds; and the native crowd, coming and going all day long, makes a -kaleidoscopic play of colours along the still dark water. - -From the little station at the corner of Noordwijk and Molenvliet, -a steam-car runs along the canal down to the suburbs; every quarter -of an hour it comes past, puffing and rattling; and every time the -third-class compartment is choking full of natives. The fever and the -fret of European life have seized upon these leisurely Orientals too. -They have abandoned their sirih-chewing and day-dreaming upon the -square of matting in the cool corner of the house, the dusty path along -which they used to trudge in Indian file, when there was an urgent -necessity for going to market; and behold them all perched upon this -"devil's engine," where they cannot even sit down in the way they -were taught to, "hurkling on their hunkers." - -[Illustration: "A glimpse of the river as it glides along between the -bamboo groves of its margins."] - -The skippers and raftsmen are more conservative in their ways--owing, -perhaps, to their constant communion with the deliberate stream, which -saunters along on its way from the hills to the sea, at its own pace. -They take life easily; paddling along over the shifting shallows and -mud-banks of the Kali (river) in the same leisurely way their forbears -did; conveying red tiles, bricks, and earthenware in flat-bottomed -boats; or pushing along rafts of bamboo-stems, which they have felled -in the wood up-stream. As they come floating down the canal, these -rafts of green bamboo, with the thin tips curving upwards like tails -and stings of venomous insects, have a fantastical appearance of -living, writhing creatures, which the native raftsman seems to be for -ever fighting with his long pole. After dark, when the torch at the -prow blazes out like the single baleful eye of the monstrous thing, -the day-dream deepens into a nightmare. And, shuddering, one remembers -ghastly legends of river-dragons and serpents that haunt the sea, -swimming up-stream to ravish some wretched mortal. - -The native boats appeal to merrier thoughts. With the staring -white-and-black goggle eyes painted upon the prow, and the rows of red, -yellow, and green lozenges arranged like scales along the sides, they -remind one irresistibly of grotesque fishes for those big children, -the Javanese, to play with--at housekeeping. For keep house they do in -their boats. They eat, drink, sleep, and live in the prao. A roof of -plaited bamboo leaves helps to make the stern into the semblance of a -hut; and here, whilst the owner pushes along the floating home by means -of a long pole and a deal of apparent exertion, his wife sits cooking -the rice for the family meal over a brazier full of live coals; and -the children tumble about in happy nakedness. Javanese babies, by -the way, always seem happy. What do they amuse themselves with, one -wonders? They do not seem to know any games, and playthings they have -none, except the tanjong-flowers they make necklaces of, and perchance -some luckless cockroach, round whose hindmost leg they tie a thread to -make him walk the way he should. Their parents, Mohammedan orthodoxy -debars them from the society of their natural companions--dogs; and, as -for cats, that last resource of unamused childhood in Europe, they hold -them sacred, and would not dare to lay a playful hand upon one of them. -Yet, there they are--plaything-less, naked, and supremely happy. - -Their parents, for the matter of that, are exactly the same; they -seem perfectly happy without any visible and adequate cause for such -content. As long as they are not dying--and one sometimes doubts if -Javanese die at all--all is well with them. The race has a special -genius for happiness, the free gift of those same inscrutable powers -who have inflicted industry, moral sense, and the overpowering desire -for clothes upon the unfortunate nations of the North. - -Following the left-ward bend of the canal, past the sluice, and -the Post Office,--the most hideous structure by the bye that ever -disfigured a decent street--one comes to the bridge of Kampong Bahru; -and, crossing it, suddenly finds oneself in what seems another -quarter of the globe. Tall narrow houses, quaintly decorated and -crowned with red-tiled roofs, that flame out against the contrasting -azure of the sky, stand in close built rows; the wide street is -full of jostling carts and vans, fairly humming with traffic; and -the people move with an energy and briskness never seen among -Javanese. This is the Chinese quarter. There are three or four such -in the town, inhabited by Chinese exclusively. This habit of herding -together--though now a matter of choice with the Celestials--is the -survival of a time when Batavia had its "camp" as mediæval Italian -cities had their Ghetto: a period no further back than the beginning of -the last century. - -[Illustration: Procession at the funeral of a rich Chinaman.] - -[Illustration: Funeral Procession on its way to the Chinese Cemetery.] - -[Illustration: Burning of symbolical figures at a Chinese funeral.] - -At that time, when Chinese immigration threatened to become a danger -to the colony, the then Governor-General, Valckenier, took some -measures against the admittance of destitute Chinese, which, however -well-designed, were so clumsily executed as to spread the rumour -that the Government intended to deport even the Chinese residents of -Batavia. A panic broke out among them, and then a revolt, in which they -were soon joined by their countrymen from all over the island. After a -desperate struggle, atrocities innumerable both suffered and inflicted, -a siege sustained, and an attack of fifty and odd thousand beaten back -by their two thousand men, the Hollanders succeeded in putting down the -rebellion, and the enemy fled to the woods and swamps of the lowlands -around Batavia. A few months later, however, a general amnesty having -been granted, such of them as had escaped from famine and jungle-fever -returned, and a special quarter was assigned to them, where it would -be easy both to protect and to control them. There they have since -continued to live. - -[Illustration: "The deliberate stream sauntering along at its own pace -on its way from the hills to the sea."] - -The houses of some rich Chinamen in the Kampong Bahru neighbourhood -are truly splendid; the most modest ones still have an air of comfort. -According to the ideas of the inhabitants, there are none absolutely -squalid. All these houses are, at the same time, shops. They are, in a -way, wonderful people, these sons of the Celestial Empire, merchants, -in one way or other, all of them. There is, of course, a difference. -There is the foot-sore "klontong" trudging trough the weary streets -all day, and shaking his rattle as he goes, to advertise the reels of -cotton and the cakes of soap in his wallet; and, again, there is the -portly millionaire, who entertains army officers and civil servants -in his own profusely-decorated mansion; but the difference is one in -degree only, not in kind. Amid the pomp and circumstance of the one -condition, and the squalor of the other, the individualities are the -same, the attitude of mind and the habits of thought identical, the sum -and substance of a Chinaman's life in Java being expressed in "the -making of bargains." He could as soon leave off breathing as leave off -buying and selling; trading seems to be his natural function. And this, -one fancies, is the great difference between his race and ours; and -the true secret of their superiority as money-makers. A Caucasian, if -he is a merchant, is so with a certain part of his being only--during -certain hours of the day, in his own office. A Chinaman is a merchant -with his whole heart, his whole soul, and his whole understanding, a -merchant always and everywhere, from his cradle to his grave, at table, -at play, over his opium-pipe, in his temple. Trade is the element in -which he lives, moves, and has his being. His thoughts might be noted -in figures. The world is to him one vast opportunity for making money, -and all things in it are articles of trade; which, in Chinese, means -gain to him, and loss to everybody else. He has few wants, infinite -resources, and the faith (in himself) that removeth trading towns. -Small wonder if he succeeds. - -I fancy it would be quite a practical education in the principles of -business, to watch the career of one of these Chinamen, from the hour -of his arrival at Tanjong Priok onward. At first, you see him trudging -along with a wallet, containing soap, sewing cotton, combs, and -matches. After a few months, you find him in your compound surrounded -by the whole of your domestic staff, to whom he is selling sarong -cloth and thin silks. When a year has gone by, a coolie trudges at his -heels panting under a load of wares, the samples of which he subjects -to your approval with the most correct of bows. Have but patience, and -you will find him in a diminutive shop, where somehow he finds place -for a settee in the corner, a mirror on the wall, and all around such a -collection of articles as might fitly be termed an epitome of material -civilization. Nor does he stop in that tiny shop. A few years later, -he will be taking his ease behind the counter of a spick-and-span -establishment in the camp; and, if, by chance, you get a glimpse of his -wife, you will be astonished at the size of the diamonds in her shiny -coil of hair. Our friend is on the high road to prosperity now, which -leads to a big house separate from the shop. Before he is fairly fifty, -he has built it, high and spacious, with an altar to the gods and to -the spirits of his ancestors set in the midst of it, and a profusion -of fine carving and gilding, of embroidered hangings and lacquered -woodwork all around. He will invite you for the New Year's festivities -now, and, if your wife accompanies you, introduce you to his spouse, -resplendent as the rainbow in many-tinted brocades, and more thickly -covered with diamonds than the untrodden meadow with the dews of a -midsummer night. He talks about the funeral of his honoured father, -which cost him upward of three thousand pounds sterling; and he will -ask your advice, over the pine-apples and the champagne, about sending -his son to Europe in one of his own ships, that the youth may see -something of the world, and, if he so list, be entered as a student at -the famous university of Leijden. - - - - -A COLONIAL HOME - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -"It is the North which has introduced tight-fitting clothes and high -houses." Thus Taine, as, in the streets of Pompeii, he gazed at -nobly-planned peristyle and graceful arch, at godlike figures shining -from frescoed walls, and, with the vision of that fair, free, large -life of antiquity, contrasted the Paris apartment from which he was but -newly escaped, and the dress-coat which he had worn at the last social -function. And a similar reflection crosses the Northerner's mind when -he looks upon a house in Batavia. - -I am aware that Pompeii and Batavia, pronounced in one breath, make a -shrieking discord, and that, between a homely white-washed bungalow, -and those radiant mansions which the ancients built of white marble -and blue sky, the comparison must seem preposterous. And, yet, no one -can see the two, and fail to make it. The resemblance is too striking. -The flat roof, the pillared entrance, the gleam of the marble-paved -hall, whose central arch opens on the reposeful shadow of the inner -chambers, all these features of a classic dwelling are recognized in -a Batavia house. Evidently, too, this resemblance is not the result of -mere mechanical imitation. There are a consistency and thoroughness -in the architecture of these houses, a harmony with the surrounding -landscape, which stamp it as an indigenous growth, the necessary -result of the climate, and the mode of life in Java, just as classic -architecture was the necessary result of the climate and the mode of -life in Greece and Italy. If the two styles are similar, it is because -the ideas which inspired them are not so vastly different. After all, -in a sunny country, whether it be Europe or Asia, the great affair of -physical life is to keep cool, and the main idea of the architect, -in consequence, will be to provide that coolness. It is this which -constitutes a resemblance between countries in all other respects so -utterly unlike as Greece and Java, and the difference between these -and Northern Europe. In the North, the human habitation is a fortress -against the cold; in the South and the East, it is a shelter from the -heat. - -There is no need here of thick walls, solid doors, casements of -impermeable material, all the barricades which the Northerner throws -up against the besieging elements. In Italy, as in Greece, Nature is -not inimical. The powers of sun, wind, and rain are gracious to living -things, and under their benign rule man lives as simply and confidingly -as his lesser brethren, the beasts of the fields and forests and -the birds of the air. He has no more need than they to hedge in his -individual existence from the vast life that encompasses it. His -clothes, when he wears them, are an ornament rather than a protection, -and his house a place, not of refuge, but of enjoyment, a cool and -shadow spot, as open to the breeze as the forest, whose flat spreading -branches, supported on stalwart stems, seem to have been the model -for its column-borne roof. - -[Illustration: "Compound" of a Batavia house.] - -The Batavia house, then, is built on the classic plan. Its entrance -is formed by a spacious loggia, raised a few steps above the level -ground, and supported on columns. Thence, a door, which stands open -all day long, leads into a smaller inner hall, on either side of which -are bedrooms, and behind this is another loggia--even more spacious -than the one forming the entrance of the house--where meals are taken -and the hot hours of the day are spent. Generally, a verandah runs -around the whole building, to beat off both the fierce sunshine of the -hot, and the cataracts of rain of the wet, season. Behind the house -is a garden, enclosed on three sides by the buildings containing the -servants' quarters, the kitchen and store rooms, the bath-rooms, and -stables. And, at some distance from the main building and connected -with it by a portico, stands a pavilion, for the accommodation of -guests;--for the average Netherland-Indian is the most hospitable of -mortals, and seldom without visitors, whether relatives, friends, or -even utter strangers, who have come with an introduction from a common -acquaintance in Holland. - -It takes some time, I find, to get quite accustomed to this arrangement -of a house. In the beginning of my stay here, I had an impression -of always being out of doors and of dining in the public street, -especially at night, when in the midst of a blaze of light one felt -oneself an object of attention and criticism to every chance passer-by -in the darkness without. It was as bad as at the ceremonious meals of -the Kings of France, who had their table laid out in public, that their -faithful subjects might behold them at the banquet, and, one supposes, -satisfy their own hunger by the Sovereign's vicarious dining. - -In time, however, as the strangeness of the situation wears off, one -realises the advantage of these spacious galleries to walled-in rooms, -and very gladly sacrifices the sentiment of privacy to the sensation of -coolness. - -For to be cool, or not to be cool, that is the great question, and all -things are arranged with a view to solving it in the most satisfactory -manner possible. For the sake of coolness, one has marble floors or -Javanese matting instead of carpets, cane-bottomed chairs and settees -in lieu of velvet-covered furniture, gauze hangings for draperies of -silks and brocade. The inner hall of almost every house, it is true, is -furnished in European style--exiles love to surround themselves with -remembrances of their far-away home. But, though very pretty, this room -is generally empty of inhabitants, except, perhaps, for an hour now -and then, during the rainy season. For, in this climate, to sit in a -velvet chair is to realize the sensations of Saint Laurence, without -the sustaining consciousness of martyrdom.--For the sake of coolness -again, one gets up at half-past five, or six, at the very latest, -keeps indoors till sunset, sleeps away the hot hours of the afternoon -on a bed which it requires experience and a delicate sense of touch -to distinguish from a deal board, and spends the better part of one's -waking existence in the bath room. - -[Illustration: The servants' kitchen.] - -Now, a bath in Java is a very different thing from the dabbling among -dishes in a bedroom, which Europeans call by that name, even if their -dishes attain the dimensions of a tub. Ablutions such as these are -performed as a matter of duty; a man gets into his tub as he gets into -his clothes, because to omit doing so would be indecent. But bathing -in the tropics is a pure delight, a luxury for body and soul--a dip -into the _Fountaine de Jouvence_, almost the "cheerful solemnity and -semi-pagan act of worship," which the donkey-driving Traveller through -the Cevennes performed in the clear Tarn. A special place is set apart -for it, a spacious, cool, airy room in the outbuildings, a "chamber -deaf to noise, and all but blind to light." Through the gratings over -the door, a glimpse of sky and waving branches is caught. The marble -floor and whitewashed walls breathe freshness, the water in the stone -reservoir is limpid and cold as that of a pool that gleams in rocky -hollows. And, as the bather dips in his bucket, and send the frigid -stream pouring over him, he washes away, not heat and dust alone, but -weariness and vexatious thought in a purification of both body and -soul, and he understands why all Eastern creeds have exalted the bath -into a religious observance. - -Like the often-repeated bath, the rice table is a Javanese institution, -and its apologists claim equal honours for it as an antidote to -climatic influences. I confess I do not hold so high an opinion of -its virtues, but I have fallen a victim to its charms. I love it but -too well. And there lies the danger, everybody likes it far too much, -and, especially, likes far too much of it. It is, humanly speaking, -impossible to partake of the rice table, and not to grossly overeat -oneself. There is something insidious about its composition, a cunning -arrangement of its countless details into a whole so perfectly -harmonious that it seems impossible to leave out a single one. If you -have partaken of one dish, you must partake of the rest, unless you -would spoil all. Fowl calls to fowl, and fish answers fish, and all the -green things that are on the table, aye, and the red and the yellow -likewise, have their appointed places upon your plate. You may try to -escape consequences by taking infinitesimal pinches of each, but many -a mickle makes a muckle, and your added teaspoonfuls soon swell to a -heaped-up plate, such as well might stagger the stoutest appetite. Yet, -even before you have recovered from your surprise, you find you have -finished it all. I do not pretend to explain, I merely state the fact. - -Records have survived of those Pantagruelic feasts with which the great -ones of the mediæval world delighted to celebrate the auspicious events -of their lives, and the chronicler never fails to sum up the almost -interminable list of the spices and essences with which the cook, on -the advice of learned physicians, seasoned the viands, in order that, -whilst the grosser meats satisfied the animal cravings of the stomach, -those ethereal aromatics might stimulate the finer fluids, whose ebb -and flow controls the soul, and the well-flavoured dishes might not -only be hot on men's tongues but eke "prick them in their courages." -They pricked to some purpose, it seems. And, if the spice-sated -Netherlands-Indian is a comparatively law-abiding man, it must be -because battening rice counteracts maddening curry. But for this -providential arrangement, I fully believe he would think no more of -battle, murder, and sudden death than of an indigestion, and consider a -good dinner as an ample explanation of both. - -Now, as to what they clothe themselves withal. Taine's opinion -concerning tight fitting clothes has been mentioned--viz: that they -are an invention of the North. A fortnight in Batavia will explain and -prove the theory better than many books by many philosophers; and, -moreover, cause the most sartorially-minded individual to consign the -"invention" to a place hotter than even Java. Like the habitations, the -habits of European civilization are irksome in the tropics; and, for -indoor-wear at least, they have suffered a sun-change into something -cool and strange--into native costume modified in fact. Now, the -outward apparel of the Javanese consists of a long straight narrow -skirt "the sarong" with a loose fitting kind of jacket over it,--short -for the men, who call it "badjoo," and longer for the women who wear -it as "kabaya": which garments have been adopted by the Hollanders, -with the one modification of the sarong into a "divided skirt" for -the men, and the substitution of white batiste and embroidery for the -coloured stuffs of which native women make their kabayas, in the case -of the ladies. On the Javanese, a small, spare, slightly-made race, -the garb sits not ungracefully; narrow and straight as it is, it goes -well with contours so attenuated. But on the sturdier Hollander the -effect is something appalling. An adequate description of the men's -appearance in it would read like a caricature; and though, with the -help of harmonious colours and jewellery, the women look better when -thus attired, the dress is not becoming to them either, at least in -non-colonial eyes. The æsthetic sense shies and kicks out at the sight -of those straight, hard, unnatural lines. Modern male costume has been -held up to ridicule as a "system of cylinders". The sarong and kabaya -combine to form one single cylinder, which obliterates all the natural -lines and curves of the feminine form divine, and changes a woman into -a parti-coloured pillar, for an analogy to which one's thoughts revert -to Lot's wife. But, though utterly condemned from an artistic point of -view, from a practical one it must be acquitted, and even commended. In -a country where the temperature ranges between 85° and 95° Fahrenheit -in the shade, cool clothes which can be changed several times a day, -are a condition not merely of comfort, but of absolute cleanliness and -decency, not to mention hygiene. For it is a noteworthy fact that the -women, who wear colonial dress up to six in the evening, stand the -climate better than the men, who, in the course of things, wear it -during an hour or an hour and a half at most, in the day. And it must -be admitted that both men and women enjoy better health in Java, -under this colonial regime of dressing than in the British possessions, -where they cling to the fashions of Europe. - -[Illustration: Native Servants.] - -As for the children, they are clad even more lightly than their elders, -in what the Malay calls "monkey-trousers", chelana monjet, a single -garment, which, only just covering the body, leaves the neck, arms, and -legs bare. It is hideous, and they love it. In German picture-books one -sees babes similarly accoutred riding on the stork, that brings them to -their expectant parents. Perhaps, after all, monkey-trousers are the -paradisiacal garment of babes; and it is a Wordsworthian recollection -of this fact, that makes them cling to the costume so tenaciously. - -One cannot speak of an "Indian" child, and forget the "babu," the -native nurse, who is its ministering spirit, its dusky guardian angel, -almost its Providence. All day long, she carries her little charge -in her long "slendang," the wide scarf, which deftly slung about her -shoulders, makes a sort of a hammock for the baby. She does not like -even the mother to take it away from her; feeds it, bathes it, dresses -it prettily, takes it out for a walk, ready, at the least sign, to lift -it up again into its safe nest close to her heart. She plays with it, -not as a matter of duty, but as a matter of pleasure, throwing herself -into the game with enjoyment and zest, like the child she is at heart; -so that the two may be seen quarrelling sometimes, the baby stamping -its feet and the babu protesting with the native cluck of indignant -remonstrance, and an angry "Terlalu!" "it is too bad!" And, at night, -when she has crooned the little one to sleep, with one of those -plaintive monotonous melodies in a minor key, which seem to go on for -ever, like a rustling of reeds and forest leaves whilst the crickets -are trilling their evensong, she spreads her piece of matting on the -floor, and lies down in front of the little bed, like a faithful dog -guarding its master's slumbers. - -As for the other servants, their name is Legion. A colonial household -requires a very numerous domestic staff. Even families with modest -incomes employ six or seven servants, and ten is by no means an -exceptional number. The reason for this apparent extravagance is, that, -though the Javanese is not lazy--as he often and unjustly is accused -of being--yet he is so slow, that the result practically is the same, -and one needs two or even three native servants, for work which one -Caucasian would despatch in the same time. - -All these have their own quarters in the "compound" and their own -families in those quarters; they go "into the house" as a man would go -to his office; coming home for meals, and entertaining their friends -in the evening, on their own square of matting, and with their own -saffron-tinted rice, and syrup-sweetened coffee. - -Such then, is the setting of every-day existence in Java. - -As for the central fact, it is less interesting than its circumstances, -in so far as it is more familiar. The three or four great conceptions -which determine the home-life of a people--its ideas social, ethical, -and religious concerning the relations between parent and child, -and between men and women--are too deeply ingrained into its mental -substance to be affected by any merely outward circumstances. -Therefore, home-life among the Hollanders in Java, is essentially -the same as among Hollanders in their own country. Still there is -difference, that it has more physical comfort, and less intellectual -interest. The climate, it seems to me, is in a high degree responsible -for both these facts. - -[Illustration: Native gardener.] - -A continual temperature of about 90 degrees is not favourable to the -growth of the finer faculties, in Northerner's brains at least. The -little band of eminent men who have gone up from Java to shine in Dutch -Universities must be regarded as a signal exception to a very general -rule. Besides, the heat is so grave an addition to the already heavy -burden of the day, that one requires all one's energies, both of body -and soul, to conscientiously discharge one's ordinary duties; and -there is no surplus left to devote to literary, artistic, or scientific -pursuits. There are no theatres, no operas, no concerts, no lectures, -no really good newspapers, even, in Java. There could not be, where -there is so little active public life. So that a man's one relaxation -after a hard day's work--unless he looks at dances and dinners in that -light--must be found in his own house. - -One continually hears the phrase in the East, "our house is our life." -Naturally, therefore, the house is made as pleasant as possible, and -as comfortable, not to say luxurious. Incomes are proportionately very -much higher in Java than in Holland--without financial advantage as -an incentive nobody would accept life under tropical conditions--and -the better part of the money is spent on good living in the majority -of cases. Even families of comparatively moderate means have a roomy -house, a sufficient domestic staff, and keep a carriage and a good -table. - -And as to the heat, which assuredly is a discomfort, and no trifling -one, the accepted mode of life does much to palliate it, not only by -the regime of housing, feeding, and dressing, but almost as much by the -way the day is divided. Work is begun early, so as to get as much as -possible done in the cool hours; between nine and five everybody keeps -indoors; and those who can snatch an hour of leisure after the one -o'clock rice-table, spend it in a siesta. Only in the early morning, -and in the evening does one see Europeans about. Not even the greatest -enthusiast for cricket and tennis dare begin games earlier than -half-past four. - -Formerly this was different. - -On old engravings, one may see the tall sombre houses which the first -colonists built on those "grachts" now long since demolished. One -may mark them walking home from a three hours' sermon in broadcloth -mantles, and velvet robes, giving solemn entertainments in their trim -gardens along the canal, with the sun in noon-day glory over-head, -and generally ignoring the trifling differences between Amsterdam and -Batavia. They fought very valiantly for their ancestral customs; but -very few returned to tell of the fight. - -[Illustration: Native footboy.] - -Since, people have reflected that a live Netherland-Indian is better -then a dead Hollander. And, giving up a fight, in which defeat was -all but certain, and success worse than useless, they have effected a -compromise with the climate. In Java they do as Java does, from sunrise -to sunset. But, with the congenial cool of the evening, they resume -their national existence, the garb, the manners and the customs of -Holland. At seven there is a general "va et vient" of open carriages -bearing women in light dresses, and men in correct black-and-white to a -"reception" in some brilliantly-lighted house; and for a few hours, the -life of Home is lived again. - -Outside is the black tropical night, heavy with the scent of invisible -blossoms, pricked here and there by the yellow spark of some trudging -fruitvendor's oilwick. The small fragment of Europe with that -tall-colonnaded marble-paved loggia, with its gliding figures of men -and women, is, stands an Island of Light among the waveless seas of -darkness. - -[Illustration: Sacred gun near the Amsterdam gate, Batavia.] - - - - -SOCIAL LIFE - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -The social life of Batavia has a physiognomy of its own; curious -enough in some of its features. But it is not this which strikes -the new-comer most forcibly. In certain Byzantine mosaics, the -figure represented is entirely eclipsed by the magnificence of the -background: the eye must grow accustomed to the splendour of the gold -and precious stones surrounding it, before it can take in the lines -of the face. In a similar manner, no surmise can be formed as to the -character of Batavia social life before the charm has, at least in -part, passed off, which its setting casts over the critical faculties. -It moves in romance; it is surrounded by beauty; its conditions and -circumstances are in themselves a source of delight. It would seem -almost enough for a feast, in the cool of the evening, to sit under -the verandah, marking on the gleaming marble floor half-reflections -as in tranquil waters under a tranquil sky seen from afar; and the -rich strange green, relieved against blackness, of the plants on -the steps outside, their every leaf and shoot shone upon by the -lamplight, standing out sparkling against the ebon wall of night. From -without, there comes the chirping of crickets, and the deepbreathed -fragrance of flowers--tuberose, gardenia and datura, nocturnal -blossoms. Framed between pillars and architrave, great rectangles of -sky are seen, interstellar azure, and the countless scintillation of -stars. Environings such as these shed a grace and dignity even over -the actions of daily life. When the scene is in itself fair, it is -transfigured into what seems the vision of a poet. - -Shortly after my arrival, I was invited to a ball at the palace. I was -at the time staying with friends in the Salemba quarter; and we had a -drive of nearly an hour through avenues of tall waringin trees. There -was no wind, not the faintest breath of air; all that world of leaves -stood unstirred; summits broad as hilltops, and cascades of massive -foliage, making a blackness against skies all limpid with diffused -starlight. Between the vaguely-discerned stems, the little lights, -which fruit vendors keep twinkling all the night through, would now and -then flare up, and a reddish arm be revealed, the portion of a face, -and some fruits in a basket. Once, too, we saw the shining of a fire -with some native watchmen crouching around it, their faces strangely -distorted in the ever-writhing and shifting light. One of them shouted -out a hoarse "who goes there?" That was the only sound I heard all the -time. Silence and night all around; and overhead, like some pale river -winding along between shores of darkness, the gleaming course of the -sky between the dark waringin-tops. We might have been in the heart -of a woodland, miles away from the populous city, when suddenly the -horses turned a corner, and there burst upon us the great white blaze -of the palace, shining beyond intervening darknesses. It seemed like -a low-hanging lightning-cloud, with myriads of little flames, like -sparks of Saint-Elmo's fire hovering around, above, and underneath. -Those aloft hung immovable: the steadfast stars; lower down, immovable -too, a wide-swung circle of seemingly larger luminaries defining a -tract of darkness; within that flame-bound space, trembling hither and -thither, fitful will-o'-the wisps; and, without the shining boundary, -rushing lights that darted by and suddenly stood, and then with jerks -and stops drew ever nearer to the great effulgent cloud. The lights -of stars, lanterns, oil-wicks, and carriage-lamps seemed all to have -been scattered from that central glow. As we drew nearer, its cloudlike -aspect changed to the semblance of an alabaster grotto, the fire in its -white core streaked with lines of black; and these lines broadened and -lengthened until they grew into solid shafts; when the columns of the -loggia stood revealed, rising from the height of a marble terrace. - -I ascended the white steps. I was in the very heart of the light. The -pillars, the floor, the walls, and the ceiling seemed to be made of -light. And, suddenly, I had a sense of home-coming. Why, I knew all -this very well! I had known it for years, for ever so long, ever since -the time when I listened to fairy tales, and in the beautifully-bound -book--I must not touch it, and I kept my hands behind my back to -withstand the temptation--was shown the picture of the castle where -the Sleeping Beauty lived. At night, lying wide awake up to quite nine -o'clock, I saw it as plain as could be, growing up around the lamp, -with the groundglass shade for a cupola. Later on, when I could read -myself, and also climb trees as the boys in the village had taught -me, sitting all through the drowsy summer afternoons in the forked -branch of an old, crooked pear-tree, with Hans Andersen's tales on my -knees, I rebuilt the Castle on a bolder scale for the Little Mermaiden. -Alas! she was never to live there! Until, at last, when Romeo crossed -the threshold, and Juliet turned and stood at gaze, a burst of music -flooded the widening halls, entwined couples moved like flowers that -sway in the evening wind, and, between the tall columns, I caught a -glimpse of the sky and "all the little stars." Now, I had entered the -palace myself. The great La France roses, and the Maréchal Niel that -fell in showers of gold over the edge of the marble urns, had budded in -my dream-garden. The music played; and in the vast hall I knew so well, -the polonaise began to unwind its slow coils, with a flash of goldlace -and of diamonds, a gleaming of bare shoulders, and a wavy movement of -silken trains, whose hues enriched the pale marble underfoot.... "We -should move into this place, I think," said my partner. - -Since then, I have been to many entertainments. It is but honest to -say that at some I have enjoyed myself exceedingly, pouring rains, -and the croaking of frogs, almost in the house, notwithstanding; and -that at others I have felt my eyes burning with tears of suppressed -yawning. It is true this has not happened often; but, when it has, not -all the stars in their courses, nor all the constellations in their -fixed places, could inspirit me; and the perfume of the tuberoses gave -me a headache. I look at these things by gas-light now; and some of -them I find curious and not altogether beautiful. One especially: the -official character of social life in the best circles. It seems as if -discipline regulated matters of pleasure as strictly as matters of -business. A man will go to his chief's party as he would to his office -of a morning, never dreaming of staying away; and imposing old ladies -resent the presence of the wrong partner at a whist table, as if it -were an obstacle in their husband's career. It is as if they could -not, even for one evening, forget the struggle for existence, and as -if they regarded a dinner or a dance as an engagement with the enemy; -a brisk assault to carry by storm some place that has long stood a -regular siege--a lively skirmish in which everything that comes to -hand is a weapon for either attack or self-defence. One cannot be too -well equipped, in this great battle of official life. Intellect is -an excellent weapon, but it is not the only one; and though zeal is -indispensable, it is not enough. There are too many intelligent and -conscientious men jostling each other already. To pass them by, the -ambitious man must be more than merely intelligent and conscientious. -He must choose some special talent--any talent provided it be special. -Where merits are equal, the supererogatory decides the contest. For a -man at all well born and well bred, accomplishments of the social order -are the easiest to acquire; besides, these seemingly futile things are -in reality most important. It is the men of the world who get the good -places; while stay-at-home drudges may after ten years still stay at -home and drudge. Accordingly, social accomplishments are what a wise -man will strive to acquire. And, before anything else, let him see that -he plays a good game of cards. All elderly gentlemen like cards; all -chiefs of departments are elderly gentlemen; therefore, all chiefs of -departments like cards. Hence these many and long-drawn-out parties, -where one sits at little green tables until, dear God! those very -tables seem asleep, and the faint heart is all but lying still. And -hence the patience and the stoical courage, with which ambitious men -endure the trial. Though, to the superficial observer, they are only -taking their pleasures laboriously, they take better things than their -pleasure: a chance of preferment. They have heard ballads being sung -and said about the man who stormed the high places with his chair for -a steed and a pack of cards for shield and spear, and utterly defeated -and drove out the garrison of quill-armed men. These things have been. -And once upon a time, there was a Head of Department, who held the -official virtues to be statistics, discipline, and cards: but the -greatest of these was cards. By his play, he judged a man. A woman he -did not judge at all, conceiving her to be a non-card-playing being. -And a woman sitting down to a game, notwithstanding her declared and -organic inability, was to him the abomination of desolation. But let -young civil servants come to him! And happy that young civil servant -who could, and would, and did stand up to him, and even defeat him -utterly, to the greater glory of cards! For this man was a truly great -soul; and he preferred the honour of the game very far indeed to his -own as a player. - -Still, as all roads lead to Rome, so a good many lead to preferment. -If one great man loves cards, another is partial to a good dinner, and -most affable over paté de foie gras and a bottle of Burgundy. And a -third--this one, presumably, the proud father of pretty daughters--has -a predilection for dances. So that a man may choose his own path -upwards; and, if he will not play, why, he may dance. - -And dance they do in Batavia, with fervour and assiduity. On -east-monsoon nights, when the very crickets judge it too hot for -the exertion of chirping, snatches of Strausz waltzes may be caught -floating out on the heavy air; and luminous shapes be seen twirling -in some brilliantly-lighted front-gallery. Out of every ten persons -you meet, nine are enthusiastic waltzers; and the fieriest fanatic -of them all is sure to be a young civil servant thus "with victory -and with melody" pursuing his upward path to the heights of official -honours. Nothing arrests him in his career. The gallery too narrow for -his evolutions does not exist. One exhausted partner after another he -has led back to her mamma and the restorative champagne-cup, and his -ardour is not a whit abated, though his hair seems to be sprinkled with -diamond-dust, and its cheeks have sunk to the pallor of that wilted -lily, his collar--the last of the posy gathered at home, and thrown -away drooping into a corner of the dressingroom, off the verandah. This -is sublime courage, indeed. As one looks at him, one is reminded of -Indian braves, who, at the first outburst of the war-hoop, put on their -very best paint and shiniest mocassins, and hurry to the gathering of -the chiefs, there to dance the war-dance; not inelegantly, nor without -hidden meaning: each prance and twirl a prophecy of scalp-wreathed -triumphs. - -But dancing--like virtue--may be argued to be its own reward. And, as -such, it but partially fits into the system of amusements considered as -a means to preferment. For the triumph of the principle, commend me to -a reception. Each great man's day--for it is his, observe, and not his -wife's--is announced beforehand in the newspapers, or printed, one in a -long list, on a separate slip of paper, which you must stick up in the -corner of your mirror, so that there shall be no pretext for ignorance. -To make assurance doubly sure, you put a pencil mark against the name -and "day" of your own particular great man. On the appointed date, as -the clock strikes seven, you go. From afar you see the blaze of his -front gallery; the drive shines with multitudinous carriage-lamps, -and every now and then, as another vehicle draws up, the master of -the house is seen descending the verandah-steps, to help some lady to -alight from her carriage, with grave courtesy offering her his arm -to conduct her towards the hostess. She rises, extends a welcoming -hand, begs her newly-arrived guest to be seated, and resumes a languid -conversation with the great lady at her right. Unless, indeed, the new -arrival be a greater lady, in which case the former occupant will cede -to her the place of honour, and content herself with the next. Soon, -around the big marble-topped table, the circle is drawn, one-half of it -shining like the rainbowed sky; the other black as innermost darkness; -one semi-circle of women; another of men; as strictly separated as -we are taught that the sheep and goats shall be, on a certain day. I -cannot but think that the men must be conscious of the fact, and its -dire symbolism. For, as often as not, they get up, and stand unhappily -together in the farthest corner of the verandah, and, with cigars and -cigarettes, make little clouds to hide themselves from the children of -the light shining afar off, and drink sherry out of little glasses, in -deep meditation. Until, suddenly, the booming of the eight o'clock gun -breaks the spell. Every watch is taken out of every waistcoat-pocket, -and set aright. Every countenance brightens, and the greatest man of -all--"not Lancelot, nor another," for his life!--catching a look from -his lady, sitting mournful in her place, steps forward, and boldly -claims her for his own again. Then the others follow, the host still -conducting each fair one back to her carriage; and in another moment -the verandah is left desolate, and that reception is a thing of the -past. - -Not more than two or three of the guests have interchanged a word with -either host or hostess beyond the conventional phrases of welcome and -good bye; and unless some members of the same coterie have been sitting -together,--Batavia society is as full of coteries as a pine-apple is of -seeds--they have not had much conversation among themselves either. Of -pleasure, there has been nothing, of profit so much as may be derived -from seeing and being seen. It is almost as it was at the Court of -Louis XIV. Acte de présence has been made: and that is all; but, as it -seems, it is enough. This is, indeed, a triumph of the bureaucratie -principle. - -In "Java"--as the Batavians call the rest of the island, in curious -contradistinction to the capital--this principle rules with even -greater despotism: it assumes the importance of an article of faith. -Batavia, after all, that "suburb of the Hague," is too much influenced -by the manners and opinions of the Mother Country to be accounted -a colonial town. And, among the colonial ideas it is gradually -discarding, is that one of the extreme importance and supereminence of -office. In Holland, society metes with a different measure. And the -knowledge, perpetually forced on him, that the Honourable of Batavia -must sink into plain Mr. Jansen or Smit of the Hague, is sobering -enough to keep the vanity of even the most arrogant official within -decent limits. Not to mention the fact that, among his fellow-citizens, -there is a large proportion of non-officials, not at all eager to -acknowledge even his temporary superiority. But in "Java," where -communication with the civilized world is much less frequent and much -more difficult, old colonial notions have retained their pristine -vigour. The "Resident" of a little Java station is still very much what -his predecessor, the "Merchant," was in the days of the East-India -Company: a veritable little king. The gilt "payong" held over his -head on official occasions seems a royal canopy, and his gold-laced -uniform-cap a kingly crown in the eyes of his temporary subjects. The -native chiefs revere him as their "elder brother." His own subordinates -naturally look up to him. The planters, who, in their transactions with -the native population--bad keepers of contracts, on the whole--are -dependent upon his decision, need to be, and to continue on good terms -with him. And when it is further taken into consideration that the -social life of the station must be exactly what he chooses to make -it, it will be evident why even absolutely independent persons should -seek to be in his good graces. Thus the man lives in an atmosphere -of adulation. If there be a lack of humour or an abundance of vanity -in his composition, he will take his pseudo-royalty seriously, and -strictly exact homage. But, in the opposite case, and even when he -is averse to it, it will be still pressed upon him. An anecdote -illustrating this was told me, the other day, by an official, himself -the object, or, as he put it, the victim, of this particular kind of -hero-worship. - -He was driving at a rapid pace, down a precipitous road, when the horse -stumbled and fell, his light dogcart was upset, and he himself flung -out of the seat. He had barely recovered from the stunning fall, when -he caught sight of his secretary--who had been following in his own -carriage--coming bounding down the steep road like a big india-rubber -ball, rolling over and over in the dust. "Hullo, Jansen! have you been -upset, too?"--"No, Resident," sputters the fat little man, scrambling -to his feet again, "but I thought, the R-Resident l-l-leaps, I leap, -too!" - -And here is the pendent: - -In the latest cholera-scare, an old lady, the widow of a comptroller, -had been left the sole European resident of her station, all the others -having left for the hills. The Resident, surmising inability to meet -the expenses of travel to be the reason of her staying on, offered -to convey her to a bungalow in the hills, which his own family was -then occupying. The old lady came to thank him for the proposal. But -she could not, she said, accept it. She judged her hour had come; -and she was not afraid of death. Only one favour she would beg from -the Resident. It should be remembered that her husband had been a -comptroller, and that, as his widow, she was in rank superior to all -the European inhabitants of the station, coming second after the -Resident himself. Now her request was this; would the Resident be so -good as to leave written instructions, in case they both should die, to -the effect that her grave should be dug next to his? - -One would expect such an excess of bureaucratic etiquette to breed -dullness and constraint unspeakable. And it certainly somewhat galls -the new-comer. But it is all an affair of custom, and, after a while, -these ceremonious manners come to seem as natural and necessary as -the ordinary courtesies of life, and not a whit more detrimental to -the pleasantness of social intercourse. Indeed, one sometimes sees -positions reversed, and Netherland-Indians accusing Hollanders of -stiffness. And it must be owned that the new-comer in Batavia Society, -is struck by a certain grace and easiness of manner that contrasts -forcibly with the somewhat frigid reserve of the typical Hollander: as -forcibly as a seventeenth-century family mansion on the Heerengracht, -solid, imposing, and gloomy as a fortress, contrasts with an airy -Batavia bungalow, where birds build their nests on the capitals of -the columns, and the whiteness of the floor is tinged with slanting -sunbeams and reflections of tall-leaved plants. And, analogous -contrasts meet one at every step. Life here has less dignity than it -has in the mother country; but it has more grace. Of its--real or -seeming--necessaries, not a few are lacking. But what was that saying -about the wisdom of striving for the superfluities, and caring naught -for the necessaries of life? Existence in Netherland-India is based -upon this principle. The superfluous is striven for--the richness and -the romance of things: and everyday-life is the more acceptable for it. -The comparatively poor in the colony fare better than the comparatively -rich at home. They have more leisure, greater comforts, and better -opportunities for amusement. Hence, the prevalence of "mondain" manners. - -Hospitality is another characteristic of the average Netherland-Indian. -In the mother country, a man's house is his castle; but in Java it is -the castle of his guest. And his guest is practically, whoever likes, -a relation, a friend, a mere acquaintance, an utter stranger, his name -not so much as heard of before, who comes "to bring the greetings of a -friend"--as the pretty, old fashioned phrase has it: and he will meet -with the most cordial of welcomes. People are not content with simply -receiving a guest: they feast him. And, when hospitality is offered, -it is meant, not for days, but for weeks. To stay for two or three -months at a friend's house is nothing out of the common; and this not -for a single person merely, but for a whole family--parents, servants, -and all. I know I am speaking within the mark: having myself been one -of nine guests, four of whom had been staying for some weeks already -at a hospitable house in Batavia. And in "Java"--where hotels are bad -and railways few and far between, it is by no means rare to find an -even more numerous company foregathered at the house of the Resident, -who thus "does the honours" of an entire district; or at the bungalows -of rich planters, jealously competing with the official for what they -consider the privilege rather than the duty of hospitality. They -exercise it in a truly princely way. A well-known tea-planter, some -time ago, celebrating his silver wedding, commemorated the event by -an entertainment, which lasted for three days, and to which a hundred -and fifty guests were invited. Bamboo huts had been erected for those -who could not be accommodated in the house; barns were converted into -ball-rooms and dining-halls; and the native population of half the -district came and was welcomed to its share of the feast. - -This, of course, is a signal instance; but the tendency which it -illustrates is a very general one, so much so, in fact, that it has -influenced domestic architecture, and rendered the pavilion (the -colonial equivalent for our "spare room") as indispensable a part of -the house as the bath-room and the kitchen.--Sometimes indeed the -pavilion is let. But generally it remains dedicated to the uses of -hospitality, and still awaits the "coming and going man," as the Dutch -phrase has it. At its door welcome for ever smiles, and farewell goes -out weeping. - -Welcome. Farewell. Here, in Batavia, the short significant words ever -and again fall upon the ear, recurrent in conversations as the deep, -dominant bass-note that sends a repeated vibration through all the -changes and modulations of a melody; far off and distinct, as the -moan of circling seas, heard in the central dells of an island where -the clear-throated thrushes sing. The sensation of the temporary, -the transitory, and the uncertain that thrills the atmosphere of a -sea-port is in the air of this seemingly-quiet inland town. It is a -common saying here, that one should not make plans for more than a -month beforehand. But even a month seems almost too bold a reaching -into futurity, when every day is full of chances and changes, and the -aspect of things alters over-night. A promotion, an attack of fever, a -fluctuation in the sugar or tobacco-market, a letter from Holland--and -friends are separated, homes broken up, and careers changed. - -The effects of this living on short notice, if I may so call it, are -perceptible in everything pertaining to colonial customs, ideas, and -society. I entered, the other day, one of those ancient mansions long -ago degraded to offices of "the old city." The armorial bearings of the -patrician, who built it in the beginning of the century, still ornament -the entrance. There are stucco mouldings over the doors that lead into -the great, half-dark chambers. A trace of gold and bright colours -is still discernible on the blinds of the tall lattice windows, the -glass of which shines with the iridescent colours that so many days of -sunshine and of rain have wrought into it; and the great staircase has -an oaken balustrade richly sculptured in the style of the 17th century. -The paint might be gone, the mouldings choked with dust and cobwebs, -the sculptured ornaments of the balustrade defaced; but there was not a -stone loose in those massive old walls nor a plank rotten in the floor. -Yet, it had been abandoned. And so has the conception of life, of which -it was the visible and tangible expression. Much hard-and-fastness of -tradition and convention has been done away with. Where circumstances -change so frequently opinions must likewise change. As a result a -certain liberality of thought has come to be a characteristic of -colonial society. There is something generous and truly humane in the -opinions one hears currently professed, and the courage to act up to -these convictions is not wanting. But on the other hand delicacy, -chivalry, and what one might call the decorum of the heart, are on -the whole sadly wanting. The general tone is somewhat "robustious"; -this is perhaps an effect of the climate and soil. On the whole, and -to give a general idea of Batavia society, I fancy one might compare -it to that of some rich provincial town. There is the same eagerness -for precedence, the same intimacy and tattle and neighbourly kindness, -the same high living and plain thinking. But, in the little provincial -town, there is not such freedom from narrowness and prejudice, nor is -there so much hard work done under such unfavourable circumstances, nor -so much home sickness and anxiety and lonely sorrow so bravely borne, -as in Batavia. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -GLIMPSES OF NATIVE LIFE - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -A just appreciation of sentiments and motives repugnant to our own is -among the most difficult of intellectual feats. The Germans express -their sense of this truth by a concise and vigorous, if not altogether -elegant saying: "No man can get out of his own skin, and into his -neighbour's." A difference of colour between the said skins, it may be -added, withholds even adventurous souls from attempting the temporary -transmigration. And the wisdom of nations, brown and white, sanctions -this diffidence. In Java Occidentals and Orientals have been dwelling -together for about three centuries. They have become conversant with -each other's language, opinions, and affairs; they are brought into a -certain mutual dependence, and into daily and hourly contact; there -is no arrogance or contempt on the one side, no abject fear or hatred -on the other; no wilful prejudice, it would seem, on either. But -the Hollanders do not understand the Javanese, nor do the Javanese -understand the Hollanders, in any true sense of the word. So that it -seems the part of wisdom to acknowledge this at the outset, merely -stating that the notions of nice and nasty, fair and foul, right and -wrong, such as they obtain among the two nations are antagonistic. -Anyway, on the part of a casual observer, such as the present writer, -any further criticisms would be presumptuous and almost inevitably -unjust; therefore, they will be refrained from. - -But, whereas I freely confess that the inner life of the Javanese has -remained hidden from me, their outward existence has become familiar -enough. The Javanese practically live out-of-doors. They take their -bath in the river; perform their toilet under some spreading warigin -tree, hanging a mirror as big as the hand on the rugged stem; and squat -down to their meal by the roadside. After nightfall, dark figures may -be discerned around the stalls of fruit-vendors, fantastically lit up -by the uncertain flame of an oil-wick. And, in the dry season, they -often sleep on the moonlit sward of some garden, or on the steps of an -untenanted house. - -This life seems strange to us Northerners, self-constituted prisoners -of roofs and walls. But we have only to look at a Malay, and the -intuitive conviction flashes on us, that it is eminently right and -proper for him to live in this manner. He is a creature of the field. -His supple, sinewy frame, his dark skin, the far-away look in his -eyes, the very shape of his feet, with the short, strong toes, well -separated from one another--his whole appearance--immediately suggest -a background of trees and brushwood, running water, sunlit, wind-swept -spaces, and the bare brown earth. And the scenery of Java with its -strange colouring, at once violent and dull, its luxuriant vegetation, -and its abrupt changes in the midst of apparent monotony, lacks the -final, completing touch in the absence of dusky figures moving through -it. Landscape and people are each other's natural complement and -explanation. Hence, the picturesque and poetic charm of the Javanese -out-of-doors. - -[Illustration: The River-Bath.] - -One of the most fascinating scenes is that of the bath in the river, -soon after sunrise: at Batavia, I have frequently watched it from the -Tanah Alang embankment. The early sunlight,--a clear yellow, with a -sparkle as of topazes in it--makes the dewy grass to glisten, and -brightens the subdued green of the tamarind-trees along the river; -between the oblique bars of shadow the brownish water gleams golden. -On the bank, scores of natives are stripping for the bath. The men run -down, leap into the stream, and dive under; as they come up again, -their bare bodies shine like so many bronze statues. The women descend -the slope with a slower step; they have pulled up their sarong over -the bosom, leaving their shapely shoulders bare to the sun. At the edge -of the water they pause for an instant, lifting both arms to twist -their hair into a knot on the summit of the head; then, entering, -they bend down, and wet their face and breast. Young mothers are -there, leading their little ones by the hand, and coaxing them step -by step further into the shallow stream. Crowds of small boys and -girls have taken noisy possession of the river, plunging and splashing -and calling out to each other, as they swim about, kicking up the -water at every stroke of their sturdy little feet. Half hidden in a -clump of tall-leaved reeds by the margin, young girls are disporting -themselves, making believe to bathe, as they empty little buckets, -made of a palmleaf, over each other's head and shoulders, until their -black hair shines, and the running water draws their garments into -flowing, clinging folds, that mould their lithe little figures from -bosom to ankle. Then, perhaps, all of a sudden, a bamboo raft will -appear round the bend of the river; or a native boat, its inmates -sitting at their morning meal under the awning; and some friendly talk -is exchanged between them and the bathers, as the craft makes its way -through the slowly-dividing groups. One day I saw a broad, brick-laden -barge, that had thus come lumbering down the stream, run aground on -the shallows; the men jumped out, and began pulling and shoving to -get it afloat again. The water dripped from their tucked-up sarongs, -and their backs gleamed in the sunshine, as, almost bent double, they -urged the ponderous thing forward. But still, the bright red heap -remained stationary. Suddenly, a young boy, who had just stripped for -the bath came down the embankment with a running leap, and giving the -boat a sudden sharp push, sent it darting forward. Then he stood up, -laughing, and shook back the shock of black hair which had fallen -over his eyes. He looked like a dusky young river god, who out of his -kindness had come to assist his votaries. - -[Illustration: A laundry in the river.] - -The flower-market too is a scene of idyllic grace, when, after their -early bath in the river, the women come trooping thither, and stand -bargaining, their hands full of red and pink roses, creamy jessamine, -and tuberoses whiter than snow. The Javanese have a great love of -flowers, though, apparently, they take no trouble to raise them in -their gardens. In Batavia, at least, I never saw any growing near their -cottages in the kampong; save perhaps the sturdy hibiscus in hedges, -and that large white, odoriferous convolvulus which the wind sows -along roadsides and hedgerows--the "beauty-of-the-night." And they do -not seem to care for a handful of flowers in a vase, to brighten the -semi-darkness of their little pàgar huts. - -[Illustration: Native lady travelling in her litter.] - -[Illustration: A Litter.] - -But the women are hardly ever seen without a rosebud or -tuberose-blossom twined into their hair, and the men not unfrequently -have one stuck behind the ear, or between the folds of their -head-kerchief. As for the children; their bare brown little bodies -are hung with tandjong wreaths. The plucked-out petals of all manner -of fragrant flowers are used to scent the water which the women pour -over their long black hair, after washing it with a decoction of -charred leaves and stalks; and, together with ambergris, and a sweet -smelling root, called "akhar wanggi," dried flowers are strewn between -the folds of their holiday-attire. Like all Orientals, the Javanese -are excessively fond of perfumes, which, no doubt, partially explains -their profuse use of strongly-scented flowers. But that, apart from -the merely sensual enjoyment of the smell, they prize flowers for the -pleasure afforded to the eye by their tints and shapes, is proved by -the frequency with which floral designs occur on their clothes and -ornaments. The full globes of the lotos-buds, the disc of the unfolded -flower with leaves radiating, its curiously-configurated pistil, are -recognized again and again on the scabbards and handles of the men's -poniards and on the girdle-clasps and the large silver kabaya-brooches -of the women. The fine cloth for sarongs is decorated with fanciful -delineations of the flowers that blow in every field and meadow, their -calixes and curly tendrils sprouting amidst figures of widemouthed -dragons, fanged and clawed. Moreover, for their hidden virtues, and -the sacred meanings of which they are the symbol, flowers are by the -natives associated with all the principal acts and circumstances of -their lives--with joy and sorrow and ceremony, and the service of the -gods. When the village folk, donning their holiday-attire, go forth to -the festive planting of the rice, or the gathering, stalk by stalk, -of the ripe ears, they wear wreaths of flowers twined in their hair. -At the feast of his circumcision, the boy is crowned with them. They -are the chief ornament of lovers on their marriage day--gleaming in -the elaborate head dress of the bride, and dangling down as a long -fringe from the groom's golden diadem; wreathing the scabbard of his -poniard; and girdling his naked waist, all yellow with boreh powder. -They are brought in solemn offering to the dead, when, on the third, -the seventh, the fortieth, the hundredth, and the thousandth day, -the kinsmen visit the grave of the departed one, to pray for the -welfare of his soul, and in return implore his protection, and that -of all the ancestors up to Adam and Eve, the parents of mankind. And -lastly, flowers are thought the most acceptable offering to the gods, -the ancient gods whom no violence of Buddhist or Mohammedan invader -has succeeded in ousting from that safe sanctuary, the people's -heart, which they share now, in mutual good-will and tolerance, with -the Toewan Allah, "besides whom there is no God." Under some huge -waringin tree, at the gate of a town or village, an altar is erected -to the tutelary genius the "Danhjang Dessa," who has his abode in -the thick-leaved branches. And the pious people, whenever they have -any important business to transact, come to it, and bring a tribute -of frankincense and flowers, to propitiate the god, and implore his -protection and assistance, that the matter they have taken in hand may -prosper. On the way from Batavia to Meester Cornelis, there stands such -a tree by the road-side, an immense old waringin, in itself a forest. -And the rude altar in its shade, fenced off from the public road by -a wooden railing, from sunrise to sunset is fragrant with floral -offerings. - -[Illustration: The Market at Malang.] - -There are several flower-markets in Batavia. But I have taken a -particular fancy to the one held at Tanah Abang. Its site is a somewhat -singularly chosen one for the purpose, near the entrance to the -cemetery, and in the shadow of the huge old gateway, the superscription -on which dedicates the place to the repose of the dead, and their pious -memory. In its deep, dark arch, as in a black frame, is set a vista of -dazzling whiteness, plastered tombstones, pillars, and obelisks huddled -into irregular groups, with here and there a figure hewn in fair white -marble soaring on outstretched wings, and everywhere a scintillation -as of molten metal--the colourless, intolerable glare, to which the -fierce sunlight fires the corrugated zinc of the roofs protecting the -monuments. - -But on the other side of the gateway there are restful shadows and -coolness. Some ancient gravestones pave the ground, as if it were the -floor of an old village church--bluish-grey slabs emblazoned with -crests and coats-of-arms in worn away bas-relief. Heraldic shapes are -still faintly discernible on some; and long Latin epitaphs, engraved -in the curving characters of the seventeenth century, may be spelt -out, recording names which echo down the long corridors of time -in the history of the colony; and, oddly latinized, the style and -title bestowed on the deceased by the Lords Seventeen, rulers of the -Honourable East India Company--the Company of Far Lands, as in the -olden time it was called. - -Hither, before the sun is fairly risen, come a score of native -flower-sellers, shivering in the morning air, who spread squares of -matting on the soil, and, squatting down, proceed to arrange the -contents of their heaped-up baskets. The bluish-grey gravestones, with -the coats of arms and long inscriptions, are covered with heaps of -flowers: creamy Melati as delicate and sharply-defined in outline as if -they had been carved out of ivory; pink and red Roses with transparent -leaves, that cling to the touch; Tjempakah-telor, great smooth globes -of pearly whiteness; the long calixes of the Cambodja-blossom, in which -tints of yellow and pink and purple are mixed as in an evening sky; the -tall sceptre of the Tuberose, flower-crowned; and "pachar china," which -seems to be made out of grains of pure gold. - -Some who know the tastes of the "orang blandah" have brought flowering -plants to market, mostly Malmaison Roses and tiny Japanese Lilies, -just dug up, the earth still clinging to their delicate roots; or they -sit binding wax-white Gardenias, violet Scabiosa, and leaves as downy -and grey as the wings of moths, into stiff clumsy wreaths; for they -have learnt that the white folks choose flowers of these dull tints -to lay upon the tombs of their dead. And there is one old man, brown, -shrunken, and wrinkled, as if he had been made out of the parched earth -of the cemetery, who sells handfuls of plucked-out petals, stirring -up now and then, with his long finger, the soft, fragrant heap in his -basket--thousands of brilliantly-coloured leaflets. - -About seven o'clock, the customers, almost exclusively women, arrive, -fresh from their bath in the neighbouring river. They form picturesque -groups on the sunny road, those slender figures in their bright-hued -garments, pink, and red, and green, their round brown faces and -black hair, still wet and shining, framed in the yellow aureole of -the payong[2] which they hold spread out behind their head. And the -quiet spot in the shadow of the cemetery gate is alive with their -high-pitched twittering voices, as they go about from one flower-seller -to another, bargaining for Jessamines, Orange-blossoms, and tiny pink -Roses, which, with deft fingers, they twist into the glossy coil of -their "kondeh." - -[2] The payong is an umbrella, quite flat when spread out, of yellow -oiled paper. - -Javanese women are most pardonably proud of their hair. It is somewhat -coarse, but very long and thick and of a brilliant black, with bluish -gleams in it; and it prettily frames their broad forehead with regular, -well-defined curves and points. They take great care of it, too, -favourably contrasting, in this respect, with European women of the -lower classes, though some of their methods, it must be owned, are -repugnant to European notions of decency. As they bathe, and sleep, and -eat in public, so, in public, they cleanse each other's hair. A woman -will squat down in some shady spot by the roadside, and, shaking loose -her coiled-up hair, submit to the manipulations of a friend, who parts -the strands with her spread-out fingers, and removes ... superfluities, -with quick monkey-like gestures. What would you have? "The country's -manner, the country's honour," as the Dutch proverb hath it. This -particular way of cleansing the hair is a national institution among -the Javanese. And, as such, it is celebrated in the legends of the -race, and in the tales of the olden time, which are still repeated, of -an evening, among friends. - -[Illustration: Street-Dancers.] - -[Illustration: Musicians.] - -The scholar of the party, by the light of an oil-wick, reads from -a greasy manuscript which he has hired for the evening at the price -of one "pitji."[3] It is the story of the beautiful beggarmaid, who -wanders from village. She does not know her own name or who were her -parents, having, in infancy, been stolen by robbers. One day, she -comes begging to the gates of the palace. The Rajah orders the guards -to admit the suppliant, and his Raden-Ajoe[4] causes a repast to be -prepared for her. They are kind towards those in affliction, having -known great sorrow themselves: for their only child a daughter, -mysteriously disappeared years and years ago; and now they are old and -childless. The Rajah, gazing upon the stranger, frequently sighs: his -daughter would have grown up to be a maiden as fair, if she had lived. -And the Raden-Ajoe, taking her by the hand, bids her sit down, and -unloose those glossy locks, worthy to be wreathed with the fragrant -blossom of the asana. She herself will cleanse them. Then, as she parts -the long braids, ah! there upon the crown, behold the cicatrice which -her little daughter had! The long-lost one is found again. - -[3] About twopence. - -[4] Chief wife. - -[Illustration: The native cithara and violin.] - -[Illustration: Clasp for fastening a kabaya in front.] - -In Javanese fairy tales the long locks of nymphs and goddesses are -treasured as talismans by the hero who has been fortunate enough to -obtain one. There is great virtue for instance, in the long hair of -the Pontianak, the cruel sprite that haunts the waringin tree. Have -you never seen her glide by, white in the silver moonlight? Have you -never heard her laugh, loud and long, when all was still? She is the -soul of a dead virgin, whom no lover ever kissed. And now she cannot -rest, because she never knew love; and she would fain win it yet; -though not in kindness now, but in spite and deadly malice. She sits -in the branches of trees, softly singing to herself as she combs her -long hair. And when a young man, hearing her song, pauses to listen, -she meets him, in the semblance of a maid fairer than the bride of the -Love-god, and raises soft eyes to him and smiling lips. But, when he -would embrace her, he feels the gaping wound in her back, which she -had concealed under her long hair. And, as he stands speechless with -horror, she breaks away from him with a long loud laugh, and cries: -"Thou hast kissed the Pontianak, thou must die!" And, ere the moon is -full again, his kinsmen will have brought flowers to his grave. But, if -he be quick-witted and courageous, he will seize the evil spirit by her -flying locks; and, if he succeeds but in plucking out one single hair, -he will not die, but live to a great age, rich, honoured, and happy, -the husband of a Rajah's daughter and the father of Princes. - -[Illustration: A Native Restaurant in its most compendious shape.] - -Some men are fortunate, however, from their birth, and do not need the -Pontianak's long hair; that is because their own grows in a peculiar -manner, from two circular spots near the crown. To the owner of such a -"double crown," nothing adverse can ever happen. All his wishes will be -fulfilled, and he will prosper in whatever matter he sets his hand to. - -Again, it is not men alone who are thus visibly marked by fate. In the -crinklings of the hair on a horse's neck, the wise read plain signs -of good or bad fortune by which it is made manifest whether the horse -will be lucky and carry his rider to honour and happiness, or unlucky -and maim or even kill him. That is the great point about a horse: the -way in which the hair on his neck grows. If therefore you should find -the auspicious sign on him, buy the animal, whatever may be the price -and however old, ugly, or weak he may seem to the ignorant. But, if you -find the sign of ill-luck, send him away at once, and cause the marks -of his hoofs to be carefully obliterated from the path that leads to -your door; for if you neglect this precaution, great disaster may be -brought upon you and all your house. Reflect upon this, and the true -significance of the history of Damocles will be revealed to you. In -truth, all fortune, good or bad, hangs by a single hair. - -[Illustration: For the morning and evening meal he prefers the open air -and the cuisine of the warong.] - -After the bath, the Javanese proceeds to take his morning meal; and -this, again is a public performance. The noon repast--the only solid -one in the day--is prepared and eaten at home. But, for the morning -and evening meals, the open air and the cuisine of the warong are -preferred. The warong is the native restaurant. There are many kinds -and varieties of it: from its most simple and compendious shape--two -wooden cases, the one containing food, prepared and raw, the other, -a chafing-dish full of live coals, and a supply of crockery--to its -fully-developed form, the atap-covered hut. There, a dozen, and more -customers hold their symposia presided over by the owner, who sits -cross-legged on the counter amid heaps of fruit, vegetables, and -confectionery. All manner of men meet here: drivers of sadoos or hack -carriages, small merchants, artizans, Government clerks, policemen, -water-carriers, servants, hadjis,[5] not to mention the "corresponding" -womankind. They talk, they talk! and they laugh! The affairs of all -Batavia are discussed here--matters of business, intrigue, love, -money, office, everything, material to make a Javanese Decamerone -of, if a Boccaccio would but come and put it into shape. There are -several of these warongs about Tanah-Abang and the Koningsplein, and, -of course, in the native quarters. But the smaller, portable ones are -found everywhere: by the river-side, at the railway stations, at the -sadoo-stands, along the canals, at the corners of the streets; and they -seem to do a thriving business. - -[5] Title given to those who have performed the pilgrimage to Mecca. - -Each of these itinerant cooks has his own place on the pavement or in -the avenue, recognised as such by the tacit consent of the others. -Hither he comes trudging, in the early morning, carefully balancing his -cases at the end of the long bamboo yoke, so as not to break any of the -dozens of cups, glasses, and bottles on his tray; then, having disposed -his commodities in the most appetizing manner, he stirs up the charcoal -in the chafing-dish, and begins culinary operations. One of these is -the preparation of the coffee, which consists of pouring boiling water -upon the leaves, instead of the berries, of the coffee tree, after -the manner of some Arab tribes. Sometimes, however, the berries also -are used, and the infusion is sweetened with lumps of the dark-brown, -faintly flavoured sugar that is won from the areng-palm. Then the -rice--the principal dish of this, as of any other meal--is boiled in -a conical bag of plaited palm fibre; and, when ready, is made up into -heaped-up portions, with, perhaps, a bit of dried fish and some shreds -of scarlet lombok[6] stuck on the top. This is for the solid part of -the repast; the dessert is next thought of. It is ready in the portable -cupboard--the thrifty wife of the vendor having risen long before dawn -to prepare it--and is now set forth, on strips of torn-up banana-leaf, -as on plates and saucers; green and white balls of rice-meal, powdered -over with rasped cocoa-nut, orange cakes of Indian corn, shaking pink -jellies, and slices of some tough dark-brown stuff. The cool fresh -green of the banana-leaf makes the prettiest contrast imaginable to -all these colours, its silky surface and faint fragrance giving, at -the same time, an impression of dainty cleanliness such as could never -be achieved by even the most spotless linen and china of a European -dining-table. - -[6] The seed-capsules of the red pepper-plant. - -The Javanese are very frugal eaters. A handful of rice with a pinch of -salt, and, perhaps, a small dried fish being sufficient for a day's -ration. Of course, we, Europeans, confessedly, eat too much. But -how grossly we over-eat ourselves, can only be realized on seeing a -Javanese subsisting on about a tenth part of our own daily allowance, -and doing hard work on that--labouring in the field, travelling on -foot for days together, and carrying heavy loads without apparent -over-exertion. - -[Illustration: A kitchen.] - -However, though so abstemious in the matter of solid food, they are -excessively fond of sweetmeats. I have often watched a party of grown -men and women, seated on the low bench in front of a warong, and -eating kwee-kwee[7] with perfectly childish relish, or bending over -a stall, gravely comparing the respective charms of white, pink, and -yellow cakes; hesitating, consulting the confectioner, and at last -solving the difficulty by eating a little of everything. Whatever ready -money they may chance to have, is spent either on personal adornment or -on sweetmeats; and on festive occasions, they will pawn their furniture -rather than deny them selves the enjoyment of more cakes, jellies, -fruit and syrups than they can partake of without making themselves -sick and sorry. - -[7] Malay for "cakes." - -[Illustration: A native restaurant in its simplest and most compendious -shape.] - -Nor do they show more discretion in the matter of the dieting of their -children. Though left, in almost all other respects, to chance and -the guidance of its own instincts, a native child is not trusted to -eat alone. The mother's idea seems to be that, if left to itself, her -child would never eat at all, and that it is her plain duty to correct -this mistake in nature's plan. Wherefore, having prepared a mess of -rice and banana, she lays the little thing flat on its back, upon -her knees, takes some of the food between the tips of her fingers, -kneading it into a little lump, and pushes this into the baby's mouth, -cramming it down the throat with her thumb, when the baby, willy nilly, -must swallow it. Thus she goes on, the baby alternately screaming and -choking, until she judges it has had enough--is full to the brim, so to -speak, and incapable of holding another grain of rice. Then she will -set it on its feet again, dry the tears off its round cheeks, and rock -it to sleep against her breast, closefolded in the long "slendang." - -A similar principle obtains in education. To watch the native -schoolmaster drilling the Koran into his pupils, is to be reminded -of the rice-balls and the maternal thumb. I witnessed the scene, the -other day, at a little school--if a framework of four bamboo-posts and -an "atap" roof deserves that name--in a native "kampong" at Meester -Cornelis.[8] I had come upon this school quite accidentally, in the -course of a ramble along the river-side. As I was making my way through -a plantation of slim young trees, all festooned with dangling lianas, -I had been conscious for some minutes of a droning and buzzing sound, -somewhere near me, and fancied it to be the humming of bees, hovering -over the lantana-blossoms that covered the steep bank of the river -with flames of red and orange, and filled the air with their pungent -scent. But, suddenly, I caught the word "Allah:" and, the next moment, -I was standing in an open space in the midst of some ten or twelve -bamboo huts. One of these, evidently, was a school; and the droning -noise I had heard proceeded from an old spectacled schoolmaster, who -was reading aloud--or, rather, chanting--from a book held in his hand. -A little boy stood in front of him, listening very attentively, and, -every time the old schoolmaster had completed a phrase, the child -repeated it in exactly the same sing-song, closing his eyes the while, -and rocking his little body to and fro. After he had finished, another -came up; there were some twelve or thirteen seated on a sort of bench, -awaiting their turn; and all of them went through the same course -of listening and repeating, the master, now and then, correcting the -intonation of some phrase. It was the Koran which they were thus -reciting in the Arabic language. In all probability, the master did not -understand a single word of Arabic; assuredly none of the boys did. But -what of that? They know it by heart, from its very first word to its -very last. They learn to mis-pronounce the Confession of the Unity of -God; and they are taught to consider themselves Mohammedans. That is -enough. - -[8] A suburb of Batavia. - -[Illustration: Native restaurant.] - -After the early morning meal, the Javanese begin the business of the -day. In towns, where they are debarred their natural occupation, -agriculture, and where, moreover, the Chinese artisans and shopkeepers -have almost entirely ousted them from trade and commerce, the majority -of the natives, men and women, are employed as domestic servants -in the houses of European residents. Hence, but little is seen of -them during the greater part of the day. Towards four o'clock, they -reappear, and again repair to the kali or the canal for a plunge into -the tepid water. Cigarettes are lit, sirih-leaves cut up and neatly -rolled into a quid and some friendly conversation is indulged in. In -fine weather games are played. - -The behaviour of Javanese at play is one of the things which strike -most strongly upon the Northerner's observation. There is nothing here -of that vociferous enthusiasm which characterises our young barbarians -at play--no shouts of exultation or defiance, no applause, no derision, -no cries, no quarrelling or noisy contest. From beginning to end of the -game, a sedate silence prevails. This is not, as might be imagined, -due to apathy and indifference--the Javanese are keen sportsmen, and -often stake comparatively important sums on the issue of a game--but -the effect of an etiquette which condemns demonstrativeness as vulgar. -Outward placidity must be maintained, whatever the stress of the -emotions, and whether circumstances be important or trivial. Hence the -apparent calm of Javanese at play, even when engaged in games that most -excite their naturally fierce passions of ambition and envy. The winner -does not seem elated, the loser is not spiteful. They are in the full -sense of the word "beaux joueurs." - -During the East monsoon, when high south-easterly winds may be counted -upon, flying kites is a favorite game; and not only with boys, but with -grown men. Groups of them may often be seen in the squares and parks of -Batavia or in the fields near the town, floating large kites, shaped -like birds and winged dragons, which, in ascending, emit a whistling -sound, clear and plaintive as that of a wind-harp. They sometimes -remain soaring for days together, and strains of that aerial music, -attuned in sad "minore," float out upon every passing breath of air. -Passers-by in the street look up, shading their eyes from the sun, at -the bright things soaring and singing in the sky, and dispute much -about the melodious merits of each. - -[Illustration: Breakfast in the open air.] - -The paper singing-birds, called "swangan," are very popular with the -masses. But the true amateurs of the sport prefer another kind, the -"palembang" and "koenchier" kites, which do not sing but fight, or, -at least, in skilful hands, can be made to fight. These are made -of Chinese paper, and decorated with the image of some god or hero -of Javanese mythology. The cord twisted out of strong rameh fibre -is coated with a paste of pounded glass or earthenware, mixed with -starch. This renders it strong and cutting as steel wire. The aim -of each player is to make the cord of his kite, when up in the air, -cross his opponent's cord, and then, with a swift downward pull, cut -it in two: a manoeuvre which requires considerable dexterity. The game -is played according to strict rules and with some degree of ceremony -and etiquette, as prescribed by the "adat"--the immemorial law of -courtesy which, in Java, regulates all things, from matters of life and -death down to the arrangement of a girl's scarf and the games which -children play. When all the kites are well up in the air, tugging on -the strained cords, each player chooses his antagonist. He advances to -within a few paces, makes his kite approach the other's, all but touch -it, swerve, and come back; having thus preferred his challenge, he -retires to the place first occupied. Thither, presently, his opponent -follows him, and, by the exact repetition of his manoeuvre, signifies -his acceptance of the combat, retiring afterwards in the same stately -manner. Then the contest begins. The agile figures of the players dart -hither and thither, fitfully, with swift impulse and sudden pause, and -abrupt swerve, bending this way and that, swaying, with head thrown -back and right arm flung up along the straining cord. The groups -of spectators, standing well aside so as not to interfere with the -movements of the players, gaze upward with bated breath. And, aloft, -sparkling with purple and gold, their long streamers spread out upon -the wind, the two kites soar and swoop, swerve, plunge a second time, -slowly swim upwards again, glide a little further, and hang motionless. -The thin cords are all but invisible; the fantastic shapes high in the -air seem animated with a life of their own, wilful, untiring, eager to -pursue, and swift to escape, full of feints and ruses. Suddenly, as one -again plunges, the other, tranquilly sailing aloft, trembles, staggers, -tumbles over, and leaping up, scuds down the wind and is gone. The -severed length of cord comes down with a thud; and, as the unlucky -owner darts away after the fugitive, in the forlorn hope of finding it -hanging somewhere in the branches of a tree, the victor lets his kite -reascend and triumphantly hover aloft, straining against the wind, and -tugging upon the strong shiny cord that has come off scathless from the -encounter. - -The aboriginal craving for battle and mastery, which, philosophers -tell us, is at the bottom of all our games, is even more strongly -developed in the Javanese than in the Caucasian. But the race is not -an athletic one; immemorial traditions of decorum condemn hurry and -violence of movement; and active games, such as this of flying kites, -are the exception. Even at play, the Javanese loves repose; and, when -gratifying his combative instincts, he is mostly content to fight by -proxy. - -Cocks and crickets are the chosen deputies of the town-folk in this -matter; and Javanese sportsmen are as enthusiastic about them as -Spaniards about a toreador, as Englishmen about a prize-fighter. - -[Illustration: Here they are: without plaything naked, and supremely -happy.] - -The Government forbids the cock- and cricket-fights on account of the -gambling to which they invariably give rise. But the police are not -omniscient or ubiquitous. Where there is a will, there is a way; and, -in hidden corners, cocks continue to hack, and crickets to bite and -kick each other to the greater amusement of native sporting circles. - -On the training of a game-cock, his owner spends much time, care, and -forethought. The bird's diet is regulated to a nicety: so much boiled -rice per diem, so much water, so much meat, hashed fine and mixed with -medicinal herbs. One a week, a bath is given him, after which he is -taken in his coop to a sunny place to dry; and he is subjected to a -regular course of massage at the hands of his trainer, who, taking -the bird into his lap, with careful finger and thumb, "pichits" or -shampoos the muscles of neck, wings, and legs, to make them supple and -strong. Connoisseurs arrive from compound and "kampongs" to exchange -criticisms. The age, strength, and agility of rival birds are discussed -at length and finally, when there is a sufficient number in good -condition, a match is arranged. - -[Illustration: A Chinese carpenter.] - -[Illustration: A Chinese Dyer.] - -The amateurs arrive at the spot, each carrying his bird cooped up in -a cage of banana-leaves, through opposite openings in which the head, -shorn of its comb, and the tail protrude. A ring is formed, every one -squatting down, with his cage in front of him; and the birds are taken -out, and passed round for general inspection. After careful comparison -and deliberation, two of approximately equal strength are selected as -antagonists, and the umpire, whose office it is to arm the birds with -the trenchant steel spurs, further equalizes chances by attaching the -weapons of the weaker party to the spot where they will prove most -effective: high up the leg. The owners then take up each his own bird, -allow the two to peck at each other once or twice, put them down upon -the ground again, and, at the signal given by the umpire, let go. The -cocks fight furiously. Generally, one of the two is killed; and, almost -inevitably, both are cruelly injured by the long, two-edged knives -attached to their legs in place of the cut-off spurs. - -Cricket-fights do not seem quite as brutal: the natural weapons of -the little combatants, at least, are not artificially added to; and -victory, it appears, is as often achieved by courage and skill as by -mere force. It is said that even more patience is required to train a -game-cock; and the process certainly seems elaborate. - -First, there is the catching of the "changkrik." For this, the amateur -goes, after nightfall, to some solitary spot out in the fields or -woods--preferably near the grave of some Moslem saint, or royal hero, -or in the shadow of some sacred tree, the "changkriks" caught in these -consecrated places being considered much superior to those of the ditch -and garden as participating in the virtue of their habitat. Here, -then, the amateur builds some stones into a loose heap, hiding in the -midst of it a decoy "changkrik" in a little bamboo cage and retreats. -When, a little before dawn, he again approaches the spot, treading -cautiously, and shading the light of his little lantern, he is sure to -surprise quite a company of crickets gathered around the mound and -crouching under the stones, whither they have been lured by the shrill -song of the captive insect; and, if he is adroit, he may catch a score -at a time. Only the finest and strongest of these he retains; and -straightway the work of education is begun. - -[Illustration: The miniature stage on which the lives and adventures -of Hindoo heroes, queens and saints are acted over again by puppets of -gilt and painted leather.] - -This is not easy; for the cricket is among the most liberty-loving of -animals, and, at first, utterly refuses to be tamed. Unless the bamboo, -of which his little cage is made, be very hard and close-grained, he -manages to gnaw his way through it; and, when baulked in this attempt, -tries to shatter the walls of his prison by battering them with his -horny head, never ceasing until he has killed or, at any rate, stunned -himself. In order to tame him, his trainer throws the "changkrik" into -a basin full of water, and there lets him struggle and kick until he is -half-drowned and quite senseless; then, fishing out the little inert -body, he puts it in the palm of his hand, and, with a tiny piece of -cottonwool fastened to a "lidi"[9] begins to stroke and rub it, in a -kind of lilliputian massage. Then, pulling out a long lank hair from -the shock hidden under his "kain kapala"[10] he delicately ties it round -one of the cricket's hind legs, and hangs him to a nail, in some cool -draughty place, where the air may revive him. After a couple of hours, -perhaps, the tiny creature, dangling by one leg, begins to stir. It is -then taken down, warmed in the hollow of the hand, encouraged to stand -upon its legs, and crawl a little way, and, finally, replaced in its -bamboo cage. It does not again try to escape. - -[9] Lidi:--Fibre from the stalk of the palm leaf. - -[10] Kain Kapala:--Head Kerchief. - -[Illustration: Scene in a Wayang-Wong Place.] - -When it has thus been brought to the proper frame of mind, its real -education begins. With a very fine brush, made of grass-blossoms, -the trainer tickles its head, side, and back; a mettlesome individual -immediately begins to "crick" angrily, and to snap at the teasing -brush. After some time, he flies at the brush as soon as he sees it, -hanging on to it with his strong jaws, as to a living thing. This shows -he is in good condition for fighting. He is now, for some days, fed -upon rice sprinkled with cayenne-pepper, to "prick him in his courage;" -and then taken to the arena. His antagonist is there, in his narrow -bamboo cage, quivering with impatience under the touch of his trainer's -brush of grass-blossoms; the cages are placed over against one another; -and as soon as they are opened, the two "changkriks" rush at each -other. The one who is first thrown, or who turns tail and flies, is -beaten; and great is the glory of the victor. The Javanese often stake -comparatively important sums on fighting crickets. And there is always -a chance that the quarrel of the tiny champions may be fought out by -their owners. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: The Regent of Malang's Wayang-Wong.] - -To all other pleasures, the Javanese prefers that of witnessing a -performance of the wayang, the native theatre. He is an artist at -heart, loving sweet sounds, graceful movements, and harmonies of bright -colour; and all these he may enjoy at the wayang, where, in the pauses -of the drama, ballads are sung to the tinkling accompaniment of the -"gamellan," and splendidly-arrayed dancers put forth "the charm of -woven paces and of waving hands." There are several kinds of "wayang," -each having its own range of subjects and style of acting; the most -ancient as well as the most popular, however, is the "wayang poerwa," -the miniature stage on which the lives and adventures of Hindoo heroes, -queens, and saints are acted over again by puppets of gilt and painted -leather, moving in the hands of the "dalang," who recites the drama. - -The "wayang poerwa" is best described as a combination of a -"Punch-and-Judy" show and a kind of "Chinese shadows"; and--as with the -famed shield which was silver on one side and gold on the other--its -appearance depends upon the stand-point of the spectator. A puppet show -to those in front of the screen, where the gaudily-painted figures are -fixed in a piece of banana stem, it is a Chinese lantern to those on -the other side, who see the shadows projected on the luminous canvas. -According to ancient custom, the men sit in front and see the puppets; -the women have their place behind the screen, and look on at the play -of the shadows. In fully-equipped wayangs, as many as two hundred of -these puppets are found, each with its own particular type and garb, -characteristic of the person represented. - -Certain conventional features, however, are repeated throughout as -symbols of their moral disposition. Long thin noses continuing the -line of the sloping forehead, narrow, slanting eyes, and delicate -mouths, firmly shut, indicate wisdom and a gentle disposition; a -bulging forehead, short thick nose, round eyes and gaping mouth, -indicate lawlessness and violence. No difference is made between -the portraitures of gods and those of mortals; but the Titans are -distinguished by the size and unwieldiness of their body, their staring -eyes, and huge teeth, sometimes resembling tusks. The bodies and faces -are indifferently black, blue, white, flesh-coloured, or gilt; the -colour of the face, moreover, often being a different one from that of -the rest of the person. And all the figures are taken in profile. - -[Illustration: The native orchestra which accompanies every -representation of the wayang.] - -The stage on which these puppets are shown consists of an upright -screen of white sarong cloth. A lamp hangs from the top; at the bottom, -it has a transverse piece of banana stem, into the soft substance of -which the puppets may easily be fixed by means of the long sharp point -in which their supports terminate. The centre of the screen is occupied -by the "gunungan," the conventionalized representation of a wooded -hill, which symbolizes the idea of locality in general, and stands for -a town, a palace, a lake, a well, the gate of Heaven, the stronghold of -the Titans, in short, for any and every place mentioned in the course -of the drama. Among the further accessories of the wayang are a set of -miniature weapons, shields, swords, spears, javelins, and "krisses," -exactly copied after those now or formerly in use among Javanese, and -often of the most exquisite workmanship, destined to be handled by the -gods and the heroes to whose hands they are very ingeniously adapted. -Nor should such items as horses and chariots be forgotten. To manoeuvre -this lilliputian company of puppets is the difficult task of the -"dalang." - -In continuance of the Punch-and-Judy comparison, the "dalang" should -be called the "showman" of the wayang. But he is a showman on a grand -scale. Not only does he make his puppets act their parts of deities, -heroes, and highborn beauties according to the strict canons of -Javanese dramatic art, observant at the same time of the exigencies of -courtly etiquette; but he must know by heart the whole of those endless -epics, the recitation of which occupies several nights; sometimes he -himself dramatizes some popular myth or legend; and he must always -be ready at a moment's notice to imagine new and striking episodes, -adapt a scene from another play to the one he is performing, and -improvise dialogues in keeping with the character of the dramatis -personæ. He should have an ear for music and a good voice, and possess -some knowledge of Kawi[11] to give at all well the songs written in -that ancient tongue, which announce the arrival of the principal -characters on the stage. Moreover, he conducts the "gamellan," the -native orchestra which accompanies every representation of the wayang; -and finally he orders the symbolical dance, which gorgeously-attired -"talèdèks" execute in the pauses of the drama. Manager, actor, -musician, singer, reciter, improvisator, and all but playwright, he is, -in himself, a pleiad of artists. - -But the "dalang's" reward is proportionate to those exertions. He -and his art are alike held in almost superstitious respect. No one -dreams of criticizing his performances. If he wishes to travel, not -a town or hamlet but will give him an enthusiastic welcome. And, at -home, he enjoys that princely prerogative, immunity from taxes, his -fellow-citizens discharging his obligations in requital of the pleasure -he procures them by his wayang performances. If nothing else were -known about them, this one trait, it seems to me, would be sufficient -to prove the Javanese to be a people capable of true enthusiasm, -and a generous conception of life. There is something Greek in this -notion that holds the artist acquitted of all other duties towards the -community, since he fulfils the supreme one of giving joy. - -[11] Ancient Javanese. - -[Illustration: Wayang-Wong Players missing a Fight.] - -[Illustration: Wayang-Wong Scene.] - -At the same time that it is the chief national amusement, the -wayang-show is, in a sense, a religious act, performed in honour of -the deity, and to invoke the blessing of the gods and the favour -of the "danhjang dessa" and all other good spirits upon the giver of -the entertainment. The baleful influence of the Evil Eye, also, is -averted by nothing so surely as by a wayang-performance, wherefore no -enterprise of any importance should be entered upon without one of -these miniature dramatical representations being given. Domestic feasts -such as are held at the birth of a child, or at his circumcision, -seldom lack this additional grace. And a marriage at which Brahma, -Indra, and, above all, Ardjuna, the beloved of women, had not been -present in effigy, would be considered ill-omened from the beginning. - -As soon as it becomes known that some well-known "dalang" will hold -a wayang-performance at such and such a house,[12] the village folk -from miles around come trooping toward the spot, trudging for hours, -or even days, along the sun-scorched, dust-choked highroads, an -enormous, mushroom-shaped hat on their head, and a handful of boiled -rice, neatly folded in a green leaf, tucked into their girdle. At one -of the numerous warongs or shops temporarily erected near the spot, -where the wayang is to be performed, they buy some bananas and a cup of -hot water, flavoured, perhaps, with green leaves of the coffee-plant, -and sweetened with the aromatic areng-sugar. And, provided with these -simple refreshments, they squat down upon the ground--the men on that -side of the wayang-screen where they will see the puppets, the women on -the other where the shadows are seen--and prepare to restfully enjoy -the drama. - -[12] The wayang-screen is erected in the open air, in front of the -house. - -Already the last streaks of crimson and gold-shot opal have faded in -the western skies, and the grey of dusk begins to deepen into nocturnal -blackness. The evening breeze is astir in the tall tree-tops, waking -a drowsy bird here and there among the branches; it chirps sleepily -and is still again. Aloft, a single star is seen limpid and tremulous, -like a dewdrop about to fall. And the garrulous groups around the -wayang-screen gradually cease their talk. - -Now the "dalang" rising, disposes, on an improvised altar, the -sacrificial gifts--fruit, and yellow rice, and flowers, and lights -the frankincense that keeps off evil spirits. Then, as the column of -odoriferous smoke ascends, sways, and disperses through the thin, cool -air, a volley of thunderous sound bursts from the "gamellan," and the -dancers appear. - -Slowly they advance, in hand-linked couples, gliding rather than -walking, with so gentle a motion that it never stirs the folds of -their trailing robes, gathered at the waist by a silver clasp. Their -bare shoulders, anointed with boreh,[13] gleam duskily above the purple -slendang that drapes the bosom. Their soft round faces are set in a -multi-coloured coruscation of jewellery, a play of green and blue and -ruby-red sparks, that chase each other along the coiled strands of the -necklace and the trembling ear-pendants, and shine with a steadier -light in the richly chased tiara. A broad silver band, elaborately -ornamented, clasps the upper arm; a narrower bracelet encircles the -wrist; the fingers are a-glitter with rings. - -[13] A fragrant yellow unguent. - -[Illustration: Scene from a Wayang-Wong Play.] - -Arrived in front of the wayang-screen they pause; with the tips of -their fingers take hold of the long embroidered scarfs and stand -expectant of the music that is to accompany their dancing. The -"gamellan" intones a plaintive melody: a medley of tinkling, and -fluting, and bell-like sounds, scanded by the long-drawn notes of the -"rebab," the Persian viol. Following the impulse of its rhythm, the -dancers raise their hands making the scarf to float along the extended -arm, and waving about the glittering silk they drape themselves in its -folds as in a veil. Then, standing with feet turned slightly inwards, -and motionless, they begin to turn and twist the body, bending this -way and that way, with the swaying movement of slim young trees that -bow beneath the passing breeze, tossing their branches. And, with -arms extended and hands spread out, they mime a ballad which some of -their companions are singing, the prologue to the play. This may be -a fragment of that ancient Hindoo poem, the Mahâ-Bhârata; or a myth -of which Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiwa are the heroes, such as there are -recorded in the Manik Maja; or, again, some episode of the Ramayana; -the "wayang poerwa" being dedicated to the representation of these -three epics. A favourite subject, popular with the men on account of -the many battles occurring in the course of the drama, and with the -women because Ardjuna, the gentle hero, has the leading part, is the -rebellion and defeat of the Titans. - -In the first scene the gods appear on either hand of the "gunungan"; -Indra and Brahma hold anxious counsel as to what course of action -shall be pursued, now that the audacious Titans have dared to march -against the abode of the gods; for already their armies occupy the four -quarters of Heaven, and the insolent Raksasa, their king and general, -fears not the arms of the gods, their deadly swords, and intolerable -lances, for, his huge body--all but one hidden spot--is invulnerable. -And none may conquer him, except a mortal hero, pure of all passion -and sin. Sorrowfully, Brahma lift his hands. "Such a one exists not." -But Indra bethinks him of Ardjuna, the gentle prince, who, having -utterly forsworn the glories of warfare, the pride of worldly rank -and station, and the love of women, has retired to a cavern on Mount -Indra Kila; and under the name of Sang Parta--assumed instead of the -kingly one of Ardjuna--leads a life of prayer and penitence, mortifying -his flesh, and still keeping his constant thought fixed no Shiwa, the -giver of Victory. "Maybe Sang Parta is the hero destined to overcome -Niwàtakawaka." - -[Illustration: "Topeng" played by masked actors.] - -[Illustration: "Topeng" actors.] - -And the other gods, divided between hope and fear, answer: "Let us put -his virtue to the test, that we may know surely." Among the heavenly -nymphs, "the widadari," there are seven, the fairest of all, famous -for many victories over saintly priests and anchorites, whom, by a -smile, they caused to break the vows they had vowed, and forsake the -god to whom they had dedicated themselves. These now are sent to tempt -Ardjuna. If he withstand them, he will be, indeed, victor of the god of -Love. - -[Illustration: Slowly they advance gliding rather than walking.] - -The nymphs descend on Mount Indra Kila. "The wild kine and the deer of -the mountain raise their head to gaze after them as they frolic over -the dew-lit grass. The cinnamon trees put forth young shoots, less red -than the maidens' lips. And the boulders, strewn around Sang Parta's -cavern, glisten to welcome them, as, one by one, they pass the dark -entrance." But the hermit, absorbed in pious contemplations, never -turns his averted head, never looks upon the lovely ones, nor deigns -to listen to their wooing songs. And those seven fair queens are fain -to depart, hiding their face, smarting with the pain of unrequited love. - -But the gods, beholding them come back thus shamefaced and sad, rejoice -exceedingly. - -Now, to put Sang Parta's courage to the test. Shiwa, the terrible one -assumes mortal shape; and descending on Indra Kila, defies the hermit. -They fight, and Sang Parta is victor. Then Shiwa, revealing himself, -praises the anchorite for his piety and his valour; and, for a reward, -bestows upon him his own never-failing spear. After which he returns -to the council of the gods, bidding them be of good cheer, for now it -cannot be doubted any longer that Sang Parta is the hero destined to -conquer the unconquerable Raksasa. - -[Illustration: Street-dancers.] - -[Illustration: The dancers stand listening for the music.] - -[Illustration: A Wayang representation.] - -He is now summoned to the presence of the gods, and receives their -command to go forth and slay the Raksasa. A goddess arms him; and -a nymph whispers into his ear the secret on which the Titan's life -depends: his vulnerable spot is the tip of his tongue. Sang Parta now -resumes his real name; and, as Ardjuna, goes to seek Niwàtakawaka. -After many wanderings and perilous adventures, in which Shiwa's -miraculous spear stands him in good stead, he finally meets his -destined antagonist, and defies him to single combat. For a long time -they fight, each in turn seeming victor and vanquished, until, at last, -Ardjuna, feigning to have received a deadly thrust, sinks down. Then, -as the Raksasa, skipping about in insolent joy, shouts out a defiance -to the gods, Ardjuna hurls his spear at the monster's wide-opened mouth -and pierces his tongue; and the blasphemer drops down dead. The other -Titans, seeing their king fallen, fly, and the gods are saved. But -Ardjuna is rewarded for his exploits, the grateful gods bestowing upon -him seven surpassingly fair "widadari," a kingdom, and the power of -working miracles. - -[Illustration: A Wayang representation.] - -This drama, called Ardjuna's marriage feast, is a comparatively short -one, which may be performed in the course of one night. The majority of -wayang-plays, however, require three or four nights, or even a whole -week, for an adequate representation; and there are some which last for -a fortnight. They consist of fourteen, fifteen, or even more acts. The -number of dramatis personæ is practically unlimited; new heroes and -heroines constantly appear upon the scene; and, to render confusion -still worse confounded, they again and again change their names. Time -is annihilated, the babe, whose miraculous birth is represented in the -beginning of an act, having arrived at man's estate before the end of -it, and one generation succeeding another in the course of the play. -Generally, too, no trace of any regular plan is discoverable. Incident -follows incident, and intrigue disconnected intrigue; and, at every -turn, fresh dramatic elements are introduced. So that, as the drama -ceases--for it cannot in any proper sense be said to finish--characters -whose very names have not been mentioned before, are making love, -waging war, and holding desultory counsel about events absolutely -irrelevant, and between which and those represented in the beginning -of the drama, it is all but impossible to find the slightest connection. - -[Illustration: Wayang dancers.] - -To a Javanese, these endless plays hardly seem long enough. He never -wearies of the innumerable adventures of these innumerable heroes. -Titans, queens, and gods, though he has seen them represented ever -since he was a child, and probably knows them by heart, almost as -well as the "dalang" himself. He has no prejudice in favour of any -regular intrigue, with beginning, catastrophe, and end. And, as for -improbabilities, many strange things happen, day by day. And, as -for time, was not the Prophet carried up to Heaven to sojourn among -the blessed for a thousand years, whence returning to Mecca, and -entering his chamber, he found the pitcher, which he had upset in his -heavenward flight, not yet emptied of its contents? Such considerations -cannot spoil his enjoyment of the wayang. Night after night, the -Javanese sit, listening to the grandiloquent speeches of the heroes -and their courting of queens and nymphs; discussing their opinions -and principles, moral and otherwise; and, amid bursts of laughter, -applauding any witticism, with which the "dalang" may enliven his -somewhat monotonous text. And as, at last, they regretfully rise in the -reddening dawn that causes the wayang lights to pale, visions of that -heroic and beautiful world accompany them on their homeward way. The -maidens would hardly be amazed to behold Ardjuna slumbering under the -blossoming citron bush. And the young men think of Palosara, who, by -his unassisted arm, won a royal bride and the kingdom of Ngastina. - - - - -ON THE BEACH - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -The million-footed crowd of travelling humanity has trodden Tandjang -Priok out of all beauty and pleasantness. It is nothing now but a -heap of dust rendered compact by a coating of basalt and bricks, and -bearing on its flat surface some half-dozen square squat sheds, the -whitewashed walls of which glare intolerably in the sunlight that beats -upon the barren place all day long. But, a little further down the -shore, eastwards from the harbour, the natural beauty of the country -re-asserts itself. There are wide, shallow bays, where the water sleeps -in the shadow of overhanging trees; sandy points, one projecting beyond -the other across shimmering intervals of sea; and, alternating with -open spaces where a few bamboo huts are clustered together amidst a -plantation of young banana trees, great tracts of woodland that come -down to the very margin of the water. In one place where the narrow -beach broadens out a little, some half dozen shanties, one of which -might, by courtesy, be styled a bathing-lodge, have found standing-room -between the wood and the water. Some homesick exile from France -has christened the handful of bamboo posts and atap leaves: Petite -Trouville. In the dry season, when Batavia is parched with heat and -choked with dust, people come hither for a plunge into the clear cool -waves, and for some hours of blissful idleness in the shadow of the -broad-branched njamploeng trees, which mirror their dark leafage and -clusters of white wax-like blossoms in the tide. - -The day some friends took me to see the place was one of the last in -April, when the rains were not yet quite over. We had left Batavia at -half-past five, when the Koningsplein was still white with rolling -mists and the stars had but just begun to fade in the greyish sky. The -train had borne us along some distance on our way to Tandjong Priok, -ere the sun rose. Rather, ere it appeared. There had been no heralding -change of colour in the eastern sky; only the uncertain light that lay -over the landscape had gradually strengthened; and, all at once, at -some height above the horizon a triangular splendour burst forth, a -great heart of flame which was the sun. The pools and tracts of marshy -ground flooded by the recent rains were ridged with long straight -parallel lines of red. The dark tufts of palm trees here and there -shone like burnished bronze. And where they grew denser, in groups and -little groves, the blue mist hanging between the stems was pierced by -lances of reddish light. - -At Tandjong Priok station, we alighted amidst a crowd of natives, -dock-labourers and coal-heavers, on their way to the ships. They took -the road in true native style, one marching behind the other, laughing -and talking as they went. And we followed them, in our jolting sadoos, -along a sunny avenue, planted with slim young trees, as far as to the -bend of the road; then we left it and entered the wood on the right, -which we had for some time been skirting. - -A rough track led through it. Our sadoos jolted worse than ever in the -ruts left by the broad-wheeled carts of the peasantry. We alighted and -made our way as best we could through the grass-grown clearings of the -jungle. The sun was but just beginning to warm the air. White shreds -of mist still hung among the tree-stems, and swathed the brushwood. -The grass underfoot was white with dew, glistening with myriads of -brilliant little points where the yellow sunlight touched it. The -broadly curved banana leaves, and the feathery tufts of the palm -trees overhead began to grow transparent, standing out in light green -against the shining whiteness of the sky. There was an inexpressible -vitality and exhilaration in all things, in the fine pure air, cool as -well water, in the sparkle of the dew-lit grass, in the bushes with -large round drops trembling on every leaf, in the pungent scent of -the lantana that on every side displayed its clusters of pink, mauve -and orange red blossoms. It was good to feel wet through on the tramp -through the drenched tangle, to feel the blood tingling in the finger -tips, the lungs full of quickening air, and the sunshine right in your -eyes. It was good to be alive. - -After a while, we came to a little campong, some five or six bamboo -huts, grouped together in an open space of the wood. Some naked -children were playing around a fire of sticks and dry leaves. Under -a shed, a woman stood pounding rice in a hollowed-out wooden block, -whilst another carrying a child in her slendang, talked to her. There -were no men about, save one old fellow, white-haired and decrepit, who -sat in his doorway, mending nets. In that sunny forest clearing, that -was the one thing suggestive of the neighbouring sea. - -Past the village there are several tanks of brackish water, where fish -is bred for Chinese consumption. Tangles of green weed floated on the -surface, which, in places, seemed to be filmed over with oily colours. -A man walked along the shore, dredging. Beyond, the wood recommenced. -But it was less dense there; great patches of sunlight lay on the -ground, and the sky showed everywhere through the stems. As we issued -out of the dappled shade, we beheld the sea. - -Calm and clear, it lay under the calm clear sky, a silvery splendour -suffused in places with the faintest blue. Not a ripple disturbed the -lustrous smoothness. Only, out in the open, the water heaved with a -scarcely perceptible swell, its rise and subsidence revealed by a -rhythmic pulsation of colour--streaks of pale turquoise breaking out -upon the pearly monochrome, kindling into azure and gradually fainting -and fading again. To the westward the mole of Tandjong Priok and the -two bar-iron light-towers, standing seemingly close together, had -dwindled to a narrow dark line with, at its extreme point, two little -black filigree figures delicately defined against the shimmering white -of sea and sky. Near the shore, a fishing-prao, its slight hull almost -disappearing under the immense white winglike sail, lay still above its -motionless reflection. In the eastern distance, a group of islands, -ethereal as cloudlets, hung where the sheen of the sea and the shimmer -of the sky flowed together into one tremulous splendour, dazzling and -colourless. The beach with a nipah-thatched hut on the right and a -group of spreading njamploeng trees on the left framed the radiant -vista with sober browns and greens. - -The morning was still, without a breath of air; and, all around, the -foliage hung motionless. Yet, as we walked over the fine grey sand, -which already felt hot under foot, there came drifting down to us now -and again, whiffs of a sweet subtle fragrance, as of March violets; -and transparent blossoms, fluttering down, whitened the shell-strewed -beach. Then njamploengs were in flower. - -Looking at that dark-leaved grove on the margin of the water, I thought -I had seldom seen nobler trees. Not very tall; but round and broad, -great hemispheres of foliage squarely supported on column-like trunks. -In their general air and bearing, in the character of the oblong leaves -and their elegant poise upon the branch, they somewhat resemble the -walnuts of northern countries. The colour is even richer, a vigorous -bluish green, swarthy at a distance; and, when seen near at hand, as -full of tender beryl-tints as a field of young oats, with watery gleams -and glories playing through the depths of the foliage. For a crowning -grace, the njamploeng has its blossoms, fragrant, white, and of a -wax-like transparency--cups of milky light. Standing under an ancient -tree, that overhung the water with trailing branches and a tangle of -wave-washed roots, I could see the luminous clusters shining in that -dome of dusky leafage, like stars in an evening sky. And the water in -the shadow gleamed with pale reflections. - -The sea that morning passed through a succession of chromatic changes. -The silvery smoothness of an hour ago had been broken by a ripple, -that came and went in dashes of ruffled ultra-marine. Then, here and -there, purplish patches appeared, which presently began to spread until -they touched, and flowed together, and the sea, all along the shore, -seemed turned to muddy wine whilst, out in the open, it sparkled in a -rich blue-green, rippling and flickering. At noon, the purplish brown -had disappeared, and the emerald-like tints had faded and changed to -an uncertain olive-green. The sky as yet retained its morning aspect, -cloudless and shimmering with a white brilliancy as if all the stars of -the Milky Way had been dissolved in it. Under that enduring paleness, -the fitful colouring and flushing of the sea seemed all the stranger. - -As the day advanced, the heat had steadily increased, and, at last, it -was intolerable. About ten, when we swam out into the sea, the water, -even where it grew deeper, felt tepid; a little after noon, it was -warm. The windless air quivered. And the sand was so hot as to scorch -our bare feet when we attempted to step out of the circular shadow of -the njamploengs, where a little coolness as yet remained. - -A dead quiet lay on sea and land. There was neither wind nor wave, not -the thinnest shadow of a sailing cloud, to temper for an instant the -unbearable glare. The foliage overhead was the one spot of colour in -a white-hot universe. There must be cicadas among the leaves: I had -heard them trilling, earlier in the day; but the heat had reduced them -to silence. Even the black ants, crawling among the roots, and in the -fissures of the rough rind of the trees seemed to move but listlessly. -From where I sat, I could see, framed by the circular sweep of the -hanging foliage, a stretch of beach, with some huts amidst a banana -plantation, and, further down, a native boat lying keel upwards upon -the sand. A lean dog crouched in the shadow, panting with tongue -hanging out. No other living creature was to be seen. - -The afternoon was far gone before there came a change, imperceptible -at first, a gradual sobering of colour, and a growing definiteness in -the contours of trees and bushes. Then, the air began to cool down. -The horizon grew distinct; a curve of rich green against sunlit blue; a -short ripple roughened the water; and, suddenly, the breeze sprang up, -driving before it a wave that hurried and rose, and broke foaming upon -the beach. The tide was coming in. - -It was as if the inspiriting hour, that changed the face of land -and sea, made itself felt also in the little brown huts under the -trees, stirring up the folk into briskness and activity. Merry voices -and the cries of children mingled with the sound of hammer strokes, -reverberating along the wooded beach. Among the trees, I could discern -the figure of a man bending over his boat, tool in hand; and a woman -coming out of her door with a bundle of clothes under one arm. Where -the lengthening shadow of the njamploeng trees fell on the sunny water, -two young girls were bathing; somewhat further down, a swarm of naked -urchins waded through the shallows, in search of mother-of-pearl. -The yellow sunlight shone on their little brown bodies, and made the -ripples sparkle around them as they splashed hither and thither, -feeling about with their feet for the flat sharp shards which the tide -leaves buried in the sands. Standing still for an instant, when they -had found one, they balanced on one foot, whilst, with the clenched -toes of the other they picked up the shiny piece, with a supple, -monkey-like movement. Presently, along came an old man, in a straw -topee broad-rimmed hat and a faded reddish sarong, who entered the -sea, and waded towards the spot, where, that morning,--when it was as -yet dry land--he had erected his "tero," the pliable bamboo palisade, -which, arranged in the shape of a V, with the opening towards the -shore, serves as a trap for fish. The hurdle was all but overflowed -now, only the points of the bamboo stakes emerging above the rising -tide, like the rigging of some wrecked and sunken ship. The old man -gave it a shake, to assure himself of having driven it deep enough down -into the sand, to withstand the impact of the waves; and, satisfied -upon this point, limped away again, with the air of a man who had -finished his day's work. He might lie down on his baleh-baleh now, and -peacefully smoke his cigarette. Whilst he was taking his ease, the sea -would provide for his daily fish. In a few minutes, the tide would -have submerged his "tero," and the heedless fish would swim across it; -and, as the water ebbed away again, they would be driven against the -converging sides of the lattice-work, and, presently, be left gasping -upon the bars. Then, the women of the village would come with their -baskets, and gather the living harvest, as they might a windfall of -ripe fruit; and his grandson, out at sea now, with the other young men, -would hang two full baskets to his bending yoke, and with the fire-car -go to Batavia, there to sell the fish for much money, a handful of -copper doits. Even, if he had caught "kabak" which the orang blandah -like, and "gabus," of which the rich Chinese are fond, the boy might -bring him home some silver coins. And his grand-daughter would salt and -dry in the sun the smaller fry, and make "ikan kring" for him and all -the household. - -Happy the man who has dutiful children! In his old age, when he is -able no longer to earn his sustenance, he will not want; he need not -beg, nor borrow from the kampong folk; and he will not be tempted to -invoke Kjaï Belorong, the wicked goddess of wealth, who, in exchange -for riches, demands men's souls. Do not all in this kampong know of -Pah-Sidin, and what became of him after he had prayed to the evil -sprite? Here is the tale, as the old fisherman gave it me. - -He was a poor man, Pah-Sidin, unlucky in whatever he undertook, and so -utterly ignorant as not to know one single "ilmu."[14] So that, though -his wife worked from morning till night, weaving and batiking sarongs, -and tending the garden and the field, and selling fruit and flowers, -things went from bad to worse with him. And at last, there was not a -grain of rice left in the house, and the green crop in the field was -the property of the usurer. His wife, weeping, said: "O Pah-Sidin! -how now shall we feed and clothe our little ones, Sidin, and all the -others?" But he, vexed with her importunities, and weary of fasting -and going about in faded clothes, without a penny to buy sirih or -pay his place at a cock-fight, said: "Be silent! for I know where to -find great wealth." Then he went away, and walked along the shore for -many days, until he came to a place where there were great rocks, and -caves in which the water made a sound as of thunder. Here lives the -dread goddess, Njai Loro Kidul, the Virgin Queen of the Southern Seas, -whom the gatherers of edible birds' nest invoke, honouring her with -sacrifices before they set out on their perilous quest. And here, too, -lives her servant, wicked Kjaï Belorong, the money-goddess. - -[14] Charm to conjure good fortune. - -Pah-Sidin, standing in the entrance of a black and thunderous cave, -strewed kanangan flowers, and melatih, and yellow champaka, and burnt -costly frankincense, and, as the cloud of fragrant smoke ascended, he -fell on his face, and cried: "Kjaï Belorong! I invoke thee! I am poor -and utterly wretched! Do thou give me money, and I will give thee -my soul, O Kjaï Belorong!" Then, a voice, which caused the blood to -run cold in his veins, answered: "I hear thee, Pah-Sidin." He arose, -trembling, and, as he turned his head, saw that the cave was a house, -large, and splendid, and full of golden treasure. But, as he looked -closer, behold! it was built of human bodies; floor, walls, and roof -all made of living men, who wept and groaned, crying: "Alas, alas! who -can endure these unendurable pains!" And the horrible voice, speaking -for the second time, asked: "Pah-Sidin, hast thou courage?" - -Pah-Sidin, at first, seemed as though he would have fainted with -horror. But soon, reflecting how he was young and strong, and the hour -of his death far off as yet, and hoping, also, that, in the end, he -might be able to deceive Kjaï Belorong and save his soul, whilst in the -meanwhile, he would enjoy great honour and riches, he answered; "Kjaï -Belorong, I have courage!" And, the voice spoke for the third time: -"It is well! Go back to thine own house now; for, soon, I will come to -thee." - -So, Pah-Sidin returned to his house, and waited for Kjaï Belorong, -saying nothing of the matter to his wife. And, in the night, she came, -and sat upon the baleh-baleh, and said: "Embrace me, Pah-Sidin, for -now I am thy love." Pah-Sidin would willingly have kissed her, for she -seemed as fair as the bride of the love-god. But, looking down, he saw -that, instead of legs and feet, she had a long scaly tail; then he was -afraid, and would have fled. But Kjaï Belorong, seizing him in her -arms, said: "If thou but triest to escape, I will kill thee," and she -pressed him to her bosom so violently that the breath forsook his body, -and he lay as one dead. Then she loosened her grasp, and disappeared, -rattling her tail. But when Pah-Sidin returned to consciousness, he -saw, in the faint light of the dawn, the baleh-baleh all strewn with -yellow scales, and each scale was a piece of the finest gold. - -Pah-Sidin now was as the richest Rajah: he had a splendid house, with -granaries and stables, fine horses, great plantations of palms and -jambus and all other kinds of fruit, and rich _sawahs_ that stretched -as far as a man on horseback could see. He abandoned his wife, who was -no longer young, and was worn out with care and labour; and married -the daughter of a wealthy Rajah, and three other maidens, as fair -as bidadaris. And, whenever he wished for more money, Kjaï Belorong -came to him in the night, and embraced him, and gave him more than he -had asked for. Thus the years went by in great glory and happiness, -until the hair of his head began to grow white, and his eyes lost -their brilliancy, and his black and shining teeth fell out. Then, one -night, Kjaï Belorong came to his couch, unsummoned, looked at him, and -said: "Pah-Sidin! the hour is come. Follow me and I will make thee the -threshold of my palace." But Pah-Sidin made answer, and said: "Alas! -Kjaï Belorong! look at me, how lean I am! my ribs almost pierce through -the skin of my side. Assuredly, thou wilt hurt thy tail in passing over -me, if thou makest me the threshold of thy house. Rather take with thee -my plough-boy, who is young, and plump, and smooth!" - -Then Kjaï Belorong took the plough-boy. And Pah-Sidin married a new -wife, and lived merrier than before. Thus ten years went by in great -glory and happiness. But, on the last night of the tenth year, Kjaï -Belorong again came to his couch, unsummoned, and looked at him, and -said: "Pah-Sidin! the hour is come. Follow me, and I will make thee -the pillar of my palace." But Pah-Sidin made answer and said: "Alas! -Kjaï Belorong! look at me, how weak I am! my shoulders are so bent I -can scarcely keep the badju jacket from gliding down. Assuredly, thy -roof will fall in and crush thee, if thou makest me the pillar of thy -house. Rather take with thee my youngest brother, who is strong, and -tall, and broad of shoulders!" - -Then Kjaï Belorong took the brother. But Pah-Sidin married yet another -new wife, and lived even merrier than hitherto. Thus ten more years -went by in great glory and happiness. But, on the last night of the -tenth year, Kjaï Belorong for the third time came to his couch, -unsummoned, looked at him, and spoke: "Pah-Sidin! the hour is come. -Follow me, and I will make thee the hearth-stone of my palace!" And -Pah-Sidin made answer, and said: "Alas! Kjaï Belorong! look at me, -how cold I am and covered all over with a clammy sweat! Assuredly -thy fire will smoulder and go out if thou makest me the hearthstone -of thy house. Rather take with thee my eldest son, Sidin, who is -healthy, and warm, and dry!" But the wicked Kjaï Belorong, in a voice -which made Pah-Sidin's heart stand still, screamed: "I will take -none but thee, old man! and, since thou art so cold and wet, I will -bid my imperishable fire warm and dry thee!" And with these words -the demon seized Pah-Sidin by the throat, and carried him off to her -horrible abode, there to be the stone upon which her hearth-fire burns -everlastingly. - -At the conclusion of this long tale, the old fisherman drew a sigh of -relief. "Such is the fate of those who let themselves be conquered by -greed and the wiles of wicked Kjaï Belorong. But I, njonja, need have -no fear. For my children are dutiful, and provide for all my wants. -Nor need any one else in this dessa fear. For we are all pious men, who -pray to the Prophet and the Toewan Allah. Thus we are safe." - -Indeed, to judge from the appearance of these good-natured, frugal and -careless people, I should have fancied that the money-goddess could not -make many victims among them. - -But their safety is threatened by yet another enemy,--a much more -energetic one than Kjaï Belorong to all appearance: to wit "My Lord -the Crocodile." The coast swarms with these brutes; and according to -official reports, quite a number of people are annually devoured by -them. - -They infest especially the marshy country around the mouth of the Kali -Batawi, where they may sometimes be seen, lying half in the water and -half upon a mudbank, their wicked little eyes blinking in the sunlight, -their formidable jaws agape and showing the bright yellow of the -gullet. There, they wait for the carcases of drowned animals and the -offal of all kinds floating down the river. Imprudent bathers are often -attacked by them, and they even swim up the water-courses, and venture -for considerable distances inland. - -The Government, some years ago, put a premium on the capture of -crocodiles, a relatively high sum being offered for a carcase. But the -measure had to be withdrawn after a while, and this, though, to all -appearance, it worked excellently well. Numbers of crocodiles were -caught and killed; not a day went by but natives presented themselves -at the police stations, exhibiting a limp carcase slung on to a bamboo -frame, which a score of coolies "pikoled"[15] along. Harassed officials -began to believe in a universe peopled exclusively by Malays and dead -or dying crocodiles; and philanthropists rejoiced over an imminent -extermination of caymans, and the consequent safety for bathers. -But there were those who understood the nature of both natives and -crocodiles, and who considered their ways; and they smiled a smile of -wisdom and ineffable pity, as they looked upon the dead saurians, and -saw that they were young. The philanthropists contended that a little -crocodile was a crocodile nevertheless, and would, in its own bad time, -be a big crocodile, and one which feasted on the flesh of men and -women and innocent children; but those wise men only smiled the more. -And, presently one of them took a philanthropist by the hand, and led -him by quiet waters, and showed him how men and women sought for the -eggs of the crocodile, and gathered them in their bosom, and watched -the young come out, and reared them even with a father's care and -loving-kindness, to the end that they might wax fat and kick, and be -bound with iron chains, and delivered over to the schout.[16] - -The crocodiles now are left to multiply and replenish the shores of -Java; and nobody molests them, except now and then some adventurous -sportsman, upon whom tigers have palled, and who cares but little for -"bantengs,"[17] and holds the rhinoceros of no account. And, generally, -too, though he lie in wait for a crocodile, he catches only a fever--of -a particularly malignant kind, it is true. - -[15] To pikol = to carry a load slung on a pole. - -[16] A police official. - -[17] The wild buffalo. - -The Malays, as a rule, do not readily kill crocodiles. They believe -that the spirits of the dead are re-incarnated in these animals; so -that, what seems a repulsive and dangerous beast, may, in reality, -be an honoured father, or a long lamented bride. And they piously -prefer the risk of being devoured to the certainty of becoming -murderers. Far from injuring, they honour the "cayman" by sacrifices -of rice, meat, and fruit, which they send down the river in little -baskets of palm-leaves with a light twinkling a-top; a gift offered -whenever a child is born, to propitiate the metamorphosed ancestors -in river and sea, and implore their protection for this, their newly -born descendant. Human feelings and susceptibilities are attributed -to them which the Malay carefully abstains from wounding. He never -speaks but of "My Lord the Crocodile." And a wayang-play, such as, for -instance, Krokosono, the hero of which defeats and kills the King of -the Crocodiles, no dalang would dream of representing in a place where -caymans could hear or see it. There is one act, however, by which a -crocodile forfeits all claim to respect: and that is killing a human -being. From his supposed human nature, it evidently follows that this -is an act of malice prepense, a crime knowingly committed; and, as -such, should be punished as it would be were the perpetrator a man or a -woman--that is, with death. It would seem too as if the guilty creature -were conscious of his crime, and, sometimes, out of sheer remorse, gave -himself up to justice. At least, a story to this effect is told of a -certain crocodile, which had devoured a little girl, and this, though -the child's parents had duly offered rice and meat and fruit, at the -stated times; of which gifts this crocodile had undoubtedly had his -share. The parents, weeping, sought a hermit who lived not far from the -"dessa" or village, a wise man who understood the language of animals; -and implored him to restore at least the remains of their daughter's -little body to them, and to visit with condign punishment her brutal -murderer. The hermit, moved with pity and indignation, forthwith left -his cave, and repaired to the sea-shore. There, standing with his feet -in the waves, he pronounced the potent spell which all crocodiles -must obey. They came, hurrying, from far and near: the shore bristled -with their scaly backs ranged in serried rank and file. When all were -present, the hermit addressed them in their own tongue, declaring that -one of them had committed the unpardonable crime of murder, murder -upon an innocent child, whose parents had offered sacrifices for her -at her birth: rice and fruit and meat, of which they all had partaken, -in token of amity and good will. So abominable a breach of good faith -should not be suffered to remain unpunished. Wherefore, let him who had -perpetrated it, stand forth! But all the others, let them withdraw into -the sea! The crocodiles heard. The solid land seemed to heave and break -up, as the congregated thousands dispersed. But one crocodile remained -behind on the beach. It crawled nearer and lay down at the feet of -the hermit. And the father of the little girl, approaching, drew his -"kris," and thrust it into the creature's eyes, killing it. The holy -man then took out of the monster's jaws the necklace of blue beads, -which the little girl had worn, and handed it to the father, promising -him that, within the year, his wife would bear him another daughter, -even fairer than the lost one. But the carcase of the crocodile was -devoured by the dogs. - -Something in the landscape near Petite Trouville brought back to my -memory this tale, heard from a village priest some time ago. It was a -fit scene for such events. That brown hut among the bananas might have -been the abode of the hapless little maid. The dense wood, behind, -might well shelter an anchorite, some old man, wise and humble, content -to live on wild fruit and learn from the birds among the branches and -the fish in the sea; assuredly, he would stand upon the little spit of -land that has the njamploeng on it, and the crocodiles, obedient to -his command, would raise their formidable heads from the water, and -with their serried ranks cover the shelving beach.... Very peaceful it -lay now, in the light of the setting sun. The sea shone golden. And -already, among the blossom-laden branches of the njamploeng, there -began to rustle the sea breeze, precursor of deepbreathed Night. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -OF BUITENZORG - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -The Javanese Sans-Souci[18] lies cradled in a fold of the undulating -country at the base of the Salak, whose blue top, twin to that of -the Gedeh, is seen, in fine weather, from the Koningsplein, rising -aerially, fresh, and pure, above the dusty glare of Batavia. The -village is pretty,--all brown atap houses and gardens full of roses, -with the wooded hill-side for a background. One may wander for hours -in the splendid Botanical Garden, reputed to be the finest in the -world, and a goal of pilgrimage for scientists from every part of the -globe. Whoever visits the place in September may combine these tranquil -pleasures with the gaiety of the annual races, and the great ball at -the Buitenzorg Club, where "all Java" dances. I went in the last week -of the month, glad to escape from the town, which, at this time of the -year, is unbearable, scorched with the heat of the east monsoon and -stifled under a layer of dust, which makes the grass of the gardens -crumble away, and turns the "assam" trees along the river and in the -squares into grey spectres. The country through which the first part -of my road lay, seemed, however scarcely desolate. Nothing but flat -monotonous fields, some altogether bare and grey, others still covered -with yellowish stubble, through which the cracks and fissures of the -parched soil showed. Here and there, a patch of green, where some -huddled brown roofs and a group of thin palm-trees denoted a native -hamlet, forlorn in the wide arid plain. Then, again, bare brown fields, -where no living creature was to be seen, except, now and then, a herd -of dun buffaloes wallowing in the ooze of some dried-up pool. - -[18] Buitenzorg, literally translated, means "away from sorrow or care." - -By and bye, however, the character of the landscape began to change. -The rich blue-green of the young rice-crops, seen first in isolated -squares and patches, spread all over the gradually-ascending fields. -Along the course of a rapid rivulet, a bamboo grove sprang up, lithe -stems bending a little under their cascades of waving dull-green -foliage. Then the rice-clad undulations of the ground began to rise -into little hills, green to the very top, and down the sides of which -the water, that fed the terraced fields trickled in many a twisting -silvery thread; and suddenly on the left, rose the great triangular -mass of the Salak, dull-blue in the sober evening light. It was almost -dark when the train stopped at the Buitenzorg station. It stands at -some distance from the village; and, as I drove thither, sights and -sounds reached me that denoted the hilly country. The wheels of the cab -creaked over whitish pebbles clean as gravel from the rocky riverbed. -The gardens on each side of the road were full of flowers, that gleamed -palely through the semi-darkness. The voices of passers-by, the -laughter of children at play, the tones of a flute somewhere in the -distance, sounded clear and far through the thinner air. As I entered -the village, I noticed that the houses were built of bamboo instead of -the brick, which is the usual material in the clayey lowlands. - -[Illustration: Buffaloes at grass.] - -[Illustration: Avenue leading to the Botanical Garden.] - -It is said that these bamboo houses, covered with atap, withstand the -shock of earthquakes, frequent in this country, much better than brick -buildings with tiled roofs. However that may be, their rural aspect -harmonizes with the landscape: and they are delightful to inhabit, cool -under the noonday heat, and proof against the torrential rains, which, -at Buitenzorg, fall every day, between two and four in the afternoon. I -lived for some time in a little pavilion,--wooden floor, pàgar walls, -and a roof of atap; a pleasanter abode I never knew. It was almost like -living in a hermit's cell out in the woods. I was never sure whether -the soft creaking noises heard all night through came from the bamboo -grove in the garden, or from the bamboo in my wall. The crickets seemed -to sing in my very ears; and a faint, sweet smell pervaded the little -room, such as breathes from the leafage, dead and living, of a forest. -Like a cenobite's cell, too, my pavilion was not meant for a storehouse -of worldly treasures. Even if moths and rust did not corrupt, thieves -would have quite exceptional facilities for breaking through and -stealing them. "Breaking through" is too energetic and vigorous a term; -with an ordinary penknife, one might cut away enough of the walls to -admit a battalion of burglars. Reading, one day, a French translation -of Don Quixote, I rested the ponderous folio, which tired my arms, -against the wall. It instantly gave way, sinking in, as if it had been -a canvas awning. I do not doubt that, with my embroidery scissors, I -might have cut out an elegant open-work pattern in it. - -The morning after my arrival, I was up betimes and on my way to the -Botanical Garden. It was early as yet, a little after sunrise, and -the air felt as cool and as pure as well-water. A frost-like dew had -whitened the grass; shreds of mist hung between the trees, trailed -along the hillside, and floated like low white clouds in the depths of -the ravine, where the river foamed past over the boulders of its rocky -bed. And, in the branches, the birds were twittering and singing their -little hearts out. I met some natives on the way to their morning bath -hugging themselves in the folds of the "baju," the women among them -having the "slendang" drawn over their heads. They walked at a brisk -pace, very different from the listless movements of pedestrians in the -sultry streets of Batavia. The type was of another kind, a slightly -oval face, with a thin nose somewhat aquiline in design, and very -brilliant eyes; the complexion of a clear yellowish brown, with a touch -of red in the lips. They had an elastic gait, and the free carriage of -the head peculiar to hillfolk. Some of the young girls were absolutely -pretty. - -[Illustration: A Nipah Palm.] - -[Illustration: The Brantas River. Malang.] - -[Illustration] - -I asked my way of an old woman who sat by the roadside, complacently -smoking a cigarette, and soon found myself within the gates of the -Botanical Garden, and in the celebrated waringin avenue, one of the -glories of the place. The first impression, I confess, is somewhat -disappointing. The avenue is not very long, so that it lacks the depths -of green darkness, the prospect along apparently converging parallels -of pillar-like trunks, and the bluish shimmer of light afar off, which -are the characteristic charms of woodland glades. It seems more like a -square, planted with trees on two sides of the quadrangle only, -a comparatively narrow space of shadow, abutting on the broad fields -of sunlight beyond. After a while, however, one notices the smallness -of the figures moving past the trees, men, horses, and bullock-carts. -By comparison, one begins to realize the gigantic proportions of it -all,--the length and breadth and height of the leafy vault overhead, -and the hugeness of those stupendous growths that support it, each of -them a grove in itself, congregated hundreds of trees, group by group -of stately stems crowding round the colossal parent bole. Then, bye -and bye, the sense of grandeur is succeeded by a curious impression -of lifelessness. In their vast size, their stark immobility, and -their rigid attitudes, these grey masses resemble granite peaks and -cliffs rather than trees. The aged trunks, broadbased, are riven and -fissured like weather-beaten rocks, showing gnarled protuberances -and black clefts from which ferns and mosses droop. Some, rotten to -the core--nothing left of the trunk but a fragment of grey gnarled -rind, with the fungus-overgrown mould lying heaped up against the -base--resemble boulders, covered with earth and detritus. One or two, -quite decayed, hang in mid-air, dependent from a dome of interlacing -branches, stems, and air-roots, like some gigantic stalactite from the -roof of a pillared cavern. And, aloft, the dense masses of foliage, -grey against the sunlit brilliancy of the sky, seem like the broken -and crumbling vault of this immense grotto. This strange resemblance -of living vegetable matter to inert stone ceases only when, issuing -from among the stems, one looks at the waringins from a distance, and -sees the grey multitude of boles, trunks, and stems disappearing under -spreading masses of foliage, resplendent in the sun. - -[Illustration: A Hill-man.] - -[Illustration: In the depth of the ravine.] - -The garden is worthy of this magnificent entrance. Enthusiastic -"savants" have sung its praises in all the languages of civilization, -and, by common consent, have declared it to be the finest botanical -garden in the world, assigning the second place to famous Kew, and -mentioning the gardens of Berlin, Paris, and Vienna as third, fourth, -and fifth in order of merit. Originally, it was no more than the park -belonging to the country-house, which Governor-General Van Imhoff built -here in 1754: a house since destroyed by an earth-quake, and on the -site of which the present lodge was erected. - -[Illustration: Watch-men.] - -In this park, Professor Bernwardt, some eighty years ago, arranged a -small botanical garden, a "hortus" as the innocent pedantry of the -period called it. The idea was to gather in this fertile spot specimens -of all the plants and trees growing in Java, so as to afford men of -science an opportunity for studying the flora of the island. By and -bye, however, especially under the direction of Teysmann, many plants -from other countries were introduced, with a view of acclimatizing -them in Java, often with signal success. And, recently, a museum and -a library have been established, as well as several laboratories for -chemical, botanical, and pharmaceutical research. For the cultivation -of such plants as require a cool climate, gardens have been laid out -on the terraced hill-side, in ascending tiers that climb up to the -heights of Tji-Bodas, where in the early morning, the temperature is -10° Celsius. These ameliorations, for the greater part, are due to the -untiring energy of the eminent scientist now directing the garden. - -[Illustration: Prinsenlaan-corner, Batavia.] - -[Illustration: The beautiful tall reeds of the sugar cane, their -pennon-like leaves gleaming in the sunshine.] - -[Illustration: Avenue of old waringin trees, Botanical Garden, -Buitenzorg.] - -But, that morning, as I wandered through the tall avenues of the -Buitenzorg Park, the thought of its importance as a scientific -institution disappeared before the perception of its exquisite -loveliness. Not a beauty of line and colour merely: it has these--the -park is admirably arranged, in broad effects of light and shadow, -dark hued groves and avenues contrasting with sunny expanses of lawn -and copse and mirroring lake; but there is something over and above -all this, an element of beauty as subtle and elusive as the transient -sparkle of a sun-beam, or the fitful comings and goings of the summer -wind. Perhaps it was the extraordinary brilliancy of the colours, and -the shimmer in the rain-saturated atmosphere; or perhaps it was the -profound quietude all around, a stillness so perfect that it seemed it -must endure for ever. I do not know what may have been the elements -that made up the nameless charm. But I yielded myself up to it; and it -seemed to me, as if I were walking in a dream, amidst objects at once -unreal and singularly distinct. For a long time I sat by the shore of -a little lake, that had an islet in the midst of it, all overgrown -with brushwood, and great tangles of liana, that opened hundreds of -pale violet flowers to the sunlight; in the centre there rose a group -of young palms, of the sort that has a bright red stem; and all these -colours, the many-tinted green and the lilac and the scarlet were -mirrored so vividly in the clear water as to almost make the reflection -seem brighter than the reality.... By and by, following a path that -wandered out of sunshine into chequered shadow, and out of shadow into -sunlight again, I came to a vast sweep of meadowy ground, where herds -of reddish deer were feeding as peacefully as in a forest clearing. -Presently I found myself in a great dim avenue of kenari-trees, through -whose sombre branches the sky showed but faintly; and anon in a bamboo -grove where there was a continual rustling and waving of leaves though -not the slightest breath of wind could be felt to stir the air. - -[Illustration: A cactus in flower.] - -[Illustration: Gum tree, Botanical Garden, Buitenzorg.] - -[Illustration: Palm trees in the Botanical Garden.] - -Here and there through gaps in the trees came a sudden glimpse of the -distant valley, with the river shining between the light-green -rice fields, and beyond the encircling hills. Everywhere, too, the -presence of living water made itself felt, in the cool damp air, and -in the delicious smell of moist earth, wet stones, and water-plants. -And I would suddenly catch the silvery gleams, between the bushes, of -a brooklet hurrying past over its pebbly bed, and foaming in small -cascades that be-sprinkled the ferns and tall nodding grasses upon -the bank with scintillating spray. Here and there, I heard the murmur -and tinkle of a fountain; and I passed by quiet ponds and lakelets, -dark green in the shadow of overhanging trees. One of these sheets of -water--or rather the streamlet into which it narrows at one end--is -completely overgrown with white lotus flowers; and a sight more -exquisitely beautiful cannot be imagined. It burst upon me suddenly, -as I came out of a long, dark avenue; and, at first, I could not -make out what that white splendour was. It seemed to float like a -luminous summer cloud, like a snowy drift of morning mist. A breath -of wind arose, and the even splendour trembled and seemed to break -up into hundreds of white flames and sparks, that for an instant all -blew one way, and then shot up again, and stood steadily shining. As -I came nearer, I discerned the great, round white flowers, radiant -in the sunshine. The circular, purplish brown leaves spread all over -the surface of the water, covering it from bank to bank. And, out of -these heaps of bronze shields, there rose the straight tall stems, -like lances, with the white flame of the flower breaking out at the -top--sparks of St. Elmo's fire, such as, on that memorable night, -tipped the spears of the Roman cohorts, on their march to battle and -victory. - -[Illustration: A waringin-tree.] - -[Illustration: A path leading from sunshine into dappled shade and from -shade into sunshine again.] - -[Illustration: A bamboo-grove where was an incessant rustling and -waving of foliage though no wind.] - -[Illustration: Carriers walking by the side of their lumbering, -bullock-drawn pedati, which creaks along the sun-scorched roads.] - -This field of radiant lotus blossoms, and the sombre and solemn -waringin avenue, contrasting glories, seem to me to be the crowning -beauties of the Buitenzorg garden. The name of Buitenzorg, by the bye, -is an innovation. Natives still call the town by its ancient name of -Bogor, which it bore in the glorious age when it was the capital -of the Hindoo realm of Padjadjaran. A Muslim conqueror, Hassan Udin, -son of the Sheik Mulana, destroyed it; and a new town was reared on -the ruins, but legends of its bygone glory still haunt the imagination -of the country folk. In the tales which they repeat to one another -of an evening, the splendour of the ancient empire, and the wisdom -and unconquerable valour of its founder are still remembered. Tjioeng -Wonara was his name; and his son and successor, the victorious Praboe -Wangi, was even greater than he. In the craggy hill-tops of the Gedeh -range, popular tradition sees the ruins of the splendid palace he built -himself on the heights; the hall where the throne of gold and ivory -stood; the temple, where he worshipped the gods; the domes of his -harem; and the battlemented towers which his unconquerable warriors -kept against the world, a thousand years ago. The southern wall of -the Gedeh-crater surrounds, as an impregnable bulwark, the palace and -temple courts. - -The Hindoo period, however, has left in this neighbourhood records -more authentic than Praboe Wangi's fancy-built palace on the heights. -Near a native kampong, which derives its name from this proximity, the -so-called Batu Tulis is found, a field covered with a quantity of stone -slabs, some lying prone, others still upright, adorned with figures in -bas-relief and covered with inscriptions. The legend on the largest of -these memorial tablets, traced in ancient Javanese characters, has been -deciphered; it celebrates the virtues and victories of a Hindoo king. -And the worn-away superscriptions and rude effigies discernible on the -other stones probably commemorate contemporary princes and warriors. -The Bogor country-folk greatly venerate these relics of a glorious past. - -[Illustration: Palm trees and Arancaria.] - -[Illustration: A tall gloomy avenue of kenari trees, the sky but -faintly showing through their sombre branches.] - -[Illustration: Submerged rice-fields.] - -Carriers walking by the side of their lumbering, bullock-drawn -"pedati," which creaks so leisurely along the sun-scorched roads; -labourers on their way to the rice fields, the light wooden ploughshare -across their shoulders, driving the patient yoke of oxen before them; -women from the hill-villages around, who come to the Bogor market in -holiday attire, a chaplet of jessamine blossoms twisted into their -"kondeh"--all turn aside from the road, to murmur a short prayer, and -offer a handful of flowers, of frankincense and yellow boreh unguent, -or even Chinese joss-sticks and small paper lanterns on the consecrated -spot. Whether this be an act of homage to those ancient kings and -heroes, whose rude effigies adorn the stones, and whose spirits are -believed still to haunt the spot; or simply a fetishistic adoration -of these blocks of granite and the curious signs engraved thereon, it -is difficult to decide; the worshippers themselves hardly seem -to know. When asked, they reply that they do as their fathers did -before them, and so, therefore, must be right; unless, indeed, they -merely smile, and offer the somewhat irrelevant remark that they are -true Moslemin. This, indeed, every native of Java (save such few as -have been converted to the Christian religion) professes himself to -be. And, in a measure, the Javanese are Mohammedans; they recite the -Mohammedan prayers and Confession of Faith, go to the Messigit--which -is Javanese for mosque--when it suits them, keep the Ramadan very -strictly; also, if they can afford it, they perform that most sacred -duty of the Mohammedan, the Mecca pilgrimage, and, returning thence, -live for ever on the purses of their admiring co-religionists. But -for the rest, one may apply to them Napoleon's dictum concerning the -Russians--mutatis mutandis. Scratch the Muslim, and you will find -the Hindoo; scratch the Hindoo, and you will find the fetish-adoring -Pagan. In the same way, too, as they confuse religious beliefs, they -distort historical facts and traditions so as to make them tally with -the prevalent opinions of the day. This Batu Tulis, for instance; -though they venerate it as a record of the Hindoo empire, they yet, -at the same time, honour it as a monument of the Mohammedan conquest. -According to them, these roughly-fashioned stones, of which, they say, -there are over eight hundred dispersed throughout the neighbourhood, -are the transformed shapes of Siliwangi, last King of Padjadjaran, and -his followers, who, in this spot, their last refuge on flight from the -victorious Muslim hosts, were turned into stones by Tuan Allah, as a -punishment for their persistent refusal to embrace El-Islam; and the -superscription celebrating the Hindoo prince they make out to be the -record of this miracle. A touch of romance clings to the grim legend -like a tender-petalled flower to a rock. It concerns the impress of -a foot, visible on one of the slabs, and a fair princess who left it -there, many centuries ago. Alone of all that multitude that fled with -Siliwangi, she, the consort of valiant Poerwakali, his son, escaped the -general doom, through the influence of an Arab priest who had converted -her to the true religion. She could not, however save her husband, -whom, before her very eyes, she saw turned into a stone. But, in her -faithful heart, love could not die, though the loved one was dead. The -victor, vanquished in his turn by her incomparable beauty, implored her -in vain. She would not be separated from her husband's inanimate -shape, and, building herself a little hut under the waringin trees, -she still, day by day, repaired to the stone, which bore Poerwakali's -semblance, with sacrifices and prayers, and tears. And, often, in a -transport of love and grief, she would throw her arms about the inert -mass, closely embracing it, and, into its deaf ear, murmur soft words, -and vows of eternal loyalty, and bitter-sweet memories of the days that -were no more. Her tears, still flowing, fell on the stone underfoot, -day by day, month by month, year by year, until at last it became soft -and yielding as clay, and received and retained the impress of those -tender feet, which for so long had known no other resting place. - -[Illustration: Bamboo bridge near Batu Tulis.] - -[Illustration: Bamboo bridge across the Tji-taroon.] - -[Illustration: Bamboo bridge across the Tji-taroon.] - -From these memories of an empire overthrown, a religion smitten with -the edge of the sword, and a love stronger than death--"old unhappy -far off things and battles long ago"--suggested by Batu Tulis, to the -gaiety of the Buitenzorg races is a wide step. But our modern souls -have grown accustomed to these sudden transitions. In Java, more than -in any other country, one must be prepared at any moment to pass from -the fairy lands forlorn of history, to contemporary Philistia. Let -me hasten to add, in justice, that I found that high festival of -Philistinism in Java, the Buitenzorg races, both amusing and full of -interest. The crowded Stands gave one an "impression d'ensemble" of -society in the colony, such as would be expected in vain on any other -occasion--formal functionaries and business men from the hot towns with -their exquisitely dressed, palefaced wives and daughters, mingling with -sunburnt planters from the interior, and rosy-cheeked girls from the -neighbouring hill-stations, in white muslin frocks, brightened up by -flowers such as those grown at home. And the spectacle of the races, -exciting in itself, is rendered the more interesting by the changes and -transformations which an essentially northern sport has suffered under -the sun of the tropics--by the substitution of Sandalwood and Battak -ponies for horses, of native syces, who clutch the stirrup with bare -toes, for jockeys, and of silent multitudes brightly garbed, for the -black-coated crowds that shout and huzza at Epsom or Longchamps. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -IN THE HILL COUNTRY - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -Among other Western ideas and institutions, the Hollanders have -imported into Java that of health-resorts. Erstwhile lonely hills now -bear hotel and "pavilions" upon their disforested summits; picnics -are held in glades where, a few years ago, the timid antelopes fed; -and Strauss's waltzes have reduced to silence the noisy cicadas. In -the country south and east of Batavia, in the Gedehhills, and in the -Preanger district, there are several of these hill-stations. There, the -air is pure and cool, in the months when the hot east monsoon scorches -the plains. There is Tji-Panas, Tji-Bodas, Sookaboomi, Sindanglaya, -Tjandjoor, the country round about Bandong, and, somewhat farther east, -Garoot, all of which places are easily accessible from Batavia. The -hotels are generally airy, roomy, and clean, if not elegant; the food -is fairly good, and the charges moderate, about four dollars a day, the -average rate throughout Java. - -The Preanger district, in which Garoot, Bandong, and Tjandjoor are -situated--the "Garden of Java" as it is fitly named--in more than -one respect reminds the traveller of the hillcountry. There is the -same clearness in the profiles of the mountain-ranges; the same -transparency of the air, which causes distant objects to appear quite -near, and reveals their contour rather than their modelling; the -same jewel-like sparkle in the colouring of the landscape, in the -clear-hued green of valley and hillside, in the changeful hues of the -water, and in the blue, opal, and roseate violet of the distances -under an azure sky. The thin pure air is as wellwater; in the evenings -one has to kindle a fire in order to keep warm; and walks of several -hours cause neither heat nor fatigue in this bracing climate, which -makes even natives quicken their naturally slow movements, and which -tinges their brown complexions with a flush of healthy red. In the -fields, corn is seen instead of rice, and, in places, golden wheat -waves. The gardens are fragrant with mignonette, heliotropes, and -carnations; mossroses flourish, velvety pansies, geraniums, fuchsias, -phlox in all its countless varieties of brilliant colours, and the -tender forget-me-nots of northern brooksides. Strawberries, along with -clusters of the blue and white grape show between the dense foliage -of the vines. At certain seasons of the year, the hills are purple -with the blossoms of the rasamala tree,--a magnificent growth which -throws out its first branches at a height of a hundred feet, and the -summit of which reaches an altitude of a hundred and eighty. The most -splendid orchids are found in the woods side by side with mushrooms -of extraordinary dimensions, some of three feet in diameter, and of -strange and brilliant colours. On all sides, too, there is sparkle -of living water as limpid as the air itself, leaping down the rocky -hill-sides in innumerable cataracts and shining in broad tranquil lakes -that mirror the encircling hill-tops and the clouds sailing overhead. -As one reaches higher levels, from about four thousand feet above the -sea level to six thousand and upwards, the changes in the landscape -become more and more marked. The Flame of the Forest, the kambodja, -the champaka, and all the countless host of large-flowered trees, -characteristic of the tropics, disappear. The type of the foliage -changes: it is less fantastic in shape, less luxuriant, and differently -tinted from the leafage of the lowland forests. To the sombre green -of the plains, which under the glaring sunlight, assumes tones of an -almost blackish blue, succeeds a vivid emerald, touched with tender -yellow. Then come dense forests of "tjemara", a coniferous tree, the dim -greyish foliage of which resembles a drift of autumnal mist; and, by -and bye, trees of the oak and chestnut kind appear, and the maple that -balances its fan-like leaves on bright red stalks. Violets open their -purple chalices in mossy hollows. On the cloudy mountain heights of -Tosari, one may gather flowers such as grow on the Alps. The scenery -here is grand beyond description--a landscape of vast hill ranges, -cataracts, and precipices, and heaving seas of cloud. The temperature -is almost too low; big fires are kept burning all day in the hotel, -through the verandahs of which the clouds float past. The one thing -that still reminds the traveller of the tropics is the wonderful -splendour of the orchids that grow here. In the fourth zone, at an -altitude of from seven thousand to ten thousand feet, the orchids, too, -disappear. A European vegetation covers the summits of the mountains -and the chill "plateau" of the Djeng, where four wonderful lakes -of green, and blue, and yellow, and pure white water sparkle in the -sunlight, and the nights are frosty. - -[Illustration: A village couple.] - -These wonders of the Javanese hill-country are well known, from the -descriptions of many able pens, and from the enthusiastic reports of -travellers. But, here and there, in the folds of the lower hills, there -are pleasant nooks and corners, all but ignored of the multitude, and -hardly inferior in beauty to these famous sites, albeit beauty of a -very different character. And, among these places, the idyllic grace of -which has not yet been marred by railroads and hotels, few can surpass -in loveliness the country round about Tjerimai, where it was my good -fortune to spend several pleasant days, last June. - -Tjerimai, a spur of the lofty Preanger range, is situated on the -confines of the Preanger Regencies and the Cheribon district, the -broad green plains and marshy coast of which its finely shaped summit -dominates--a landmark to sailors. - -[Illustration: Near Garoot.] - -From Batavia, the way thither leads through some of the loveliest -scenery in Java--past Buitenzorg and Bandong, straight across the -Preanger. Rantja-ekkek, a village in the vast plain which begins an -hour or so east of Bandong, is the last railroad station on the route. -There, the noise, the hurry, and the bustle of western civilization -cease, as if arrested by some invisible barrier; and the traveller -enters the real Java, the Java of the Javanese, the tranquil land of -plenty, the inhabitants of which lead their leisurely lives without -much more thought of the morrow than the tall gandasoli lilies of their -fields. When we two--the friend whom I accompanied to her home among -the hills, and myself--reached this stage of our journey, the day was -still young. The summits of the hills, which bound the plain on -the west, had already assumed their sober day colours--greyish brown -and dark green. But the distant eastern range stood out in violet -gleams against a sky of crimson and orange; and the intervening plain -was a lake of whitish, waving mist. The air had a peculiar, sweetish -taste--like an insipid fruit--which reminded me of early autumn -mornings at home. It was cold, too. Our native servants went with head -and shoulders wrapped up: and the breath of the ponies waiting for us -at the station made little clouds about their heads. We were grateful -for the plaids which we found in the carriage. - -The road lay straight before us--a long white streak through the soft -misty green of the plain. As we drove along, the pink sheen, which -rested on the hazy hillside to our left, like a handful of scattered -roses, began to spread and glide down into the valley, kindling as it -flowed, until the whole vast vapoury plain was suffused with purple. -The mist began to dissolve, and float upwards in little crimson drifts. -Suddenly, the great golden sun leaped up from behind the eastern -summits, and day streamed in upon us. The country-folk had already -begun the labours of the day. Children met us on the road, driving -powerful grey buffaloes before them; in a hamlet which we passed, the -women were pounding rice, breaking the silence of the morning with the -rhythmic click-clack of the wooden pestles. And, here and there, groups -of labourers moved through the rice fields, weeding. Overhead, larks -were soaring and singing; it was the first time I had heard their sweet -shrill note in Java. After a while, a partridge flew up with a whirr of -hurrying wings, almost from between the hoofs of the horses. They are -plentiful in this neighbourhood. At certain seasons of the year, large -parties of sportsmen assemble here to shoot them. - -On starting from the railway station, I had thought that, in half an -hour or so, we should have reached the hill-range, which bounded the -plain in the north. But the clear atmosphere has a perspective of -its own, confusing to eyes unaccustomed to it. After about two hours -of rapid driving we were still in the valley--on either side of us, -immense tracts of soft bluish green, full of the thousand lights and -shades that form the peculiar beauty of these terraced rice-fields; -and, all around, the circling summits which seemed no sensibly nearer -than at first. - -At every turn of the road, I expected to reach the base of the hills. -And again and again, they appeared to recede as we advanced, until -the fancy was stirred to the idea of some magic wall environing the -captive, withersoever he might turn; and the wish to find an exit -out of this hill-bounded plain grew almost to a fever. At length, we -reached it--a narrow defile between two steep green heights; and the -road began to climb. Here, in the deep glens and valleys, the air was -notably cooler than on the sunlit plain. Where the road broadened, it -was shaded by tall njamploeng trees, which strewed the ground with -their white transparent blossoms; and their faint fresh odour, which -reminded one of the scent of March violets, perfumed the breeze. - -[Illustration: "A brownie of that enchanted garden that men call Java."] - -[Illustration: Girl from the Preanger Country.] - -[Illustration: Javanese of higher class.] - -Meanwhile, we had changed horses at a "gladak"--a nondescript wooden -shed--stable, barn, and hostelry for native wayfarers in one--with a -spacious thoroughfare leading right through it. And our shaggy ponies -trotted along with a right good will, until they came to a sudden -stand at the bottom of a hill. "Gladakkers," as these ugly little -animals are called, are notorious for freakishness and perversity, and -often, without any apparent reason, will stand stockstill in the -middle of the road, and refuse to move another step. But this time, -as I soon found, they were moved by no such perverse whim; they knew -their duty, and that the dragging of carriages up this particular hill -was in no way a part of it. When the syce had unharnessed them, they -turned aside, and began to crop the dewy grass by the way-side, as -if work were over for that day. And, presently, their substitutes, a -pair of powerful grey buffaloes, appeared goaded on by their owner. -Slowly, the majestic brutes descended the hill, bending a broad -splendidly-horned head and an enormous neck under a triangular bamboo -yoke, and sending forth the breath in clouds from their large nostrils. -They drew the carriage up hill without any apparent effort, still -moving onward with that same slow, strong, steady gait, which neither -the impatient shouts of our syce, nor the goad which their owner plied, -could make them accelerate one whit. At the summit they halted of -their own accord; and, as soon as they felt their necks free of the -harness, turned and departed. As they passed me, the curved horn of the -one just grazing my shoulder, they seemed to me the personification -of resistless strength, unconscious of its own power, and patiently -subservient. Their large beautiful eyes had a look of meekness most -pathetic in so tremendous a creature. - -After this steep hill, the ascent became easy and gradual, and the -ponies trotted on at a good round pace. The road still kept zig-zagging -between steep hill-sides, densely overgrown with nipah-palm, banana, -and dark-leaved brushwood, which shut out the view of the landscape. -And I remember no noteworthy incident, except the passing of a native -market, a "passar," in a spot where the road broadened a little, and -where an impetuous brook, that came bounding down the hillside, spouted -from a sort of primitive aqueduct made of bamboo. Half a score of naked -children were bathing themselves under the icy "douche," whilst their -parents stood bargaining and chaffering at the narrow booths that -adhered to the steep hillside like swallows' nests to a house-wall. As -we approached, the whole company, men, women, and children, squatted -down with one accord, as if they had been so many puppets pulled -by a string. One very fat baby, his fists and his mouth full of -sweetmeats, stood staring at us in round-eyed surprise; but his mother -managed to catch him and draw him to his little haunches, just in the -nick of time; and the whole company remained in this crouching posture -until our carriage rounded the bend of the road. - -[Illustration: Girl from Kadoo.] - -[Illustration: Women pounding rice.] - -[Illustration: The rapids of the Tjitaroon.] - -At Batavia, where the manners of the natives have suffered a change--a -change for the worse, as some maintain--by contact with Europeans, I -had never witnessed this peculiar mode of salutation. And I confess -I was painfully impressed by it, the more so as my friend warned me -that native etiquette forbade my acknowledging the humble greeting -by so much as a nod. I do not know whether it was the abjectness of -their semi-prostration, or the seemingly gratuitous insolence of our -thus ignoring it, that I felt as the more acute humiliation to human -dignity. But, after all, the only way to rightly judge the manners -and customs of a country is to look at them from the point of view -of the natives; and, to a Javanese, there is nothing undignified in -a salutation which impresses us as slavish. He squats down, just as -a European rises, in the presence of a superior. It is a token of -respect; nothing more. And the superior's apparent unconsciousness of -this greeting no more implies rudeness on his part than the familiar -nod with which in Europe a gentleman might answer a labourer's or -artisan's raising of his cap. "The way of the land, the honour of -the land," as the Dutch proverb puts it. - -[Illustration: Pangeran Adipati Mangkoe Boemi (Djokjakarta).] - -[Illustration: Javanese Lady.] - -[Illustration: Waterfalls.] - -[Illustration: The Tji-mahi falls.] - -[Illustration] - -On the point of etiquette, the Javanese, moreover, are infinitely more -punctilious than any western people of our period. I believe they might -even be said to surpass the Spaniards of the time of Philip II, in the -elaborateness of their code of manners and in their strict adherence -to its requirements. Every possible circumstance and occurrence in -life have been foreseen, and the appropriate conduct noted down in -the unwritten law of the "adat"; the attitude, the gesture, and the -set phrase, are all prescribed, down to the smallest detail. Nor is -it a question of phraseology only; the very language is subject to -the regulations of the adat, which distinguishes three separate and -altogether different kinds of Javanese, according as a man speaks to -his superior, his equal, or his inferior. For speech to one higher -in rank, there is the "Kromo"; commands to a subordinate are given -in "Ngoko"; friends familiarly converse in a third idiom into which -elements of the other two enter. The theory of these three kinds of -Javanese is a science by itself, and one not easily acquired by a -westerner. At the same time, it is imperatively necessary to him, if -he would gain the esteem of the natives; for the use of a Ngoko word -when a Kromo term should have been employed, would mark the offender -with an indelible brand of vulgarity and ill-breeding. When the Bible -was being translated into Javanese, this peculiarity of etiquette -proved a considerable difficulty; and the missionaries had to consult -countless authorities and compare a thousand precedents, before they -could settle the question whether Christ should address Pilate in Kromo -or in Ngoko, or in the third idiom. A solecism would have fatally -injured the "prestige" of the new religion: and its ministers could -not have escaped the accusation of being "koerang atjar" which being -translated into English means "ill-bred." It was in order to avoid this -qualification, that my friend and I seeing the country folk at the -"passar" squat down in the dusty road, passed on, without so much as -looking at them. - -Towards eleven o'clock, we reached the highest point of our journey--a -ledge upon the mountain-side called Njadas Pangeran. Here, the hills on -our right suddenly fell away, and the broad green plains of Cheribon -lay disclosed, dazzling with sunlight and living water. At our feet, -away far below, lay a brown hamlet in the midst of sawahs, like a -lark's nest in a field of clover; and the hills through which we -had threaded our way, since dawn, hung in the western distance like -massy clouds, tinted with brown and violet, and an exquisite pale, -half-transparent blue. We paused here for some minutes, to rest the -horses, whilst we gathered armsful of a splendid orchid which grew -in profusion on the hillside--great shiny snow-flakes of blossoms, -with a touch of carmine on the curling petals; and then resumed the -journey along a road which steadily sloped to the bottom of the valley. -A muddy river runs through it, which we crossed on a primitive kind -of ferry--the carriage, horses, and all standing on a raft, which a -score of natives dragged and pushed across the shallow water. On the -other bank, the road began to ascend again; we had reached the base -of Tjerimai, and a drive of some two or three hours more, along a -smooth road that passed by prosperous sugarcane plantations waving in -the breeze with thousands of glossy green streamers, brought us at -length to our destination--the little bamboo cottage upon the hillside, -whither my friends repaired for a spell of coolness and a breath of -mountain air, when the heat rendered the sojourn on their estate in the -plains unendurable. It was about four in the afternoon when we entered -the garden gates, and the air was as fresh as in the early morning. -The breeze rustled through the tall flower-laden njamploeng-trees on -the roadside; there was a smell of water and moist stones in the air; -I heard the murmur of a brook over its rocky bed. This was the country -of which hot, dust-stifled Batavia was the capital. The thing seemed -scarcely credible. - -[Illustration] - - - - -IN THE DESSA - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -Our bungalow on the Tjerimai hillside was situated in the near -neighbourhood of a native dessa. But we had been there for some time, -before I became aware of the fact. And my first glimpse of the village -was a surprise as fascinating as it was sudden. - -It chanced in the course of a cool clear morning, as we rode along on -our way to the sacred grove of Sangean and the legend-haunted lake in -its shadow. - -We had been skirting for some time what seemed to be an unusually -dense bamboo-wood, when suddenly, in the wall of crowded stems, there -appeared a breach and framed in it, lo! a prospect of brown huts, with -flowering fruit-trees set between, and a well-kept road in the middle, -on which a score of children were playing about. A plough-man came -along, driving a pair of grey buffaloes before him, women were coming -and going, carrying waterpitchers and piled up baskets of fruit on -their erect heads; it was a busy hamlet in the heart of the wood. - -We entered, passing from the sunny hillside into the green twilight -among the trees, and out again upon the village road, flecked with -changeful lights and shadows. It was trim and clean as a gardenpath. -The huts on either side of it had a prosperous look, each standing in -its own patch of ground, surrounded by fruit-trees--mangoes, bananas -and djamboos that turned the soil purple with their fallen blossoms. -The rice-barns shaped like a child's cradle, narrow at the base, and -broadening out towards the top, were full of sweet new rice and in the -sheds sleek dun-coloured cattle stood patiently chewing the cud. - -[Illustration: Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched.] - -I saw no men about, they were probably at work on the outlying -ricefields. But here and there, under the pent-roofs of the houses, -women sat at their looms busily weaving sarong-cloth. And on the -doorsteps plump brown babies were rolling about. - -[Illustration: Gunungan, or Pile of Sacrificial Food, as offered by -women on Garebeg Mulud, the feast of the nativity of Nabi Muhamed, the -Great Prophet.] - -[Illustration: A native official and his followers.] - -One hut we passed, where a very old man sat playing with a tiny baby, -so exceedingly pretty, that we could not help stopping to admire it. -With a proud smile he told us it was his great-grand-child. Its father -and mother were living with him, and so indeed were all the other -members of his numerous family, sons and daughters and grandsons and -granddaughters who, each in turn, had wedded and brought a wife or a -husband to the parental home. - -[Illustration: Rice-barn shaped like a child's cradle.] - -"There are over a score of them" said the patriarch proudly. To him -had, in truth, been granted the prayer, which, on their wedding-day -Javanese couples put up to the gods "Give us a progeny like to the -spreading crown of the waringin tree." And the venerable sire, -trusting in his helpless old age to the love and piety of his children, -reminded one of the parent trunk, which, when decaying, is upheld by -the stalwart young trees that have sprung up around it. - -We asked after his family. The children, the old man answered, were all -out in the fields; no hands could be spared from the work just now. -Only his youngest grand-daughter, the baby's mother, had stayed in the -house, to look after the little one, and cook the familydinner. Yonder -she was, at her bâtik-frame, painting the sarong-cloth with flowers and -butterflies. The girl looked up as he spoke, turning a pretty face on -us; and smiled. - -"Ah! happy those that live among the woods and fields, if they but knew -their happiness...." It seemed to me that these dessa-folk knew theirs. - -And I filled my eyes and my heart with the scene before me--the low, -brown roofs amidst the fruittrees, the merry-eyed children at play, the -leisurely comings and goings of the women upon their daily occupation, -with the rustling coolness and the soft green light of the bamboo -leafage over it all; gathering all the gladsome beauty of it, that it -might keep fresh and fragrant my thoughts, when I should have returned -to the world outside, to the weariness, the fever and the fret to which -we of the conquering race have condemned ourselves. - -As we rode on, and the wood-enshrined hamlet disappeared among the -folds of the hillrange, like the beautiful day-dream it all but seemed -to me, I learnt that it was but a fair type of the prosperous dessa, -such as it is found throughout the length and breadth of Java. - -[Illustration: "A progeny like to the spreading crown of the -waringin-tree."] - -The plan and general appearance of these native villages are always the -same--a cluster of huts, each standing in its own patch of ground, -surrounded by a quick-set hedge; a main road from which numerous -bye-paths diverge, leading through; in the centre an open square, -shaded by waringin trees, fronting the mosque; then, surrounding the -whole, a dense plantation of bamboo trees, which completely hides the -village from sight. Around stretch meadows, ricefields, and plantations -of nipahpalm, which, in many cases, are the property of the community. - -Where this particular form of proprietorship obtains, the village -authorities assign portions of the communal fields in usufruct to such -inhabitants of the dessa as will pledge themselves in return to pay -certain taxes, and to perform certain duties entailed by the possession -of landed property; the principal of which are, keeping the roads and -irrigation works in repair, and guarding the gates or patrolling the -streets at night. Moreover in all matters touching the cultivation of -these fields, they are obliged to observe the prescriptions of the -"adat," and such regulations as the village authorities may deem proper -to make. - -Very strict supervision is excercised in this matter, so as to prevent -the occupant from exhausting, either through ignorance or neglect, -the field, which, at the expiration of his lease, will be allotted -to another member of the community. Disobedience to the commands of -the village authorities is punishable by forfeiture of the right of -occupation. - -In most districts, this communal right alternates with private -proprietorship. - -[Illustration: Sellers of rice.] - -According to the ancient custom, which has been ratified by the -Colonial Regulations, whosoever, of his own free will, reclaims a piece -of waste ground, by that act acquires the possession of the same, and -the right to transmit it to his heirs, the "hereditary individual -right," as the legal term is. Any native, desirous to obtain land on -these terms, can apply for permission to the Government, which, having -taken the place of the ancient Sultans is considered as the "Sovereign -of the Soil." This permission is never refused. So that, under the -communal regime as under the system of hereditary individual ownership, -anyone who has the will to work is sure of being able to earn a -sufficiency for himself and his family. There need be no unemployed: -there are no paupers in our sense of the word. It should be added, that -the right of usufruct under the system of communal possession, can -be converted into that of "hereditary individual ownership." But the -inherited communistic sentiment is so strongly developed in the people -of the dessa, that they but rarely, if ever, avail themselves of the -facilities, which the law offers them in this respect; they prefer that -the community should own the soil. - -[Illustration: Women dyeing sarong-cloth.] - -[Illustration: Woman picking cotton, and man plaiting a sieve.] - -As might be expected the principle of solidarity which pervades these -laws and customs, manifests itself even more strongly in the domestic -life of the dessa-folk. - -[Illustration: A Javanese family.] - -[Illustration: Mat-plaiting.] - -The ties of kinship--though not those of marriage--are much respected -by them. Parents are so absolutely sure of the love and filial piety -of their children, that they often, as they grow older, abandon all -their property to them, content to live for the remainder of their -days as their sons' and daughter's pensioners. And even the most -distant relation, who, like the nearest, is termed brother or sister, -may count, in case of need, upon assistance and hospitality. Parents -are free to bequeath their property as they like; and they sometimes -give everything to the first-born son or daughter, without any of -the other children protesting. But, just as frequently, the heritage -is left to all the descendants in common, when the paternal house is -enlarged, so as to afford room for all the married sons and daughters -and their families; and the produce of the fields is equally divided -amongst them, as they equally divide the labour and the toil. Thus, -through all chances and changes, the communistic principle is still -maintained in the small community of the family, as in the greater -one of the dessa. And indeed it may be said that the dessa is but the -enlarged paternal house of the Javanese. All the inhabitants of it are -his kinsfolk and nearest of blood, whose interests are his own, whose -prosperity or misery is bound up with his, and who are his natural -allies in defending the common inheritance against the stranger. The -bamboo enclosure which defines and defends the dessa and the environing -fields--the common possession of all--are the symbols and the outward -visible signs of this. - -Such then are the conditions which determine the existence of the -Javanese husbandman--a happy life on the whole, exempt from hardship, -excessive toil and care, and not without dignity or idyllic grace. - -The dessa-man has to work, certainly, but he need not slave; a -very moderate exertion is sufficient to procure him what food and -raiment he wants. His neighbours are his next of kin, and spite -occasional bickerings, his helpful friends. He has himself chosen the -village-chief to whose authority he defers, and is free to follow that -ancestral law of the adat, which, to him, is the embodiment of supreme -wisdom and justice. And as he goes about his daily business, his labour -in wood and field, still keeping time to the recurrent rhythm of the -seasons, is graced by many a ceremony and religious rite, which while -honouring the gods, rejoices the hearts of the worshippers. - -At these religious festivals called "Sedeka," sacrifices of flowers and -fruits are offered to the deity and the ancient, naïve idea, that which -is pleasant to human beings must also be acceptable to the gods, causes -the Javanese to lay on his altar offering of the eatables he is fondest -of himself. Such as spice-flavoured rice and all manner of sweetmeats. - -[Illustration: A bamboo hut.] - -[Illustration: Weighing rice-sheaves.] - -[Illustration: Native official.] - -In this he does but as Jews and Greeks did before him. But there is -a distinguishing detail about Javanese sacrificial rites,--a -feature, which one is never quite sure whether to call eminently -spiritual or naïvely gross and selfish. Of the food offered they -believe the deity to enjoy the savour only; the celestial being -disdains the material part. And so the worshippers, after a decorous -interval of waiting, when they may suppose the invisible and -imponderable essence of the meal to have been absorbed by the god, -make a cheerful repast on the visible and ponderable parts left on the -altar, thus combining piety and high living in one and the same act. -In Java, if anywhere, it may be said, that, when the gods are honoured -the people fare well. - -It would be somewhat invidious to inquire whether piety or appetite -be the impelling motive; but, from whatever cause, the Javanese are -most assiduous in the performance of sacrificial rites. Not only are -the cardinal events of human existence, births, marriages and deaths, -and the recurrent epochs of the agricultural year honoured with solemn -observances, but any and every incident of daily existence is made the -occasion of a "Sedeka." - -Sedeka is offered on setting out on a journey, on entering into any -contract or agreement, on moving into a new house, on taking possession -of a newly-acquired field: the sacrifice being oftenest dedicated to -the "Danhjang dessa," tutelary genius of towns and villages; to the -spirits who render the soil fertile; to the goddess Sri, protectress -of the rice crops; and to all the ancestors, up to Father Adam and -Mother Eve. Then too, side by side with these benignant deities, the -wicked "seitans" and djinns are worshipped, the princes of the air, -as powerful for evil as Sri and the Danhjang Dessa are for good. It -is they who send plagues and pestilence, who make the babe to die at -its mother's breast, and the buffalo to drop dead on the half-ploughed -field; who cause fires to destroy villages, and floods to sweep away -the standing crops; and who seduce men to theft, deceit, robbery, and -violence. Since, then, they are so powerful for harm, it is wise to -keep on terms of amity with them, and give even the Devil his due, -bringing him the appointed sacrifices of eggs and yellow boreh-unguent -and jessamine blossoms. - -These evil spirits, it should be noted, are exceedingly jealous, and -one should never glory in the possession of any desirable thing, such -as good health, riches, power, or, above all, fine children, lest -in their spite, they should turn these blessings into curses. But -humility, or still better contempt of the things men generally covet, -conciliates them. Wherefore a Javanese mother will often call her -child, more particularly if it be remarkable for grace and beauty, by a -name implying that it is hateful, ugly and altogether worthless. - -[Illustration: Preparing the village field.] - -[Illustration: Native nobleman and his wife.] - -Among the saints of El-Islam, Joseph the father of the Christian -prophet Jesus, is the one whom Javanese matrons venerate above all -others; from him they implore the gift of beauty for their children. -Nor do they implore in vain. Javanese babies are absolutely charming. -The brilliancy of their black eyes, and the dusky tints of their soft -skin give their round little faces a piquancy altogether fascinating. -The blue eyes, fair hair and pale complexion of European children -seem insipid by comparison. Now and then one sees faces amongst them, -innocent and earnest as those which on Murillo's canvases surround the -Madonna in cloud-like clusters. But alas! these heavenly memories fade -soon. The suns of a few East monsoons utterly wither them. Villon, -could he see the grown-up youths and maidens of Java, would vary his -melancholy refrain about fair dead ladies. "But where are the babes of -yester-year?" - -[Illustration: Pilgrims returned from Mecca.] - -Among adults beauty is as rare as, among children, it is common. -So that after all, it seems Saint Joseph takes the prayer for fine -children "at the foot of the letter" and answers the petition in a -somewhat ironical spirit. - -Of the many "Sedeka's" which grace the agricultural year, those -connected with the cultivation of the rice-plant are the most -important. Java is essentially what, according to tradition, its -ancient name betokens--the Land of the Rice. The whole island is one -vast rice-field. Rice on the swampy plains, rice on the rising ground, -rice on the slopes, rice on the very summits of the hills. From the -sod under one's feet to the uttermost verge of the horizon, everything -has one and the same colour, the bluish green of the young, or the -tawny gold of the ripened rice. The natives are all, without exception, -tillers of the soil, who reckon their lives by seasons of planting and -reaping, whose happiness or misery is synonymous with the abundance or -the dearth of the precious grain. And the great national feast is the -harvest home, with its crowning ceremony of the Wedding of the Rice. - -In order to approximately understand the meaning of this strange rite, -it should be borne in mind that a Javanese, similar in this respect to -the ancient Greek, believes all nature to be endowed with a semi-divine -life. To him a tree is not a mere vegetable, nor a rock a mere mass -of stone, nor the sea a mere body of water, any more than he regards -a human being as a mere aggregate of flesh, blood, and bone. A hidden -principle of life, invisible, imponderable, and powerful for good or -evil animates the seemingly inert matter. In this sense, a Javanese -believes in the _soul_ of a plant or a rock almost as he believes in -the soul of a human being. And this soul he endeavours to propitiate -with prayers, libations and offerings of fruit and flowers. Hence -the frequent altars under old waringin-trees, in which the Danhjang -dessa, tutelary genius of towns and villages, is believed to dwell. -Hence the solemn sacrifices to the Lady of the Sea, Njai Loro Kidoel, -who has her shrine on the rocky south-coast. And hence too the rites -in honour of Dewi Sri, the Javanese Demeter, whose soul animates the -rice-plant,--rites which culminate in the Wedding of the Rice. - -[Illustration: A scholar.] - -At every Harvest-Home this mystical ceremony, the Pari Penganten, is -celebrated; and the manner of its conducting is as follows: - -As soon as the owner of a field sees his rice ripening, he goes to -the "dookoon-sawah" literally, the "medicine man of the rice-field," -to consult him as to the day and hour when it will be meet to begin -the harvest. This to a Javanese, is a most important matter, and it -requires all the astrological, necromantic and cabalistic knowledge -of the dookoon-sawah to settle it. For there are many unlucky days in -the Javanese year, and any enterprise begun on such a day is doomed to -inevitable failure. After long and intricate calculations, into which -the cabalistic values corresponding to the year, the month, the day, -and the hour enter, an acceptable date is at last fixed upon by the -dookoon-sawah, on which the selection of the Rice-Bride and Bridegroom -is to take place. - -On the appointed day, having first solemnly consecrated the field by -walking round it with a bundle of burning rice-straw in his hand, and -by the planting of tall glagahstalks at each of the four corners, -invoking Dewi Sri as he does so,--the dookoon begins to search for two -stalks of rice exactly equal in length and thickness, and growing near -each other. When these are found, four more are hunted for, two pairs -of absolutely similar ears of rice. The first couple are the Bride and -Bridegroom; the four others the bridesmaids and the "best men," (if the -term may be used to designate what the French call garçons d'honneur.) -These couples are now tied together as they stand, with strips of -palm-leaves, and the doekoen invokes on them the blessing of Dewi Sri. -Then he addresses the Rice-Bride and the Rice-Bridegroom, asking -them, each in turn, whether they accept each other as husband and -wife, and answering for them. The marriage now is concluded; the stalks -are smeared with yellow boreh-unguent, decorated with garlands, and -shaded from the sun by a tiny awning of palm leaves, whilst the stalks -round about are cut off. - -[Illustration: Filling the village field.] - -[Illustration: Rice-barn.] - -Now the dookoon, the owner of the field and his family, all those -who have in any way helped in preparing the "Sawah," or planting the -rice, sit down to a "Slamettan," a repast which is at the same time a -sacrifice to the gods, and a further celebration of the marriage just -contracted; and, at the end of the banquet, the doekoen, rising up, -solemnly declares that the hour of the harvest has come. - -Now, it is the kindly custom of Javanese land-owners to invite to the -harvest-feast all who, during the past month, have taken any part, -however slight, in the cultivation of the Sawah. And as, under so -elaborate a system of agriculture as is demanded by the growing of -rice, these are necessarily many, the Pari Penganten is a feast for -the whole "dessa" as well as for a single family. The men leave their -work in the shops or the market, the women lay down the sarong-cloth on -which for weeks and weeks they have been patiently tracing elaborate -patterns with wax, and blue and brown pigment; and all, in holiday -attire and with flowers wreathed in their hair or stuck into a fold of -their head-kerchief, repair to the ripe rice-field. - -[Illustration: Peasant ploughing.] - -The dookoon-sawah is the first to enter it; and, as he does so, he in -this wise greets the spirits of the field. - -[Illustration: Rice on the swampy plains.] - -"O! thou invisible Pertijan Siluman! do not render vain the labour -I have bestowed upon my sawah! If thou dost render it vain, I will -hack thy head in two! Mother Sri Penganten! hearken! do thou assemble -and call to thee all thy children and grand-children! let them all -be present and let not one stay away! I wish to reap the rice. I -will reap it with a piece of whetted iron. Be not afraid, tremble -not, neither raise thine eyes! All my prayers implore thy favour and -gracious protection. Also, I propose to prepare a sacrificial repast, -and dedicate it to the spirits that protect this my sawah; and to the -spirits that protect the four villages nearest to this our village, and -also to Leh-Saluke and Leh-Mukalana!" - -[Illustration: "The produce of the fields is equally divided amongst -them as they equally divide the labour and the toil."] - -Having pronounced this invocation, he cuts off the ears which represent -the Rice-Bride and Bridegroom and their four companions, and the -reapers begin their work. The implement they use is best described as -a cross-hilted dagger of bamboo, having a little knife inserted into -the wooden blade; the reaper, holding the hilt in the fingers of his -right hand, with the thumb presses the rice-stalk against the small -knife, severing the ear, which he gathers in his left hand; and thus he -cuts off each ripe ear separately with a gesture as delicate as if he -were culling a flower. The whole rice harvest of Java is reaped in this -manner. - -The loss of time may be imagined. The Government has, again and -again, tried to introduce the use of the sickle and more expeditious -methods, but in vain. In all things, the Javanese love to do as their -fathers did before them; and, in this particular matter of the reaping -of the rice, their attachment to ancestral customs is still further -strengthened by a religious sentiment. The Dewi Sri herself they -believe, having assumed the shape of a gelatik or rice-bird, which -broke off the ripe ears with its bill, taught mortals the manner in -which it pleased her that her good gift of the rice should be gathered. -And accordingly, her votaries to the present day do gather in thus, -culling each ear separately. In their opinion, to use a sickle would -be to show a wanton disrespect to the goddess, and a contempt of her -precious gift, as if it were not worth gathering in a seemly manner; a -sacrilege which the outraged deity would not fail to avenge by famine -and pestilence. On the other hand, what would they gain by departing -from their ancestors' honoured custom, and adopting instead the manners -of the men from Holland? "Time," these men respond. But then, that -means nothing to a Javanese. He no more wants to "gain time" than he -wants to "gain" fresh air or sunlight. It is there; he has it; -he will always have it. What absurdity is this talk of "gaining" an -assured and ever-present possession? - -[Illustration: Flooded rice-fields.] - -The idea of time as an equivalent for a certain amount--the greatest -possible--of labour performed, is essentially occidental. A Javanese -not only does not understand it, but he shrugs his shoulders and smiles -at the notion. He does not see what possible relation there can be -between a day and what these white men call a day's work. He works, -undoubtedly; but he works in a quiet deliberate fashion, for just so -long as he thinks pleasant, or fit, or when the monsoon threatens, -unavoidable; and then he stops; and, if the task be not finished, well, -it may be finished some future day. There is no cause why any ado -should be made about it. Everything in time. And let us remember that -haste cometh of the evil. - -At last, however, the harvest is reaped, and the hour has come for the -Rice-Bride and Bridegroom to repair to their new home. The two reapers -on whom devolves the honourable duty of conducting them thither, don -their very best clothes for the occasion, and daub their faces with -yellow boreh-unguent. Then to the strains of the gamelan and followed -by all the reapers, men and women in solemn procession, they carry the -garlanded sheaves to the house of the owner of the field. He and his -wife meet them in the doorway; and, in set phrase, they inform the -Rice-Bride and Bridegroom that the house is swept and garnished, and -all things ready for their reception. The procession then wends its way -to the granary, where a small space, surrounded by screens and spread -with clean new matting, represents the bridal chamber. - -The Rice-Bride and Groom and their "maids and youths of honour" are -introduced into this miniature room, the other sheaves are piled up in -the loomboong (rice-born) and when the whole harvest is stored, the -dookoon-sawah pronounces the prayer to the Goddess Sri. - -[Illustration: "The men, with the father of the bride at their head, -come for the bridegroom, to conduct him to the mosque."] - -"Mother Sri Penganten, do thou sleep in this dark granary, and grant -us thy protection. It is meet that thou shouldst provide for all thy -children and grandchildren." - -[Illustration: "With measured steps the two advanced towards each -other, and whilst yet at some distance paused."] - -Then the door of the loomboong is locked; and during forty days -none dare unlock it. At the end of that time the honey-moon of the -Rice-Bride and Bridegroom is supposed to be over. The owner of the -field comes to the loomboong, unlocks the door, and in set phrase -invites the couple to an excursion on the river. "The boat," he says, -"lies ready; and the rowers know how to handle the oars." With this -comparison the process of husking the grain is designated. - -The sheaves are laid in the hollowed-out tree-trunk which serves as a -kind of mortar, and the women, bringing down the long wooden pestles -in a rhythmic cadence husk the rice. And this is the end of the Pari -Penganten. - -[Illustration: "Humbly kneeling down, the bride proceeded to wash the -bridegroom's feet, in token of loving submission."] - -But, as the proverb has it, "of a wedding comes a wedding" and this -mystic marriage of the rice invariably proves the prelude to marriages -among the young folk of the dessa, who have met and wooed and won -one another during the long days of common work and play in the ripe -rice-field. During our stay on the Tjeremai hill-side we had occasion -to convince ourselves of this. The Pari Penganten was but just over -when we arrived; and already several marriages were being arranged in -the dessa, among the number that of the headman's pretty daughter to a -good-looking youth, her remote cousin. - -[Illustration: Bride and bridegroom sitting in state.] - -As a preliminary the village scholar had been consulted as to the -young couple's chances of happiness; and he having declared the -cabalistic meaning of their united initials to be "a broadly-branching -waringin-tree" which is the symbol of health, riches and a numerous -progeny, the parents, reassured as to the future of their children, had -begun negotiations about the dowry. This, it should be noted, is given -by the family of the future husband. - -[Illustration: The wedding-guests on their procession through the -village.] - -After a great deal of haggling and protesting, they had at last agreed -upon a sum about half-way between the amount originally offered by the -bridegroom's parents and that demanded by the father of the bride. In -due course, then, the youth had sent the customary presents of food, -clothes, and domestic utensils to the house of his bride. And now he -was busy preparing himself for the great day. He had had his teeth -filed almost to the gums, and blackened till they shone like lacquer, -so that his enthusiastic mother and sisters compared his mouth to the -ripe pomegranate, in which the black seeds show through the red flesh. -And, day by day, he went to the village-priest to recite to him the -words of the marriage-formula, which he did, sitting up to his chin in -the cold water of the tank behind the mosque, the priest standing over -him, Koran in hand. The bride, on her side, had been living on a diet -of three tea-spoonfuls of rice and a glass of hot water per diem, so as -to lose flesh and--according to Javanese notions--gain beauty against -the happy day; and to the great satisfaction of her family she was now -so thin, that they could almost see the flame of the oilwick shining -through her. - -Meanwhile the entire population of the dessa was busy with preparations -for the marriage-feast. The women might be seen all day long, under -the pent-roof of the bride's house and in the kitchen, pounding rice, -boiling vegetables, broiling fish, roasting goats' flesh, and mixing -all manner of condiments for the innumerable dishes, which figure at -a Javanese repast. And the young men were chopping wood and carrying -water as if for their livelihood. - -At length the wedding-day arrived. - -The sun had hardly risen when already the women of the village were -up and stirring, hastening on their way to the house of the bride, -whom they were to assist at her toilet. This was a most complicated -affair, the girl's hair having to be dressed in a curious and elaborate -fashion, requiring much twisting and coiling of oil-saturated tresses, -interwoven with wreaths of jessamine blossom, and fixed with large -ornamental pins; and a row of little curls must be painted on the -forehead with black pigment. Furthermore the face must be carefully -whitened with rice-powder, and the shoulders and arms anointed with -yellow boreh-unguent. It need hardly be said that it required the whole -morning to bring these many and delicate operations to a satisfactory -end. - -The men, meanwhile, with the father of the bride at their head, -had gone to the house of the bridegroom, to conduct him in solemn -procession to the mosque, where the priest was to perform the -marriage-ceremony between him and the representative of the bride; -for, according to Javanese notions, a woman has no business at a -wedding--least of all at her own. From the mosque the groom then -returned to his own house, where he proceeded to a toilet hardly -less elaborate than that of his bride. After a considerable time, -he issued forth again, resplendent with boreh-unguent, garlands -of jessamine-blossoms and silver ornaments. He mounted a richly -caparisoned pony, which his "youth of honour" held ready for him; and, -at the head of the procession, triumphantly rode to his bride's house, -where the guests were waiting, my friends and I among the number, to -witness the meeting of the newly-wedded pair. - -As the bridegroom drew rein in front of the house, the bride supported -by two maids of honour, slowly came out of her chamber. With measured -steps the two advanced towards each other; and whilst yet at some -distance paused. Two small bags of sirih-leaves containing chalk and -betel-nuts were handed them; and with a quick movement each threw his -at the other's head. The bride's little bag struck the groom full in -the face. "It is she that will rule the roost," said one of the women, -chuckling. And I fancied I saw a gleam of satisfaction pass over the -bride's demure little face, half hidden though it was by the strings -of beads and jessamine flowers dependent from her head dress. The next -moment however, she had humbly knelt down on the floor. One of the -bridesmaids handed her a basin full of water, and a towel; and she -proceeded to wash her husband's feet, in token of loyalty and loving -submission. - -[Illustration: "The men sat down to a repast."] - -When she was done, he took her by the hand, raising her; and led -her towards the middle of the apartment, where a piece of matting -was spread on the floor. On this she squatted down, holding up a -handkerchief; and the bridegroom threw into it some rice, some -"peteh"-beans and some money, symbolising the sustenance which he bound -himself to afford her. The symbolical ceremonies were then concluded -by his sitting down next to her, and putting three spoonfuls of rice, -kneaded into little balls, into her mouth, after which he ate himself -what was left in the dish. The solemn part of the proceedings being now -over, the festivities began. - -As a preliminary, the bridal party was to go in solemn procession -through the village; and they were marshalled in order before the door. - -A curious cortege it was. At the head appeared two "barongans" the -images of a giant and a giantess, carried on the shoulders of men who -were hidden in the large framework; then came the gamelan orchestra, -bells, drums, kettles, viols and all; next a group of men mounted on -hobby-horses, and beating on the sonorous "angkloeng."[19] After these -came some half dozen women, carrying the bridal insignia--paper birds, -bunches of green leaves and paper flowers, and tall fans made of -peacocks feathers. A group of priests followed, beating tambourines and -chanting a sort of epithalamium. Next came the bride and her maidens in -a litter, carried upon the shoulders of four men; and immediately after -her the bridegroom on horseback followed by a group of musicians. The -wedding-guests brought up the rear. - -[Illustration: Native policeman.] - -In this order the procession took the road; went round the dessa twice; -and finally halted at the house of the bridegroom. - -[19] An instrument composed of a series of graduated bamboo tubes. - -The father appeared in the door, as soon as he heard the music -approaching; came out to meet the procession; and advancing towards -the litter of the bride, lifted her out of it, and carried her into -the house, where the bridegroom's relations were seated in a circle to -receive her. To these she was now, with great ceremony, introduced as -the daughter of the house, whilst she and the bridegroom saluted every -member of the assembly in turn, by kneeling down and kissing his or her -feet. - -The guests were then invited to enter, and the men sat down to a -repast, at which the women served them, whilst the bride and bridegroom -took their meal together, separately from the rest. - -We took advantage of the momentary bustle to slip away unobserved. -There was not a soul to be seen on the moonlit village street; the huts -were dark and silent; and at the entrance of the village the watchman -on duty for the night had left his post vacant. - -A din of laughter and buzzing voices pursued us as we descended the -hill-path to our bungalow. And all that night, long after the last -cricket had ceased his song we heard the thin clear notes of the -gamelan resounding from the heights. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -EPILOGUE - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -As I write these lines--adding a last touch to the slight sketches in -which I have endeavoured to render my impressions of this country--the -shrill whistle of steam and the thudding and panting of powerful -engines are in my ears, and I see the radiant sky blackened by volumes -of smoke. The "campaign" has begun in the Cheribon plains. In endless -file the lumbering, buffalo-drawn "pedatis"[20] creaking under the -load of luscious green sugar-cane, jolt along upon the dusty road, on -their way to the factory yonder,--a great, square, ungainly building, -all around which there is a stir and bustle of dark figures, like the -swarming of ants around an ant-hill. The gate is thrown wide; tall -black shapes loom through the semi-darkness of the interior; and, -now and then, the sudden flare from a furnace reveals the bulging, -sooty-black mass of a boiler, or the contour of the gigantic wheel -slowly revolving. The nauseous smell of the boiling syrup taints the -air. - -[20] Carts the wheels of which are wooden discs. - -I went to the mill, the other morning, to watch the transformation -of the beautiful tall reeds, which, only a few hours ago, so gaily -fluttered their pennon-like leaves in the wind and sunshine without, -into a shapeless pulp, and a turbid viscous liquor. The "mandoor" -showed me the first sugar-bags of the season. I looked at them with -some interest beyond that which they deserved in themselves. We were -to be companions on the journey westwards, and already the steamer -which was to convey us hence, was riding at anchor in the roadstead of -Cheribon. - -Last impressions, it is said, are the strongest, and those which -ultimately fix the mental images. If so, I will remember Java, years -hence, not as the fairy-land it seemed to me only yester day, in the -sylvan solitudes of Tjerimai, but as a busy manufacturing country, -prosperous and prosaic. - -I will remember a rich soil, an enervating climate, alternating -droughts and inundations and fever-breathing monsoons; a mode of life, -comfortable and even luxurious, but monotonous in the extreme, which -taxes to the utmost both mental and physical energies. I will think -of white dusty towns by yellow muddy rivers; of hills, and vales, and -marshy lowlands overgrown with thick, sprouting rice; of admirable -irrigation works; of a system of political administration, apparently -wise and equitable and conducive to the well-being of a prosperous -native population. And I will be at a loss how to reconcile all these -hard solid facts about Java with the airy fancier, the legends and the -dreams, which must still, as with white splendours of zodiacal light, -illumine my thoughts of the beautiful island. - -It seems impossible that both should be true. And yet, I know that the -fancies are every whit as real and living as the facts, that the poetry -and the romance are as faithful representations of things as they are, -as the driest prose could be. - -Even now, whilst in the factory yonder, fires roar, engines pant, -and human beings sweat and toil, to change the dew-drenched glory of -the fields into a marketable commodity some hamlet in the plains is -celebrating the Wedding of the Rice with many a mystic rite. Some -native chief, celebrating the birth of a son, welcomes to his house -the "dalang," the itinerant poet and playwright, who on his miniature -stage, represents the councils of the Gods, and the adventures, in -war and love, of unconquerable heroes, and of queens more beautiful -than the dawn. And in the sacred grove of Sangean on Tjerimai, the -green summit of which dominates the southern horizon, some huntsman, -crouching by the shore of the legend-haunted lake, invokes the -Princess Golden Orchid, and her saintly brother, Radhen Pangloera, -who live in a silver palace deep down in the shining water, and who -shower wealth, honour, and long life upon the mortal, who pronounces -the names the spirits of the lake know them by. Nay--on this very -estate, amid the smoke of the factory-chimneys romance still holds -her own. The mythopoeic fancy of the country-folk has enthroned a -"danhjang," tutelary genius of the field, in the branches of an ancient -waringin-tree out in the fields. On their way to the mill, men and -women pause in its shade, to hang little paper fans on the branches, or -deposit on the humble altar jessamine blossoms, yellow "boreh" unguent -and new-laid eggs in homage to the agrestic god. Now, the waringin tree -stands in a field of sugarcane, where its wide-spreading roots exhaust -the soil, and its broad shadow kills the young plants within an ever -expanding circle. Clearly, it should be cut down. But the owner of the -estate, warned by recent events, wisely forbears. He chooses to put up -with these inconveniences, rather than expose himself and his property -to the revenge which the votaries of the Danhjang would undoubtedly -take, if a sacrilegious hand were laid on his chosen abode. And so, the -Sacred Waringin thrives and flourishes in the midst of the plantations -of sugar-cane, a fit symbol of the romance which, in this island, -pervades all things, even those the most prosaic in appearance. - -It is this, I believe, this constant intrusion of the poetic, the -legendary, the fanciful into the midst of reality, which constitutes -the unique charm of Java. This is the secret of the unspeakable and -irresistible fascination by which it holds the men of the north, born -and bred among the sterner realities of European civilisation. A spell -which becomes so potent as to countervail ills which otherwise would -prove unbearable; and to temper, with a regret and a strange sense of -want, the joys of the exile's home-coming. - -And this, too, is the reason why, to me as to so many who have beheld -Java not with the bodily eye alone, it must still remain a land of -dreams and fancies, the Enchanted Isle where innocent beliefs and -gladsome thoughts, such as are the privilege of children and childlike -nations, still have their happy home. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Page - - *Mask used by Topeng-players I - - *Batik-freme for the exclusive use of ladies of quality V - - A "brownie" of that enchanted garden that men call Java 2 - - *Batik-pattern 3 - - "Fishing-praos, their diminutive hull almost disappearing under - the one tall whitish-brown sail, shaped like a bird's wing and - flung back, as if ready for a swoop and rake" 6 - - "The ship lay still and we trod the quay of Tandjong Priok" 7 - - *Sekin. (Interior of Sumatra) 11 - - *Four-armed Çiva 12 - - *Lamp.--Garuda the Sun-Bird in the shape of a winged woman 14 - - *Landing of a Hindoo Ship.--Relief to Boroboedoer (Java) 15 - - "A seller of fruit and vegetables his baskets dangling from the - end of a bamboo yoke" 17 - - "Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvety rambootan and smooth-skinned - dookoo" 19 - - "The big kalongs hanging from the topmost branches in a sleep - from which the sunset will presently awaken them" 21 - - *Ivory Mortar and Pestle, decorated with representations of scenes - from the Life of Krishna 26 - - *Mask used by Topeng-players 28 - - *Wayang "bèbèr", drawing, representing the story of Djaka Prataka. - (Vide: Vreede Catalogue of Javanese and Madurese MS. Leiden - 1892, page 196) 29 - - "A triple row of branching tamarinds" 32 - - "The idyllic Duke's park, very shadowy, fragrant and green" 33 - - The business quarter of Batavia 36 - - A footsore Klontong trudging wearily along 37 - - +The Chinese Quarter 39 - - "The West-monsoon has set in, flooding the town" 40 - - +"The Kali Batawi on its way through the Chinese Quarter" 41 - - +Entrance to a rich Chinaman's House 43 - - "A glimpse of the river as it glides along between the bamboo - groves of its margins" 45 - - +Procession at the funeral of a rich Chinaman 50 - - +Funeral procession on its way to the Chinese Country 51 - - +Burning of symbolical figures at a Chinese Funeral 53 - - "The deliberate stream sauntering along at its own pace on its way - from the hills to the sea" 55 - - *Bamboo case. (Java: Preanger Regencies) 60 - - *Batik-pattern 61 - - "Compound" of a Batavia House 62 - - +The servants' kitchen 67 - - +Native servants 71 - - +Native gardener 75 - - +Native footboy 77 - - +Sacred gun near the Amsterdam-gate, Batavia 78 - - *Brass flower-pot, modern (Java: Resid of Surabaya) 80 - - *Wayang bèbèr, drawing, representing the story of Djaka Prataka. - (Vide: Vreede, Catalogue of Javanese and Madurese MS. Leiden - 1892. page 196) 81 - - *Mandau. (S. E. Borneo) 95 - - Raksasa (Demon) 96 - - *Mask used by Topeng-players 98 - - *Creese. (Java) 99 - - +The River-Bath 101 - - +A Laundry in the River 103 - - Native Lady travelling in her Litter 104 - - A Litter 105 - - +The Market at Malang 107 - - +Street-Dancers 110 - - Musicians 111 - - +The native cithara and violin 112 - - Clasp for fastening a kabaya in front 113 - - +A native restaurant in its most compendious shape 115 - - "For the morning and evening meal he prefers the open air and - the cuisine of the Warong" 117 - - +A kitchen 120 - - A native restaurant in its simplest and most compendious shape 121 - - +Native restaurant 123 - - Breakfast in the open air 125 - - "Here they are: without playthings naked and supremely happy" 129 - - +A Chinese Carpenter 130 - - +A Chinese Dyer 131 - - "The miniature stage on which the lives and adventures of Hindoo - Heroes, Queens and Saints are acted over again by puppets of - gilt and painted leather" 133 - - Scene in a Wayang-Wong Place 136 - - The Regent of Malang's Wayang-Wong 137 - - The native orchestra which accompanies every representation of - the Wayang 139 - - Wayang-Wong Players missing a Fight 144 - - Wayang-Wong Scene 145 - - Scenes from a Wayang-Wong Play 149 - - "Topeng" played by masked actors 152 - - "Topeng" actors 153 - - "Slowly they advance gliding rather than walking" 155 - - Street-dancers 156 - - "The dancers stand listening for the music" 157 - - A Wayang representation 159 - - A Wayang representation 160 - - Wayang dancers. 161 - - *Wooden model of a boat (majang.--Java: Res. of Japara) 164 - - *Batik-pattern 165 - - *Balinese crease.--Stabbard made of "Kajoe pèlèt" 181 - - *Padi-Reaper.--Java 182 - - *Laksjmi seated on a lotos-cushion 184 - - *Batik-pattern taken from a Head-kerchief 185 - - Buffaloes at grass 188 - - +Avenue leading to the Botanical-garden 189 - - A Nipah Palm 194 - - The Brantas-River.--Malang 195 - - A Javanese 197 - - A Hill-man 198 - - +"In the depth of the ravine" 199 - - Watch-men 201 - - +Prinsenlaan-corner, Batavia 202 - - "The beautiful tall reeds of the sugar-cane, their pennon-like - gleaming in the sunshine" 204 - - Avenue of old Waringin-trees, Botanical-garden, Buitenzorg 205 - - +A cactus in flower 208 - - +Gum tree, Botanical-garden, Buitenzorg 210 - - +Palmtrees in the Botanical-garden 211 - - +A Waringin-tree 214 - - +"A path leading from sunshine into dappled shade and from shade - into sunshine again" 216 - - +"A bamboo-grove where was an incessant rustling and waving of - foliage though no wind" 217 - - "Carriers walking by the side of their lumbering, bullock-drawn - pedati, which creaks along the sun-scorched roads" 219 - - +Palm trees and Arancaria 222 - - +"A tall gloomy avenue of Kenari-trees, the sky but faintly - showing though their sombre branches" 223 - - Submerged rice-fields 225 - - +Bamboo-bridge near Batu-Tulis 227 - - Bamboo-bridge across the Tjitaroon 229 - - Bamboo-bridge across the Tjitaroon 230 - - *Brass water-kettle.--Java: Res. of Surabaya 231 - - *Copper Dish, decorated with Wayang-figures 232 - - *Javanese girl 234 - - *Relief to Boroboedoer 235 - - A village couple 237 - - Near Garoot 241 - - A "brownie" of that enchanted garden that men call Java 246 - - Girl from the Preanger-Country 247 - - Javanese of the higher class 249 - - Girl from Kadoo 251 - - +Women pounding rice 253 - - The rapids of the Tjitaroon 254 - - Pangeran Adipati Mangkoe Boemi (Djokjakarta) 256 - - Javanese Lady 257 - - Waterfalls 259 - - The Tjimahi falls 260 - - +"Through the darkling stillness of the grove there break the - splendour and the sound of living water" 261 - - Pedang. (Interior of Sumatra) 264 - - *Ganeça.--The God of Wisdom 266 - - *Priests with their Guru or Teacher 267 - - Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched 268 - - *Gunungan, or Pile of Sacrificial Food, as offered by women, on - Garebeg Mulud, the feast of the nativity of Nabi Muhamed, the - Great Prophet. (Vide: Groneman, "the Garebeg". The Hague 1895, - page 33) 270 - - A native official and his followers 271 - - +Rice-barn shaped like a child's cradle 273 - - "A progeny like to the spreading crown of the waringin-tree" 275 - - Sellers of rice 278 - - +Women dyeing sarong cloth 279 - - +Woman picking cotton, and men plaiting a sieve 281 - - A Javanese Family 282 - - +Mat-plaiting 283 - - +A bamboo hut 286 - - Weighing rice-sheaves 287 - - +Native official 289 - - Preparing the village field 291 - - Native nobleman and his wife 292 - - +Pilgrims returned from Mecca 293 - - +A scholar 295 - - Filling the village field 297 - - +Rice-barn 299 - - Peasant ploughing 300 - - Rice on the swampy plains 301 - - "The produce of the fields is equally divided amongst them as - they equally divide the labour and the toil" 303 - - Flooded rice-fields 306 - - +"The men, with the father of the bride at their head, had come - for the bridegroom, to conduct him to the mosque" 308 - - +"With measured steps the two advanced towards each other, and - whilst yet at some distance paused" 309 - - +"Humbly kneeling down, the bride proceeded to wash the - bridegroom's feet, in token of loving submission" 310 - - +Bride and bridegroom sitting in state 311 - - +The wedding-guests on their procession through the village 312 - - +"The men sat down to a repast" 315 - - Native Policeman 316 - - *Mandou (S. E. Borneo) 317 - - *Vishnu the preserver, four-armed, standing on a lotos-cushion, - lotos-plants to his right and left, under which two women - standing: Laksjmi and Satiavana the Consorts of the God. (Java) 318 - - *Javanese Type 320 - - *Crease. (Java) 321 - - A seller of Peruvian bark 325 - - Crease. (Java) 329 - - A Malay 330 - - Crease. (Java) 331 - - *Kartakeya Çiva's Son, the War-God, seated on a pea-cock 331 - - Cock-fighting 332 - - The illustrations marked * are taken from originals in - the Leyden Ethnographical Museum, those marked + from the Haarlem - Colonial Museum. - - Vide also: H. H. Juynboll, "Das Javanische Maskenspiel" in: - Intern. Archiv. für Ethn. XIV 41. - - L. Serrurier, De Wayang Poerwâ. Eene ethnologische studie. Leiden - 1896. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PROLOGUE v - - I. FIRST GLIMPSES 1 - - II. A BATAVIA HOTEL 13 - - III. THE TOWN 27 - - IV. A COLONIAL HOME 59 - - V. SOCIAL LIFE 79 - - VI. GLIMPSES OF NATIVE LIFE 97 - - VII. ON THE BEACH 163 - - VIII. OF BUITENZORG 183 - - IX. IN THE HILL COUNTRY 233 - - X. IN THE DESSA 265 - - EPILOGUE 319 - - ILLUSTRATIONS 325 - -[Illustration] - -PRINTED IN HOLLAND - -[Illustration] - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - - Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as - possible. Obvious punctuation errors repaired. - - The usage of hyphenated words in this text is inconsistent. This was - retained. - - The following is a list of changes made to the original. - The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. - - Page VI - breathed its odour-laden air for to long a time; - breathed its odour-laden air for too long a time; - - Page VI - he is content to live on dreamely by some - he is content to live on dreamily by some - - Page 18 - immates of the hotel are all - inmates of the hotel are all - - Page 18 - Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvetry rambootan - Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvety rambootan - - Page 26 - a spacious hall supported on pillars, was brillantly lit. - a spacious hall supported on pillars, was brilliantly lit. - - Page 38 - such as Shakspeare loved as a setting - such as Shakespeare loved as a setting - - Page 54 - Funeral Procession on its way to the Chinese Cimetery. - Funeral Procession on its way to the Chinese Cemetery. - - Page 57 - the attitude of mind and the habits of though identical - the attitude of mind and the habits of thought identical - - Page 57 - He could as soon leave off breathing as leave of buying and selling - He could as soon leave off breathing as leave off buying and selling - - Page 61 - the Northerner's mind when the looks upon a house - the Northerner's mind when he looks upon a house - - Page 65 - and supported on colums - and supported on columns - - Page 76 - a sufficient domiestic staff - a sufficient domestic staff - - Page 81 - and the deepbreathed fragance of flowers - and the deepbreathed fragrance of flowers - - Page 84 - almost in the house, nothwithstanding; - almost in the house, notwithstanding; - - Page 91 - nests on the capitals of the columms, - nests on the capitals of the columns, - - Page 92 - analogous contasts meet one at every step - analogous contrasts meet one at every step - - Page 92 - Thy have more leisure, - They have more leisure, - - Page 92 - a friend, a mere acquintance, an utter stranger, - a friend, a mere acquaintance, an utter stranger, - - Page 106 - invader has suceeded in ousting from - invader has succeeded in ousting from - - Page 109 - wax-white Gardenias, violet Seabiosa, and leaves - wax-white Gardenias, violet Scabiosa, and leaves - - Page 109 - the soft, fragant heap in his basket - the soft, fragrant heap in his basket - - Page 109 - figures in their brigh-hued garments - figures in their bright-hued garments - - Page 112 - the fragant blossom of the asana. - the fragrant blossom of the asana. - - Page 121 - the guidance of its own insticts - the guidance of its own instincts - - Page 129 - a Englismen about a prize-fighter. - as Englishmen about a prize-fighter. - - Page 131 - and the tail protude. - and the tail protrude. - - Page 138 - figures are fixed in a piece of bananastem - figures are fixed in a piece of banana stem - - Page 142 - and posess some knowledge of Kawi - and possess some knowledge of Kawi - - Page 147 - that some well-know "dalang" will hold - that some well-known "dalang" will hold - - Page 150 - the pride of wordly rank and station - the pride of worldly rank and station - - Page 155 - that we many know surely. - that we may know surely. - - Page 156 - thus shamefaced and sad, rejoice exeedingly. - thus shamefaced and sad, rejoice exceedingly. - - Page 159 - as Ardjuna, goes to seek Niwâtakawata - as Ardjuna, goes to seek Niwàtakawaka - - Page 160 - called Ardjuna's marrage feast - called Ardjuna's marriage feast - - Page 165 - In one place were the narrow beach broadens - In one place where the narrow beach broadens - - Page 166 - of the broad-branched nyamploeng trees - of the broad-branched njamploeng trees - - Page 167 - cool a well water - cool as well water - - Page 167 - one old fellow, white-haired and decrepid - one old fellow, white-haired and decrepit - - Page 168 - a group of island, ethereal as cloudlets - a group of islands, ethereal as cloudlets - - Page 169 - whitened the shell-strewd beach - whitened the shell-strewed beach - - Page 169 - Then jamploengs were in flower. - Then njamploengs were in flower. - - Page 169 - its blossoms, fragant, white, and of - its blossoms, fragrant, white, and of - - Page 171 - erected his "tero," the piable bamboo palisade - erected his "tero," the pliable bamboo palisade - - Page 173 - weaving and batikking sarongs - weaving and batiking sarongs - - Page 176 - For my childern are dutiful - For my children are dutiful - - Page 186 - The gardens on each side the road - The gardens on each side of the road - - Page 220 - the Gedeh-crater surrouds, as an impregnable bulwark - the Gedeh-crater surrounds, as an impregnable bulwark - - Page 226 - a tender-pettalled flower to a rock - a tender-petalled flower to a rock - - Page 236 - The gardens are fragant with mignonette - The gardens are fragrant with mignonette - - Page 239 - where four wounderful lakes of green - where four wonderful lakes of green - - Page 243 - with the rhytmic click-clack of the wooden pestles - with the rhythmic click-clack of the wooden pestles - - Page 254 - "They way of the land, the honour of the land," - "The way of the land, the honour of the land," - - Page 267 - Our bungalaw on the Tjerimai hillside - Our bungalow on the Tjerimai hillside - - Page 267 - in the near neighbourhood af a native dessa - in the near neighbourhood of a native dessa - - Page 267 - a prosprect of brown huts - a prospect of brown huts - - Page 268 - Raised shad from which the ripening fields are watched. - Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched. - - Page 277 - Around stretch meadows, ricefields, and plantions of nipahpalm - Around stretch meadows, ricefields, and plantations of nipahpalm - - Page 277 - in return to pay certain taxas - in return to pay certain taxes - - Page 289 - detail about Javanese sacrifical rites - detail about Javanese sacrificial rites - - Page 292 - European children seem insiped by comparison - European children seem insipid by comparison - - Page 293 - Pelgrims returned from Mecca - Pilgrims returned from Mecca - - Page 294 - takes the prayer for fine childeren - takes the prayer for fine children - - Page 300 - under so eleborate a system of agriculture - under so elaborate a system of agriculture - - Page 307 - for the Rice-Bride and Bridegoom to repair - for the Rice-Bride and Bridegroom to repair - - Page 307 - and all thing ready for their reception - and all things ready for their reception - - Page 315 - And I fancied a saw a gleam of satisfaction - And I fancied I saw a gleam of satisfaction - - Page 315 - The symbolical ceromonies were then concluded - The symbolical ceremonies were then concluded - - Page 322 - of a system of political admistration - of a system of political administration - - Page 324 - if a sacriligious hand were laid on his chosen abode - if a sacrilegious hand were laid on his chosen abode - - Page 327 - *Copper Dish, decorated with Wayang-figures - Wayang dancers. - - Page 328 - Raised shad from which the ripening fields are watched. - Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched. - - Page 329 - Bride and bridegoom sitting in state - Bride and bridegroom sitting in state - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES*** - - -******* This file should be named 43665-8.txt or 43665-8.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/3/6/6/43665 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/43665-8.zip b/43665-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 6dbde8a..0000000 --- a/43665-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/43665-h.zip b/43665-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e94d76d..0000000 --- a/43665-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/43665-h/43665-h.htm b/43665-h/43665-h.htm index c6acd90..e9f6877 100644 --- a/43665-h/43665-h.htm +++ b/43665-h/43665-h.htm @@ -191,26 +191,9 @@ div.tnote p { </style> </head> <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43665 ***</div> <h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Java, Facts and Fancies, by Augusta de Wit</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> -<p>Title: Java, Facts and Fancies</p> -<p>Author: Augusta de Wit</p> -<p>Release Date: September 7, 2013 [eBook #43665]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES***</p> <p> </p> -<h4>E-text prepared by<br /> - Walt Farrell, Marc-André Seekamp, David Garcia, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (<a href="http://archive.org">http://archive.org</a>)</h4> <p> </p> <table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> <tr> @@ -7750,360 +7733,6 @@ Bride and <span class="correction">bridegroom</span> sitting in state</li> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 43665-h.txt or 43665-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/3/6/6/43665">http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/6/6/43665</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed.</p> - -<p> -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. -</p> - -<h2>*** START: FULL LICENSE ***<br /> - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE<br /> -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK</h2> - -<p>To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">www.gutenberg.org/license</a>.</p> - -<h3>Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works</h3> - -<p>1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.</p> - -<p>1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below.</p> - -<p>1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.</p> - -<p>1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States.</p> - -<p>1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:</p> - -<p>1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed:</p> - -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> - -<p>1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9.</p> - -<p>1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.</p> - -<p>1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.</p> - -<p>1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License.</p> - -<p>1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.</p> - -<p>1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.</p> - -<p>1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that</p> - -<ul> -<li>You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."</li> - -<li>You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works.</li> - -<li>You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work.</li> - -<li>You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.</li> -</ul> - -<p>1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.</p> - -<p>1.F.</p> - -<p>1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment.</p> - -<p>1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE.</p> - -<p>1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem.</p> - -<p>1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.</p> - -<p>1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.</p> - -<p>1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.</p> - -<h3>Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm</h3> - -<p>Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life.</p> - -<p>Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and -the Foundation information page at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> - -<h3>Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation</h3> - -<p>The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.</p> - -<p>The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org/contact">www.gutenberg.org/contact</a></p> - -<p>For additional contact information:<br /> - Dr. Gregory B. Newby<br /> - Chief Executive and Director<br /> - gbnewby@pglaf.org</p> - -<h3>Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation</h3> - -<p>Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS.</p> - -<p>The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org/donate">www.gutenberg.org/donate</a></p> - -<p>While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate.</p> - -<p>International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.</p> - -<p>Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org/donate">www.gutenberg.org/donate</a></p> - -<h3>Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works.</h3> - -<p>Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.</p> - -<p>Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.</p> - -<p>Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> - -<p>This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.</p> - +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43665 ***</div> </body> </html> diff --git a/43665.txt b/43665.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 98d882e..0000000 --- a/43665.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5729 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Java, Facts and Fancies, by Augusta de Wit - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Java, Facts and Fancies - - -Author: Augusta de Wit - - - -Release Date: September 7, 2013 [eBook #43665] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES*** - - -E-text prepared by Walt Farrell, Marc-André Seekamp, David Garcia, -Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team -(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (http://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original 160 illustrations. - See 43665-h.htm or 43665-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43665/43665-h/43665-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43665/43665-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - http://archive.org/details/javafactsfancies00witarich - - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - The dagger character is represented by a plus sign (+). - - - - - -[Illustration] - - -JAVA FACTS AND FANCIES - -by - -AUGUSTA DE WIT - -With 160 Illustrations - - - - - - - -London -Chapman & Hall, Ltd. -1905 - - - - -[Illustration] - -When the Lady Dolly van der Decken, in answer to questions about -her legendary husband's whereabouts, murmured something vague about -"Java, Japan, or Jupiter," she had Java in her mind as the most -"impossible" of those impossible places. And, indeed, every schoolboy -points the finger of unceremonious acquaintance at Jupiter; and -Japan lies transparent on the egg-shell porcelain of many an elegant -tea-table. But Java? What far forlorn shore may it be that owns the -strange-sounding name; and in what sailless seas may this other Ultima -Thule be fancied to float? Time was when I never saw a globe--all spun -about with the net of parallels and degrees, as with some vast spider's -web--without a little shock of surprise at finding "Java" hanging in -the meshes. How could there be latitude and longitude to such a thing -of dreams and fancies? An attempt at determining the acreage of the -rainbow, or the geological strata of a Fata Morgana, would hardly -have seemed less absurd. I would have none of such vain exactitude; -but still chose to think of Java as situate in the same region as the -Island of Avalon; the Land of the Lotos-Eaters, palm-shaded Bohemia by -the sea, and the Forest of Broceliand, Merlin's melodious grave. And it -seemed to me that the very seas which girt those magic shores--still -keeping their golden sands undefiled from the gross clay of the outer -world--must be unlike all other water--tranquil ever, crystalline, -with a seven-tinted glow of strange sea-flowers, and the flashing -of jewel-like fishes gleaming from unsounded deeps. And higher than -elsewhere, surely, the skies, blessed with the sign of the Southern -Cross, must rise above the woods where the birds of paradise nestle. - -Where is it now, the glory and the dream? The soil of Java is hot -under my feet. I know--to my cost--that, if the surrounding seas be -different from any other body of water, they are chiefly so in being -more subject to tempest, turmoil, and sudden squalls. I find the benign -influences of the Southern Cross--not a very brilliant constellation by -the way--utterly undone by the fiery fury of the noonday-sun; and have -learnt to appreciate the fine irony of the inherited style and title, -as compared with the present habitat, of the said Birds of Paradise. -And yet--all disappointing experience notwithstanding, and in spite -of the deadly dullness of so many days, the fever of so many sultry -nights, and the homesickness of all hours--I have still some of the -old love for this country left; and I begin to understand something of -the fascination by which it holds the Northerner who has breathed its -odour-laden air for too long a time; so that, forgetting his home, his -friends, and his kindred in the gray North, he is content to live on -dreamily by some lotos-starred lake; and, dying, to be buried under the -palm-trees. - - AUGUSTA DE WIT. - - - - -FIRST GLIMPSES - -[Illustration: "A "brownie" of that enchanted garden that men call -Java."] - -[Illustration] - - -My first impression of Java was not that of effulgent light and -overpowering magnificence of colour, generally experienced at the -first sight of a tropical country; but, on the contrary, of something -unspeakably tender, ethereal, and soft. It was in the beginning of -the rainy season. Under a sky filmy with diaphanous fleecy texture, -in which a tinge of the hidden blue was felt rather than seen, the -sea had a pearly sheen, with here and there changefully flickering -white lights, and wind-ruffled streaks of a pale violet. The slight -haziness in the air somewhat dulled the green of innumerable islets -and thickly-wooded reefs, scattered all over the sea; and, blurring -their outlines, seemed to lift them until they grew vague and airy as -the little clouds of a mackerel sky, wafted hither and thither by the -faintest wind. In the distance the block of square white buildings on -the landing-place--pointed out as the railway station and the custom -houses--stood softly outlined against a background of whitish-grey sky -and mist-blurred trees. - -Slowly the steamer glided on. And, as we now approached the roadstead -of Batavia, there came swimming towards the ship numbers of native -boats, darting out from between the islets, and diving up out of the -shadows along the wooded shore, like so many waterfowl. Swiftest of -all were the "praos'" very slight hulls, almost disappearing under -their one immense whitish-brown sail, shaped like a bird's wing, and -thrown back with just the same impatient fling--ready for a swoop and -rake--so exactly resembling sea-gulls skimming along, as to render the -comparison almost a description. On they came, drawing purplish furrows -through the pearly greys and whites of the sea. And, in their wake, -darting hither and thither with the jerky movements of water-spiders, -quite a swarm of little black canoes--hollowed-out tree-trunks, kept -in balance by bamboo outriggers, which spread on either side like -sprawling, scurrying legs. As they approached, we saw that the boats -were piled with many-tinted fruit, above which the naked bodies of -the oarsmen rose, brown and shiny, and the wet paddle gleamed in -its leisurely-seeming dip and rise, which yet sent the small skiff -bounding onward. They were along-side soon, and the natives clambered -on board, laden with fragrant wares. They did not take the trouble -of hawking them about, agile as they had proved themselves, but -calmly squatted down amid their piled-up baskets of yellow, scarlet, -crimson, and orange fruit--a medley of colours almost barbaric in its -magnificence, notwithstanding the soberer tints of blackening purple, -and cool, reposeful green; and calmly awaited customers. Under the -gaudy kerchiefs picturesquely framing the dark brows, their brown -eyes had that look of thoughtful--or is it all thoughtless?--content, -which we of the North know only in the eyes of babies, crooning in -their mother's lap. And, as they answered our questions, their speech -had something childlike too, with its soft consonants and clear -vowels, long-drawn-out on a musical modulation, that glided all up -and down the gamut. They had a great charm for me, their flatness of -features and meagreness of limbs notwithstanding; and I thought, that, -if not quite the fairies, they might well be the "brownies" of that -enchanted garden that men call Java. - -[Illustration: "Fishing-praos, their diminutive hulls almost -disappearing under the one tall whitish-brown sail, shaped like a -bird's wing and flung back, as if ready for a swoop and rake."] - -[Illustration: "The ship lay still, and we trod the quay of Tandjong -Priok."] - -But alas! for day-dreaming--the gruff authoritative voice of the -quartermaster was heard on deck; and--after the manner of goblins at -the approach of the Philistine--all the little brownies vanished. They -were gone in an instant: and, in their pretty stead, came porters, -cabin-stewards with trunks, and passengers in very new clothes. For we -were fast approaching; and, presently, with a big sigh of relief, the -steamer lay still, and we trod the quay of Tanjong Priok. - -It would seem as if the first half hour of arrival must be the same -everywhere, all the world over; but here, even in the initial scramble -for the train, one notices a difference. There is a crowd; and there -is no noise. No scuffling and stamping, no cries, no shouting, no -gruff-voiced altercations. All but inaudibly the barefooted coolies -trot on, big steamer-trunks on their shoulders; they do not hustle, -each patiently awaiting his turn at the office and on the platform; -and, as they stand aside for some hurrying, pushing European, their -else impassible faces assume a look of almost contemptuous amazement. -Why should the "orang blanda"[1] thus discourteously jostle them? Are -there not many hours in a day, and many days to come after this? And do -they not know that "Haste cometh of the evil?" - -[1] "People from Holland" the name for Europeans generally. - -The train has started at last, and is hurrying through a wild, dreary -country, half jungle, half marshland. From the rank undergrowth of -brushwood and bulrushes rise clumps of cocoanut palms, their dark -shaggy crowns strangely massive above the meagre stems through which -the distant horizon gleams palely. In open spaces young trees stand out -here and there, half strangled in the festoons of a purple-blossomed -liana that trails its tendrilled length all over the lower shrub-wood. -Thickets of bamboo bend and sway in the evening wind. - -To the right stretches a long straight canal, dull as lead under -the lustreless sky; the breeze, in passing, blackens the motionless -water, and a shiver runs through the dense vegetation along the -edge--broad-leaved bananas, the spreading fronds of the palmetto, and -mimosas of feathery leafage, above which the silver-grey tufts of -bulrushes rise. After a while the jungle diminishes and ceases; and a -vast reach of marshy country stretches away to the horizon. We neared -it as the sun was setting. Though it had not broken through the clouds, -the fiery globe had suffused their whiteness with a deep, dull purple -as of smouldering flames. A tremulous splendour suddenly shot over -the rush-beds and rank waving grasses of the marshy land; the shining -reed-pricked sheets of water crimsoned; and along the canal moving like -an incandescent lava stream, the broadly curving banana leaves seemed -fountains of purple light, and the palmetto and delicate mimosa fronds -grew transparent in the all-pervading rosiness--almost immaterial. Even -after the burning edge of the sun, perceived for a brief moment, had -sunk away, these marvellous colours did not fade; softly shining on -they seemed to be the natural tint of this wonderful land--independent -of suns and seasons. Then, all at once, they were extinguished by the -rapidly-fallen dusk, as a fire might be under a shower of ashes; and, a -few minutes after, it was night. - -At the lamplit station of Batavia I hailed one of the vehicles waiting -outside--a curious little two-wheeled conveyance, which, with its -enormous lanterns, airily supported roof, and long shafts between -which a diminutive pony trotted, looked like a fiery-eyed cockchafer -that darts about, moving its long antennae. I hoisted myself on to -the sloping seat, and, for some time was driven through an avenue, -the trees on either side of which made a cloudy darkness against -the pale strip of sky overhead. There was an incessant high-pitched -twittering of birds among the leaves; and, every now and then, a -fragrance of invisible flowers came floating out on the windless air. -We passed a tall building, shimmering white through the darkness--the -Governor-General's palace I was told. Then the horse's hoofs clattered -over a bridge, and, past the turn of the road, a long row of brilliant -windows flashed up, with a white blaze of electric light in the -distance. - -Past the resplendent shop-windows on the left side of the street--the -other remaining dark, featureless--a leisurely crowd moved; open -carriages, bearing ladies to some evening entertainment, bowled along; -a many-windowed club-building blazed out; a canal shone with a hundred -slender spears of reflected light--I had reached my destination, the -suburb of Rijswijk. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -A BATAVIA HOTEL - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -If, in this commonplace-loving age, there be one thing more commonplace -and utterly devoid of character than another, it is a hotel. Hotels! -where are railroads there are they. The locomotive scatters them -along its shining path together with cinders, thistleseeds, and -tourists. They are everywhere; and everywhere they are the same. The -proverbial peas are not so indistinguishably alike. Surely, a whimsical -imagination may be pardoned for fancying a difference between the pods -"shairpening" in some Scotch kailyard, the petits-pois coquettishly -arranged in Chevet's shop-window, and the Zuckererbsen mashed down to -a green pulse in some strong-jawed Prussian's plate--a difference, the -far and faint and fanciful analogy to the more obvious one between -the gudeman, the French chef, and the Koeniglich Preussischer Douanen -Beamten Gehilfe who own the said peas. But a hotel, on whatever part -of Europe it may open its dull window-eyes, has not even a name native -of the country, and declaring its citizenship. The genius of speech -despairs of making a difference in the name, where there is none in -the thing; and thus, from Orenburg to Valentia, and from Hammerfest -to Messina, a hotel is still called a hotel, and the traveller still -expects and finds the same Swiss portier and the same red velvet -portieres, the same indescribable smell of sherry, stewed-meat, -and cigars in the passages, the same funereally-clad waiters round -the table d'hote, and the same dishes upon it. Thus I thought in -my old European days. But, since, I have come to Java, and I have -seen a Batavia hotel--_a rumah makan_. Ah! that was a surprise, a -shock, a revelation--I would say "un frisson nouveau" if Batavia and -shivering were compatible terms. "Un etouffement nouveau" better -expressed my sensations, as it flashed upon me in full noon-day glory. -Noon is its own time, its hour of hours, the instant when those -opposing elements of Batavia street-life--the native population most -conspicuous of a morning, and the European contingent preponderant in -the evening--attain that exact equipoise which gives the place its -particular character; and when the conditions of sky, air, and earth -are attuned to truest harmony with it. - -The great, strong, full noon-day sun beats on the stuccoed buildings, -heating their whiteness to an intolerable incandescence. It has set -the garden ablaze, burning up the long grey shadows of early morning -to round patches of a charred black, that cling to the foot of the -trees; and making the air to quiver visibly above the scorched yellow -grass-plots. Among their dark leafage, the hibiscus flowers flare -like living flame; and the red-and-orange blossoms, dropping from the -branches of the Flame of the Forest, seem to lie on the path like -smouldering embers. Through this blaze of light and colour, move -groups of gaudily-draped natives--water-carriers, flower-sellers, -fruit-vendors, pedlars selling silk and precious stones--their heads -protected from the sun by enormous mushroom-shaped hats of plaited -straw, and their shining shoulders bending under a bamboo yoke, from -the ends of which dangle baskets of merchandise. Small, brown, chubby -children, a necklet their one article of wear, are gathering the tiny, -yellow-white blossoms that bespangle the grass under the tanjong trees. -Grave-faced Arabs stride past. Chinamen trudge along--lean, agile -figures--chattering and gesticulating as they go. - -[Illustration: "A seller of fruit and vegetables his baskets dangling -from the ends of a bamboo yoke."] - -But, among the crowd of orientals, no Europeans are seen, save such -as rapidly pass in vehicles of every description, from the jolting -dos-a-dos onwards--with its diminutive pony almost disappearing between -the shafts--to the elegant victoria drawn by a pair of big Australian -horses. But, even when driving, the noon-day heat is dangerous to the -Westerner; and the European inmates of the hotel are all in the dark -cool verandahs, enjoying a dolce far niente enlivened by chaffering -with the natives and drinking iced lemonades, the ladies--here is -another surprise for the newcomer!--all attired in what seems to -be the native dress of sarong and kabaya! A kabaya is a sort of -dressing-jacket of profusely-embroidered white batiste, fastened down -the front with ornamental pins and little gold chains; and under it is -worn the sarong, a gaudily-coloured skirt falling down straight and -narrow, with one single deep fold in front, and kept in place by a silk -scarf wound several times round the waist, its ends dangling loose. -With this costume, little high-heeled slippers are worn on the bare -feet; and the hair is done in native style, simply drawn back from the -forehead, and twisted into a knot at the back of the head. Altogether, -this style of attire is original rather than becoming. - -And, if this must be confessed of the ladies' costume, what must be -said of the garb some men have the courage to appear in? A kabaya, -and--may Mrs. Grundy graciously forgive me for saying it! for how -shall I describe the indescribable, save by calling it by its own -by me never-to-be-pronounced name?--A kabaya and trousers of thin -sarong-stuff gaily sprinkled with blue and yellow flowers, butterflies, -and dragons! - -[Illustration: "Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvety rambootan and -smooth-skinned dookoo."] - -But all this is only an induction into that supreme mystery, celebrated -at noon, the rice-table. Here is indeed, "un etouffement nouveau." All -things pertaining to it work together for bewilderment. To begin with; -it is served up, not in any ordinary dining-room, but in the "back -gallery," a place which is a sight in itself, a long and lofty hall, -supported on a colonnade, between the white pillars of which glimpses -are caught of the brilliantly-flowering shrubs and dark-leaved trees -in the garden without. In the second place, it is handed round by -native servants, inaudibly moving to and fro upon bare feet, arrayed -in clothes of a semi-European cut, incongruously combined with the -Javanese sarong and head-kerchief. And, last not least, the meal itself -is such as never was tasted on sea or land before. The principal dish -is rice and chicken, which sounds simple enough. But on this as a basis -an entire system of things inedible has been constructed: besides -fish, flesh, and fricassees, all manner of curries, sauces, pickles, -preserved fruit, salt eggs, fried bananas, "sambals" of fowl's liver, -fish-roe, young palm-shoots, and the gods of Javanese cookery alone -know what more, all strongly spiced, and sprinkled with cayenne. There -is nothing under the sun but it may be made into a sambal; and a -conscientious cook would count that a lost day on which he had not sent -in at the very least twenty of such nondescript dishes to the table of -his master, for whose digestion let all gentle souls pray! And, when to -all this I have added that these many and strange things must be eaten -with a spoon in the right hand and a fork in the left, the reader will -be able to judge how very complicated an affair the rice-table is, and -how easily the uninitiated may come to grief over it. For myself, I -shall never forget my first experience of the thing. I had just come in -from a ride through the town, and I suppose the glaring sunlight, the -strangely-accoutred crowd, the novel sights and sounds of the city must -have slightly gone to my head (there are plenty of intoxicants besides -"gin" _vide_ the Autocrat of the Breakfast Table). Anyhow, I entered -the "back gallery" with a sort of "here-the-conquering-hero-comes" -feeling; looked at the long table groaning under its dozens of -rice-bowls, scores of dishes of fowls and fish, and hundreds of -sambal-saucers, arrayed between pyramids of bananas, mangosteens, and -pine-apples, as if I could have eaten it all by way of "aperitif;" -sat me down; heaped my plate up with everything that came my way; -and fell to. What followed I have no words to express. Suffice it to -say, that in less time than I now take to relate it, I was reduced to -the most abject misery--my lips smarting with the fiery touch of the -sambal; my throat the more sorely scorched for the hasty draught of -water with which, in my ignorance, I had tried to allay the intolerable -heat; and my eyes full of tears, which it was all I could do to prevent -from openly gushing down my cheeks, in streams of utter misery. A -charitable person advised me to put a little salt on my tongue, (as -children are told to do on the tail of the bird they want to catch). I -did so; and, after a minute of the most excruciating torture, the agony -subsided. I gasped, and found I was still alive. But there and then I -vowed to myself I would never so much as look at a rice-table again. - -[Illustration: "The big kalongs hanging from the topmost branches in a -sleep from which the sunset will presently awaken them."] - -I have broken that vow: I say it proudly. It is but a dull mind which -cannot reverse a first opinion, or go back upon a hasty resolve. And -now I know _how_ to eat rice, I love it. Still, that first meal was a -shock. It suddenly brought home to the senses what up to that minute -had been noted by the understanding only: the fact of my being in a -new country. The glare of the garden without, the Malay sing-song of -those dark bare-footed servants, the nondescript clothes of the other -guests, united with the tingling and burning in my throat to make me -realise the stupendous change that had come over my universe, the -antipodal attitude of things in Europe and things in Java. I had the -almost bodily sensation of the intervening leagues upon leagues, of the -dividing chasm on the unknown side of which I had just landed. And it -fairly dizzied me. - -Now, the natural reaction following upon a shock of this kind throws -one back upon the previous state of things--in the case the ways and -manners of the old country--and one stubbornly resolves to adhere to -them. But, though this may be natural, it is not wise. I, at least, -soon discovered for myself the truth of the old sage's saw: "Verite -en deca des Pyrenees, erreur en dela," as applied to the affairs of -everyday life; the more so, as oceans and broad continents, the space -of thousands of Pyrenean ranges, separate those hither and thither -sides, Holland and Java. The home-marked standard of fit and unfit -must be laid aside. The soul must doff her close-clinging habits of -prejudiced thought. And the wise man must be content to begin life over -again, becoming even as a babe and suckling, and opening cherub lips -only to drink in the light, the leisure, and the luxuriant beauty of -this new country as a rich mother's milk--the blameless food on which -to grow up to (colonial) manhood. - -But to return to that first "rice-table." After the rice, curries, -etc. had been disposed of, beef and salad appeared, and, to my -infinite astonishment, were disposed of in their turn, to be followed -by the dessert--pine-apples, mangosteens, velvety "rambootans," and -an exceedingly picturesque and prettily-shaped fruit--spheres of a -pale gold containing colourless pellucid flesh--which I heard called -"dookoo." Then the guests began to leave the table, and I was told -it was time for the siesta--another Javanese institution, not a whit -less important, it would appear, than the famous rice-table--and -vastly more popular with newcomers. Perhaps, the preceding meal -possesses somniferous virtue; or, perhaps, the heat and glare of the -morning predispose one to sleep; or, perhaps--after so many years of -complaining about "being waked too soon"--the sluggard in us rejoices -at being bidden in the name of the natural fitness of things, to "go -and slumber again." I will not attempt to decide which of those three -possible causes is the true one; but so much is certain: even those who -kick most vigorously at the rice-table, lay them down with lamb-like -meekness to the siesta. I confess I was very glad myself to escape into -the coolness and quiet of my room. Plain enough it was, with its bare, -white-washed walls and ceiling, its red-tiled floor and piece of coarse -matting in the centre, its cane-bottomed chairs. But how I delighted in -the absence of carpets and wall-papers, when I found the stone floor so -deliciously cool to the feet, and the bare walls distilling a freshness -as of lily-leaves! The siesta lasted till about four. Then people began -to hurry past my window, with flying towels and beating slippers, -marching to the bath-rooms. And, at five, tea was brought into the -verandah. - -Then began the first moderately-cool hour of the day. A slight breeze -sprang up and wandered about in the garden, stirring the dense foliage -of the waringin-tree, and making its hundreds of pendulous air-roots -to gently sway to and fro. A shower of white blossom fluttered down -from the tanjong-branches, spreading fragrance as it fell. And, by and -by, a faint rosiness began to soften the crude white of the stuccoed -walls and colonnades, and to kindle the feathery little cirrus-clouds -floating high overhead, in the deep blue sky where the great "kalongs" -were already beginning to circle. - -At six it was almost dark. - -The loungers in the verandah rose from their tea, and went in. And, -some half-hour later, I saw the ladies issue forth in Paris-made -dresses, the men in the garb of society accompanying them on their -calls, for which I was told this was the hour. The "front gallery" of -the hotel, a spacious hall supported on pillars, was brilliantly lit. -A girl sat at the piano, accompanying herself to one of those weird, -thrilling songs such a Grieg and Jensen compose. And when I went in to -the eight-o'clock dinner, the menu for which might have been written -in any European hotel, I had some trouble in identifying the scene -with that which, earlier in the day, had so rudely shocked my European -ideas. I half believed the rice-table, the sarongs and kabayas, and -the Javanese "boys" must have been a dream, until I was convinced of -the contrary by the sight of a lean brown hand thrust out to change my -plate of fish for a helping of asparagus. - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE TOWN - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -It is only for want of a better word that one uses this term of "town" -to designate that picturesque ensemble of villa-studded parks and -avenues, Batavia. There is, it is true, an older Batavia, grey, grim -and stony as any war-scarred city of Europe--the stronghold which the -steel-clad colonists of 1620 built on the ruins of burnt-down Jacatra. -But, long since abandoned by soldiers and peaceful citizens alike, -and its once stately mansions degraded to offices and warehouses, it -has sunk into a mere suburb--the business quarter of Batavia--alive -during a few hours of the day only, and sinking back into a death-like -stillness, as soon as the rumble of the last down-train has died away -among its echoing streets. And the real Batavia--in contradistinction -to which this ancient quarter is called "the town"--is as unlike it as -if it had been built by a different order of beings. - -It is best described as a system of parks and avenues, linked by many -a pleasant byway and shadowy path, with here and there a glimpse of -the Kali Batawi gliding along between the bamboo groves on its banks, -and everywhere the whiteness of low, pillared houses, standing well -back from the road, each in its own leafy garden. Instead of walls, a -row of low stone pillars, not much higher than milestones, separates -private from public grounds, so that from a distance one cannot see -where the park ends and the street begins. The shadow of the tall -trees in the avenue keeps the garden cool, and the white dust of the -road is sprinkled with the flowers that lie scattered over the smooth -grass-plots and shell-strewn paths of the villa. - -Among the squares of Batavia, the largest and most remarkable by far is -the famous Koningsplein. It is not so much a square as simply a field, -vast enough to build a city on, dotted from place to place by pasturing -cattle, and bordered on the four sides of its irregular quadrangle by -a triple row of branching tamarinds. From the southern distance two -aerial mountain-tops overlook it. The brown bare expanse of meadowy -ground, lying thus broadly open to the sky, with nothing but clouds and -cloudlike hill-tops rising above its distant rampart of trees, seems -like a tract of untamed wilderness, strangely set in the midst of a -city, and all the more savage and lonely for these smooth surroundings. -Between the stems of the delicate-leaved tamarinds, glimpses are caught -of gateways and pillared houses; the eastern side of the quadrangle -is disfigured by a glaring railway-station; and, notwithstanding, -it remains a rugged solitary spot, a waste, irreclaimably barren, -which, by the sheer strength of its unconquered wildness, subdues its -environment to its own mood. The houses, glinting between the trees, -seem mere accidents of the landscape, simply heaps of stones; the -glaring railway-station itself sinks into an indistinct whiteness, -dissociated from any idea of human thought and enterprise. - -[Illustration: "A triple row of branching tamarinds."] - -[Illustration: "The idyllic Duke's park, very shadowy, fragrant, and -green."] - -Now and then a native traverses the field, slowly moving along an -invisible track. He does not disturb the loneliness. He is indigenous -to the place, its natural product, almost as much as the cicadas -trilling among the grass blades, the snakes darting in and out among -the crevices of the sun-baked soil, and the lean cattle, upon whose -backs the crows perch. There is but one abiding power and presence -here--the broad brown field under the broad blue sky, shifting shades -and splendours over it, and that horizon of sombre trees all around. - -This vast sweep of sky gives the Plein a tone and atmosphere of its -own. The changes in the hour and the season that are but guessed at -from some occasional glimpse in the street, are here fully revealed. -The light may have been glaring enough among the whitewashed houses -of Ryswyk and Molenvliet--it is on the Plein only that tropical -sunshine manifests itself in the plenitude of its power. The great sun -stands flaming in the dizzy heights; from the scorched field to the -incandescent zenith the air is one immense blaze, a motionless flame in -which the tall tamarinds stand sere and grey, the grass shrivels up to -a tawny hay, and the bare soil stiffens and cracks.--The intolerable -day is past. People, returning home from the town, see a roseate -sheen playing over roofs and walls, a long crimson cloud sailing high -overhead. Those walking on the Plein behold an apocalyptic heaven and a -transfigured earth, a firmamental conflagration, eruptions of scarlet -flame through incarnadined cloud, runnels of fire darting across the -melting gold and translucent green of the horizon; hill-tops changed -into craters and tall trees into fountains of purple light. And many -are the nights, when, becoming aware of a dimness in the moonlit air, -I have hastened to the Koningsplein, and found it whitely waving -with mist, a very lake of vapour, fitfully heaving and sinking in the -uncertain moonlight, and rolling airy waves against a shore of darkness. - -[Illustration: "The Business-quarter of Batavia."] - -The seasons, too--how they triumph in this bit of open country! When, -after the devouring heat of the East monsoon, the good gift of the -rains is poured down from the heavens, and the town knows of nothing -but impracticable streets, flooded houses, and crumbling walls, it is -a time of resurrection and vernal glory for the Plein. The tamarinds, -gaunt gray skeletons a few days ago, burst into full-leaved greenness; -the hard, white, cracked soil is suddenly covered with tender grass, -fresh as the herbage of an April meadow under western skies. In the -early morning, the broad young blades are white with dew. There is a -thin silvery haze in the air, which dissolves into a pink and golden -radiance, as the first slanting sunbeams pierce it. And the tree tops, -far off and indistinct, seem to rise airily over hollows of blue shade. - -[Illustration: "A footsore Klontong trudging wearily along."] - -Not far from the Koningsplein there is another square, its very -opposite in aspect and character--the idyllic Duke's Park very shadowy, -fragrant, and green. One walks in it as in a poet's dream. All around -there is the multitudinous budding and blossoming of many-coloured -flowers, a play of transparent bamboo-shadows that flit and shift over -smooth grassplot and shell-strewn path, a ceaseless alternation of -glooms and glories. Set amidst tall dark trees, whose topmost branches -break out into a flame of blossom, there stands a white pillared -building, palace-like in the severe grace of its architecture. Is it -the Renaissance style of those gleaming columns and marble steps, -or that name of "the Duke's Park," or both, that stir up the fancy -to thoughts of some sixteenth-century Italian pleasaunce, such as -Shakespeare loved as a setting for his love-stories? A Duke as gentle -as his prince of Illyria, Olivia's sighing lover, might have walked -these glades, listening to disguised Viola as, all unsuspectedly, she -wooed him from his forlorn allegiance. - -The irony of facts has willed it otherwise. - -[Illustration: The Chinese quarter.] - -A duke it was, sure enough, who stood sponsor to the spot. But as -(according to French authorities) there are fagots and fagots, even -so there are Dukes and Dukes--and vastly more points of difference -than of resemblance between Viola's gentle prince, and the thunderous -old Lord of Saxen-Weimar, to whose rumbling Kreuzdonnerwetters and -Himmel-Sakraments this abode of romance re-echoed some fifty years ago. -A distant relative to the King of the Netherlands, he was indebted -to his Royal kinsman's sense of family duty for these snug quarters, -a very considerable income (from the National Treasury) and the post -of an Army Commander, which upheld the prince in the pensioner. His -tastes were few and simple, and saving the one delight of his soul, -a penurious youth, and the hardships of the Napoleonic supremacy -having so thoroughly taught him the habit, that it had become a second -nature to him; and would not be ousted now by the mere fact of his -having become rich. He was proud of his parsimony too, prouder even -than of his swearing, remarkable as it was; and, amidst the pomp and -circumstance he had so late in life attained to, neglected not the -humble talents which had solaced his less affluent days. So that, -looking upon the many goodly acres around his palace, lying barren -of all save grass, flowers, blossoming trees, and such like useless -stuff, he at once saw what an unique opportunity it would afford him -for the exercise of his favourite virtue. And, setting about the matter -in his own thorough-going way, he cut down the trees, ploughed up the -grassplots, and had the grounds neatly laid out in onion-beds, and -plantations of the sirih, which the Javanese loves. Here one might meet -the Duke of a morning--a portly, bald-pated, red-faced old warrior with -a prodigious "meerschaum" protruding from his bristling white beard, -stars, crosses, and goldlace all over his general's uniform, and a pair -of list slippers on his rheumatic old toes. An orderly walked behind -him, holding a gold-edged sunshade over his shining pate. And, every -now and then, the Duke would stop to look earnestly at his crops; and, -stooping with a groaning of his flesh, and a creaking of his tight -tunic, straighten some trailing plant, or flick an insect off the sirih -leaves. - - "The Duke was in his kitchen-garden, - A counting of his money," - -as one might vary the nursery rhyme. - -[Illustration: "The West monsoon has set in, flooding the town."] - -For money it was he counted, when he gazed so long and earnestly at his -vegetables--the alchemy of his thrifty imagination turning every young -stalk and sprouting leaflet into a bit of metal, adorned with his Royal -kinsman's effigy. And when the green pennies-to-be were plentiful, -well content was the gardener; and if not--"Mountains and vales and -floods, heard Ye those oaths?" Tradition has kept an echo of them. -They were something quite out of the common order, and with a style -and sound so emphatically their own as to baffle imitation, and render -description a hopeless task. - -[Illustration: "The Kali Batawi on its way through the Chinese -quarter."] - -Nor did this originality wear off as, in the course of time, the worthy -Duke began to forget the language of the Fatherland. For, losing his -German, he found not his Dutch, and the expressions he composed out -of such odds and ends of the two languages, as he could lay tongue -to, would have astonished the builders of Babel Tower. Fortunately, -however, his anger was as short-lived as it was violent, and, when the -last thunderclap of Kreuzmillionen Himmels Donnerwetter had gradually -died away in an indistinct grumbling, he would summon his attendant -for a light to rekindle his pipe with a "come now, thou black pigdog" -that sounded quite friendly. A kind-hearted old blusterer at bottom, -he treated his dependents well and never sent away a beggar pennyless. -"Doitless" I should have written, for his donations never exceeded that -amount. - -There is a tale of an A. D. C., his appointed almoner for the time, -having one day come to him with a subscription-list on which the -customary doit figured as His Serene Highness the Duke of Saxen -Weimar's contribution; and hinting at what he considered the -disproportion between the exiguity of the gift, and the wealth and -worldly station of the giver. He must have been a very rash A. D. C. -The Duke turned upon him like a savage bull. And, after a volley of -oaths: "Too little!" he roared: "Too little!" and again, "Too little! I -would have you know, younker! that a doit is a great deal when one has -nothing at all!" - -It was a cry de profundis--laughable and half contemptible as it -sounded, the echo from unforgotten depths of misery. - -He had known what it meant "to have nothing at all." Wherefore, and -for those winged words in which he uttered the knowledge, let his -onion-beds be forgiven him. Of the outrage he committed, only the -memory is left--the effects have long since been obliterated: bountiful -tropical nature having again showered her treasures of leaf and flower -over the beggared garden, and re-erected in their places the green -towers of her trees. - -[Illustration: Entrance to a rich Chinaman's House.] - -Rijswijk, Noordwijk, and Molenvliet, the commercial quarters of -Batavia, are more European in aspect than the Koningsplein; the -houses--shops for the most part--are built in straight rows; a pavement -borders the streets, and a noisy little steam-car pants and rattles -past from morning till night. But, with these European traits, Javanese -characteristics mingle, and the resulting effect is a most curious -one, somewhat bewildering withal to the new-comer in its mixture of -the unknown with the familiar. Absolutely commonplace shops are -approached through gardens, the pavement is strewn with flowers of the -flame-of-the-forest: and, at the street-corners, instead of cabs, one -finds the nondescript sadoo, its driver, gay in a flowered muslin vest -and a gaudy headkerchief, squatting cross-legged on the back seat. -Noordwijk is unique, an Amsterdam "gracht" in a tropical setting. -Imagine a long straight canal, a gleam of green-brown water between -walls of reddish masonry--spanned from place to place by a bridge, -and shaded by the softly-tinted leafage of tamarinds; on either side -a wide, dusty road, arid gardens, sweltering in the sun, and glaring -white bungalows; the fiery blue of the tropical sky over it all. -Gaudily-painted "praos" glide down the dark canal; native women pass up -and down the flight of stone steps that climbs from the water's edge to -the street, a flower stuck into their gleaming hair, still wet from the -bath; the tribe of fruitvendors and sellers of sweet drinks and cakes -have established themselves along the parapet, in the shade of the -tamarinds; and the native crowd, coming and going all day long, makes a -kaleidoscopic play of colours along the still dark water. - -From the little station at the corner of Noordwijk and Molenvliet, -a steam-car runs along the canal down to the suburbs; every quarter -of an hour it comes past, puffing and rattling; and every time the -third-class compartment is choking full of natives. The fever and the -fret of European life have seized upon these leisurely Orientals too. -They have abandoned their sirih-chewing and day-dreaming upon the -square of matting in the cool corner of the house, the dusty path along -which they used to trudge in Indian file, when there was an urgent -necessity for going to market; and behold them all perched upon this -"devil's engine," where they cannot even sit down in the way they -were taught to, "hurkling on their hunkers." - -[Illustration: "A glimpse of the river as it glides along between the -bamboo groves of its margins."] - -The skippers and raftsmen are more conservative in their ways--owing, -perhaps, to their constant communion with the deliberate stream, which -saunters along on its way from the hills to the sea, at its own pace. -They take life easily; paddling along over the shifting shallows and -mud-banks of the Kali (river) in the same leisurely way their forbears -did; conveying red tiles, bricks, and earthenware in flat-bottomed -boats; or pushing along rafts of bamboo-stems, which they have felled -in the wood up-stream. As they come floating down the canal, these -rafts of green bamboo, with the thin tips curving upwards like tails -and stings of venomous insects, have a fantastical appearance of -living, writhing creatures, which the native raftsman seems to be for -ever fighting with his long pole. After dark, when the torch at the -prow blazes out like the single baleful eye of the monstrous thing, -the day-dream deepens into a nightmare. And, shuddering, one remembers -ghastly legends of river-dragons and serpents that haunt the sea, -swimming up-stream to ravish some wretched mortal. - -The native boats appeal to merrier thoughts. With the staring -white-and-black goggle eyes painted upon the prow, and the rows of red, -yellow, and green lozenges arranged like scales along the sides, they -remind one irresistibly of grotesque fishes for those big children, -the Javanese, to play with--at housekeeping. For keep house they do in -their boats. They eat, drink, sleep, and live in the prao. A roof of -plaited bamboo leaves helps to make the stern into the semblance of a -hut; and here, whilst the owner pushes along the floating home by means -of a long pole and a deal of apparent exertion, his wife sits cooking -the rice for the family meal over a brazier full of live coals; and -the children tumble about in happy nakedness. Javanese babies, by -the way, always seem happy. What do they amuse themselves with, one -wonders? They do not seem to know any games, and playthings they have -none, except the tanjong-flowers they make necklaces of, and perchance -some luckless cockroach, round whose hindmost leg they tie a thread to -make him walk the way he should. Their parents, Mohammedan orthodoxy -debars them from the society of their natural companions--dogs; and, as -for cats, that last resource of unamused childhood in Europe, they hold -them sacred, and would not dare to lay a playful hand upon one of them. -Yet, there they are--plaything-less, naked, and supremely happy. - -Their parents, for the matter of that, are exactly the same; they -seem perfectly happy without any visible and adequate cause for such -content. As long as they are not dying--and one sometimes doubts if -Javanese die at all--all is well with them. The race has a special -genius for happiness, the free gift of those same inscrutable powers -who have inflicted industry, moral sense, and the overpowering desire -for clothes upon the unfortunate nations of the North. - -Following the left-ward bend of the canal, past the sluice, and -the Post Office,--the most hideous structure by the bye that ever -disfigured a decent street--one comes to the bridge of Kampong Bahru; -and, crossing it, suddenly finds oneself in what seems another -quarter of the globe. Tall narrow houses, quaintly decorated and -crowned with red-tiled roofs, that flame out against the contrasting -azure of the sky, stand in close built rows; the wide street is -full of jostling carts and vans, fairly humming with traffic; and -the people move with an energy and briskness never seen among -Javanese. This is the Chinese quarter. There are three or four such -in the town, inhabited by Chinese exclusively. This habit of herding -together--though now a matter of choice with the Celestials--is the -survival of a time when Batavia had its "camp" as mediaeval Italian -cities had their Ghetto: a period no further back than the beginning of -the last century. - -[Illustration: Procession at the funeral of a rich Chinaman.] - -[Illustration: Funeral Procession on its way to the Chinese Cemetery.] - -[Illustration: Burning of symbolical figures at a Chinese funeral.] - -At that time, when Chinese immigration threatened to become a danger -to the colony, the then Governor-General, Valckenier, took some -measures against the admittance of destitute Chinese, which, however -well-designed, were so clumsily executed as to spread the rumour -that the Government intended to deport even the Chinese residents of -Batavia. A panic broke out among them, and then a revolt, in which they -were soon joined by their countrymen from all over the island. After a -desperate struggle, atrocities innumerable both suffered and inflicted, -a siege sustained, and an attack of fifty and odd thousand beaten back -by their two thousand men, the Hollanders succeeded in putting down the -rebellion, and the enemy fled to the woods and swamps of the lowlands -around Batavia. A few months later, however, a general amnesty having -been granted, such of them as had escaped from famine and jungle-fever -returned, and a special quarter was assigned to them, where it would -be easy both to protect and to control them. There they have since -continued to live. - -[Illustration: "The deliberate stream sauntering along at its own pace -on its way from the hills to the sea."] - -The houses of some rich Chinamen in the Kampong Bahru neighbourhood -are truly splendid; the most modest ones still have an air of comfort. -According to the ideas of the inhabitants, there are none absolutely -squalid. All these houses are, at the same time, shops. They are, in a -way, wonderful people, these sons of the Celestial Empire, merchants, -in one way or other, all of them. There is, of course, a difference. -There is the foot-sore "klontong" trudging trough the weary streets -all day, and shaking his rattle as he goes, to advertise the reels of -cotton and the cakes of soap in his wallet; and, again, there is the -portly millionaire, who entertains army officers and civil servants -in his own profusely-decorated mansion; but the difference is one in -degree only, not in kind. Amid the pomp and circumstance of the one -condition, and the squalor of the other, the individualities are the -same, the attitude of mind and the habits of thought identical, the sum -and substance of a Chinaman's life in Java being expressed in "the -making of bargains." He could as soon leave off breathing as leave off -buying and selling; trading seems to be his natural function. And this, -one fancies, is the great difference between his race and ours; and -the true secret of their superiority as money-makers. A Caucasian, if -he is a merchant, is so with a certain part of his being only--during -certain hours of the day, in his own office. A Chinaman is a merchant -with his whole heart, his whole soul, and his whole understanding, a -merchant always and everywhere, from his cradle to his grave, at table, -at play, over his opium-pipe, in his temple. Trade is the element in -which he lives, moves, and has his being. His thoughts might be noted -in figures. The world is to him one vast opportunity for making money, -and all things in it are articles of trade; which, in Chinese, means -gain to him, and loss to everybody else. He has few wants, infinite -resources, and the faith (in himself) that removeth trading towns. -Small wonder if he succeeds. - -I fancy it would be quite a practical education in the principles of -business, to watch the career of one of these Chinamen, from the hour -of his arrival at Tanjong Priok onward. At first, you see him trudging -along with a wallet, containing soap, sewing cotton, combs, and -matches. After a few months, you find him in your compound surrounded -by the whole of your domestic staff, to whom he is selling sarong -cloth and thin silks. When a year has gone by, a coolie trudges at his -heels panting under a load of wares, the samples of which he subjects -to your approval with the most correct of bows. Have but patience, and -you will find him in a diminutive shop, where somehow he finds place -for a settee in the corner, a mirror on the wall, and all around such a -collection of articles as might fitly be termed an epitome of material -civilization. Nor does he stop in that tiny shop. A few years later, -he will be taking his ease behind the counter of a spick-and-span -establishment in the camp; and, if, by chance, you get a glimpse of his -wife, you will be astonished at the size of the diamonds in her shiny -coil of hair. Our friend is on the high road to prosperity now, which -leads to a big house separate from the shop. Before he is fairly fifty, -he has built it, high and spacious, with an altar to the gods and to -the spirits of his ancestors set in the midst of it, and a profusion -of fine carving and gilding, of embroidered hangings and lacquered -woodwork all around. He will invite you for the New Year's festivities -now, and, if your wife accompanies you, introduce you to his spouse, -resplendent as the rainbow in many-tinted brocades, and more thickly -covered with diamonds than the untrodden meadow with the dews of a -midsummer night. He talks about the funeral of his honoured father, -which cost him upward of three thousand pounds sterling; and he will -ask your advice, over the pine-apples and the champagne, about sending -his son to Europe in one of his own ships, that the youth may see -something of the world, and, if he so list, be entered as a student at -the famous university of Leijden. - - - - -A COLONIAL HOME - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -"It is the North which has introduced tight-fitting clothes and high -houses." Thus Taine, as, in the streets of Pompeii, he gazed at -nobly-planned peristyle and graceful arch, at godlike figures shining -from frescoed walls, and, with the vision of that fair, free, large -life of antiquity, contrasted the Paris apartment from which he was but -newly escaped, and the dress-coat which he had worn at the last social -function. And a similar reflection crosses the Northerner's mind when -he looks upon a house in Batavia. - -I am aware that Pompeii and Batavia, pronounced in one breath, make a -shrieking discord, and that, between a homely white-washed bungalow, -and those radiant mansions which the ancients built of white marble -and blue sky, the comparison must seem preposterous. And, yet, no one -can see the two, and fail to make it. The resemblance is too striking. -The flat roof, the pillared entrance, the gleam of the marble-paved -hall, whose central arch opens on the reposeful shadow of the inner -chambers, all these features of a classic dwelling are recognized in -a Batavia house. Evidently, too, this resemblance is not the result of -mere mechanical imitation. There are a consistency and thoroughness -in the architecture of these houses, a harmony with the surrounding -landscape, which stamp it as an indigenous growth, the necessary -result of the climate, and the mode of life in Java, just as classic -architecture was the necessary result of the climate and the mode of -life in Greece and Italy. If the two styles are similar, it is because -the ideas which inspired them are not so vastly different. After all, -in a sunny country, whether it be Europe or Asia, the great affair of -physical life is to keep cool, and the main idea of the architect, -in consequence, will be to provide that coolness. It is this which -constitutes a resemblance between countries in all other respects so -utterly unlike as Greece and Java, and the difference between these -and Northern Europe. In the North, the human habitation is a fortress -against the cold; in the South and the East, it is a shelter from the -heat. - -There is no need here of thick walls, solid doors, casements of -impermeable material, all the barricades which the Northerner throws -up against the besieging elements. In Italy, as in Greece, Nature is -not inimical. The powers of sun, wind, and rain are gracious to living -things, and under their benign rule man lives as simply and confidingly -as his lesser brethren, the beasts of the fields and forests and -the birds of the air. He has no more need than they to hedge in his -individual existence from the vast life that encompasses it. His -clothes, when he wears them, are an ornament rather than a protection, -and his house a place, not of refuge, but of enjoyment, a cool and -shadow spot, as open to the breeze as the forest, whose flat spreading -branches, supported on stalwart stems, seem to have been the model -for its column-borne roof. - -[Illustration: "Compound" of a Batavia house.] - -The Batavia house, then, is built on the classic plan. Its entrance -is formed by a spacious loggia, raised a few steps above the level -ground, and supported on columns. Thence, a door, which stands open -all day long, leads into a smaller inner hall, on either side of which -are bedrooms, and behind this is another loggia--even more spacious -than the one forming the entrance of the house--where meals are taken -and the hot hours of the day are spent. Generally, a verandah runs -around the whole building, to beat off both the fierce sunshine of the -hot, and the cataracts of rain of the wet, season. Behind the house -is a garden, enclosed on three sides by the buildings containing the -servants' quarters, the kitchen and store rooms, the bath-rooms, and -stables. And, at some distance from the main building and connected -with it by a portico, stands a pavilion, for the accommodation of -guests;--for the average Netherland-Indian is the most hospitable of -mortals, and seldom without visitors, whether relatives, friends, or -even utter strangers, who have come with an introduction from a common -acquaintance in Holland. - -It takes some time, I find, to get quite accustomed to this arrangement -of a house. In the beginning of my stay here, I had an impression -of always being out of doors and of dining in the public street, -especially at night, when in the midst of a blaze of light one felt -oneself an object of attention and criticism to every chance passer-by -in the darkness without. It was as bad as at the ceremonious meals of -the Kings of France, who had their table laid out in public, that their -faithful subjects might behold them at the banquet, and, one supposes, -satisfy their own hunger by the Sovereign's vicarious dining. - -In time, however, as the strangeness of the situation wears off, one -realises the advantage of these spacious galleries to walled-in rooms, -and very gladly sacrifices the sentiment of privacy to the sensation of -coolness. - -For to be cool, or not to be cool, that is the great question, and all -things are arranged with a view to solving it in the most satisfactory -manner possible. For the sake of coolness, one has marble floors or -Javanese matting instead of carpets, cane-bottomed chairs and settees -in lieu of velvet-covered furniture, gauze hangings for draperies of -silks and brocade. The inner hall of almost every house, it is true, is -furnished in European style--exiles love to surround themselves with -remembrances of their far-away home. But, though very pretty, this room -is generally empty of inhabitants, except, perhaps, for an hour now -and then, during the rainy season. For, in this climate, to sit in a -velvet chair is to realize the sensations of Saint Laurence, without -the sustaining consciousness of martyrdom.--For the sake of coolness -again, one gets up at half-past five, or six, at the very latest, -keeps indoors till sunset, sleeps away the hot hours of the afternoon -on a bed which it requires experience and a delicate sense of touch -to distinguish from a deal board, and spends the better part of one's -waking existence in the bath room. - -[Illustration: The servants' kitchen.] - -Now, a bath in Java is a very different thing from the dabbling among -dishes in a bedroom, which Europeans call by that name, even if their -dishes attain the dimensions of a tub. Ablutions such as these are -performed as a matter of duty; a man gets into his tub as he gets into -his clothes, because to omit doing so would be indecent. But bathing -in the tropics is a pure delight, a luxury for body and soul--a dip -into the _Fountaine de Jouvence_, almost the "cheerful solemnity and -semi-pagan act of worship," which the donkey-driving Traveller through -the Cevennes performed in the clear Tarn. A special place is set apart -for it, a spacious, cool, airy room in the outbuildings, a "chamber -deaf to noise, and all but blind to light." Through the gratings over -the door, a glimpse of sky and waving branches is caught. The marble -floor and whitewashed walls breathe freshness, the water in the stone -reservoir is limpid and cold as that of a pool that gleams in rocky -hollows. And, as the bather dips in his bucket, and send the frigid -stream pouring over him, he washes away, not heat and dust alone, but -weariness and vexatious thought in a purification of both body and -soul, and he understands why all Eastern creeds have exalted the bath -into a religious observance. - -Like the often-repeated bath, the rice table is a Javanese institution, -and its apologists claim equal honours for it as an antidote to -climatic influences. I confess I do not hold so high an opinion of -its virtues, but I have fallen a victim to its charms. I love it but -too well. And there lies the danger, everybody likes it far too much, -and, especially, likes far too much of it. It is, humanly speaking, -impossible to partake of the rice table, and not to grossly overeat -oneself. There is something insidious about its composition, a cunning -arrangement of its countless details into a whole so perfectly -harmonious that it seems impossible to leave out a single one. If you -have partaken of one dish, you must partake of the rest, unless you -would spoil all. Fowl calls to fowl, and fish answers fish, and all the -green things that are on the table, aye, and the red and the yellow -likewise, have their appointed places upon your plate. You may try to -escape consequences by taking infinitesimal pinches of each, but many -a mickle makes a muckle, and your added teaspoonfuls soon swell to a -heaped-up plate, such as well might stagger the stoutest appetite. Yet, -even before you have recovered from your surprise, you find you have -finished it all. I do not pretend to explain, I merely state the fact. - -Records have survived of those Pantagruelic feasts with which the great -ones of the mediaeval world delighted to celebrate the auspicious events -of their lives, and the chronicler never fails to sum up the almost -interminable list of the spices and essences with which the cook, on -the advice of learned physicians, seasoned the viands, in order that, -whilst the grosser meats satisfied the animal cravings of the stomach, -those ethereal aromatics might stimulate the finer fluids, whose ebb -and flow controls the soul, and the well-flavoured dishes might not -only be hot on men's tongues but eke "prick them in their courages." -They pricked to some purpose, it seems. And, if the spice-sated -Netherlands-Indian is a comparatively law-abiding man, it must be -because battening rice counteracts maddening curry. But for this -providential arrangement, I fully believe he would think no more of -battle, murder, and sudden death than of an indigestion, and consider a -good dinner as an ample explanation of both. - -Now, as to what they clothe themselves withal. Taine's opinion -concerning tight fitting clothes has been mentioned--viz: that they -are an invention of the North. A fortnight in Batavia will explain and -prove the theory better than many books by many philosophers; and, -moreover, cause the most sartorially-minded individual to consign the -"invention" to a place hotter than even Java. Like the habitations, the -habits of European civilization are irksome in the tropics; and, for -indoor-wear at least, they have suffered a sun-change into something -cool and strange--into native costume modified in fact. Now, the -outward apparel of the Javanese consists of a long straight narrow -skirt "the sarong" with a loose fitting kind of jacket over it,--short -for the men, who call it "badjoo," and longer for the women who wear -it as "kabaya": which garments have been adopted by the Hollanders, -with the one modification of the sarong into a "divided skirt" for -the men, and the substitution of white batiste and embroidery for the -coloured stuffs of which native women make their kabayas, in the case -of the ladies. On the Javanese, a small, spare, slightly-made race, -the garb sits not ungracefully; narrow and straight as it is, it goes -well with contours so attenuated. But on the sturdier Hollander the -effect is something appalling. An adequate description of the men's -appearance in it would read like a caricature; and though, with the -help of harmonious colours and jewellery, the women look better when -thus attired, the dress is not becoming to them either, at least in -non-colonial eyes. The aesthetic sense shies and kicks out at the sight -of those straight, hard, unnatural lines. Modern male costume has been -held up to ridicule as a "system of cylinders". The sarong and kabaya -combine to form one single cylinder, which obliterates all the natural -lines and curves of the feminine form divine, and changes a woman into -a parti-coloured pillar, for an analogy to which one's thoughts revert -to Lot's wife. But, though utterly condemned from an artistic point of -view, from a practical one it must be acquitted, and even commended. In -a country where the temperature ranges between 85 deg. and 95 deg. -Fahrenheit in the shade, cool clothes which can be changed several times -a day, are a condition not merely of comfort, but of absolute cleanliness -and decency, not to mention hygiene. For it is a noteworthy fact that -the women, who wear colonial dress up to six in the evening, stand the -climate better than the men, who, in the course of things, wear it -during an hour or an hour and a half at most, in the day. And it must -be admitted that both men and women enjoy better health in Java, -under this colonial regime of dressing than in the British possessions, -where they cling to the fashions of Europe. - -[Illustration: Native Servants.] - -As for the children, they are clad even more lightly than their elders, -in what the Malay calls "monkey-trousers", chelana monjet, a single -garment, which, only just covering the body, leaves the neck, arms, and -legs bare. It is hideous, and they love it. In German picture-books one -sees babes similarly accoutred riding on the stork, that brings them to -their expectant parents. Perhaps, after all, monkey-trousers are the -paradisiacal garment of babes; and it is a Wordsworthian recollection -of this fact, that makes them cling to the costume so tenaciously. - -One cannot speak of an "Indian" child, and forget the "babu," the -native nurse, who is its ministering spirit, its dusky guardian angel, -almost its Providence. All day long, she carries her little charge -in her long "slendang," the wide scarf, which deftly slung about her -shoulders, makes a sort of a hammock for the baby. She does not like -even the mother to take it away from her; feeds it, bathes it, dresses -it prettily, takes it out for a walk, ready, at the least sign, to lift -it up again into its safe nest close to her heart. She plays with it, -not as a matter of duty, but as a matter of pleasure, throwing herself -into the game with enjoyment and zest, like the child she is at heart; -so that the two may be seen quarrelling sometimes, the baby stamping -its feet and the babu protesting with the native cluck of indignant -remonstrance, and an angry "Terlalu!" "it is too bad!" And, at night, -when she has crooned the little one to sleep, with one of those -plaintive monotonous melodies in a minor key, which seem to go on for -ever, like a rustling of reeds and forest leaves whilst the crickets -are trilling their evensong, she spreads her piece of matting on the -floor, and lies down in front of the little bed, like a faithful dog -guarding its master's slumbers. - -As for the other servants, their name is Legion. A colonial household -requires a very numerous domestic staff. Even families with modest -incomes employ six or seven servants, and ten is by no means an -exceptional number. The reason for this apparent extravagance is, that, -though the Javanese is not lazy--as he often and unjustly is accused -of being--yet he is so slow, that the result practically is the same, -and one needs two or even three native servants, for work which one -Caucasian would despatch in the same time. - -All these have their own quarters in the "compound" and their own -families in those quarters; they go "into the house" as a man would go -to his office; coming home for meals, and entertaining their friends -in the evening, on their own square of matting, and with their own -saffron-tinted rice, and syrup-sweetened coffee. - -Such then, is the setting of every-day existence in Java. - -As for the central fact, it is less interesting than its circumstances, -in so far as it is more familiar. The three or four great conceptions -which determine the home-life of a people--its ideas social, ethical, -and religious concerning the relations between parent and child, -and between men and women--are too deeply ingrained into its mental -substance to be affected by any merely outward circumstances. -Therefore, home-life among the Hollanders in Java, is essentially -the same as among Hollanders in their own country. Still there is -difference, that it has more physical comfort, and less intellectual -interest. The climate, it seems to me, is in a high degree responsible -for both these facts. - -[Illustration: Native gardener.] - -A continual temperature of about 90 degrees is not favourable to the -growth of the finer faculties, in Northerner's brains at least. The -little band of eminent men who have gone up from Java to shine in Dutch -Universities must be regarded as a signal exception to a very general -rule. Besides, the heat is so grave an addition to the already heavy -burden of the day, that one requires all one's energies, both of body -and soul, to conscientiously discharge one's ordinary duties; and -there is no surplus left to devote to literary, artistic, or scientific -pursuits. There are no theatres, no operas, no concerts, no lectures, -no really good newspapers, even, in Java. There could not be, where -there is so little active public life. So that a man's one relaxation -after a hard day's work--unless he looks at dances and dinners in that -light--must be found in his own house. - -One continually hears the phrase in the East, "our house is our life." -Naturally, therefore, the house is made as pleasant as possible, and -as comfortable, not to say luxurious. Incomes are proportionately very -much higher in Java than in Holland--without financial advantage as -an incentive nobody would accept life under tropical conditions--and -the better part of the money is spent on good living in the majority -of cases. Even families of comparatively moderate means have a roomy -house, a sufficient domestic staff, and keep a carriage and a good -table. - -And as to the heat, which assuredly is a discomfort, and no trifling -one, the accepted mode of life does much to palliate it, not only by -the regime of housing, feeding, and dressing, but almost as much by the -way the day is divided. Work is begun early, so as to get as much as -possible done in the cool hours; between nine and five everybody keeps -indoors; and those who can snatch an hour of leisure after the one -o'clock rice-table, spend it in a siesta. Only in the early morning, -and in the evening does one see Europeans about. Not even the greatest -enthusiast for cricket and tennis dare begin games earlier than -half-past four. - -Formerly this was different. - -On old engravings, one may see the tall sombre houses which the first -colonists built on those "grachts" now long since demolished. One -may mark them walking home from a three hours' sermon in broadcloth -mantles, and velvet robes, giving solemn entertainments in their trim -gardens along the canal, with the sun in noon-day glory over-head, -and generally ignoring the trifling differences between Amsterdam and -Batavia. They fought very valiantly for their ancestral customs; but -very few returned to tell of the fight. - -[Illustration: Native footboy.] - -Since, people have reflected that a live Netherland-Indian is better -then a dead Hollander. And, giving up a fight, in which defeat was -all but certain, and success worse than useless, they have effected a -compromise with the climate. In Java they do as Java does, from sunrise -to sunset. But, with the congenial cool of the evening, they resume -their national existence, the garb, the manners and the customs of -Holland. At seven there is a general "va et vient" of open carriages -bearing women in light dresses, and men in correct black-and-white to a -"reception" in some brilliantly-lighted house; and for a few hours, the -life of Home is lived again. - -Outside is the black tropical night, heavy with the scent of invisible -blossoms, pricked here and there by the yellow spark of some trudging -fruitvendor's oilwick. The small fragment of Europe with that -tall-colonnaded marble-paved loggia, with its gliding figures of men -and women, is, stands an Island of Light among the waveless seas of -darkness. - -[Illustration: Sacred gun near the Amsterdam gate, Batavia.] - - - - -SOCIAL LIFE - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -The social life of Batavia has a physiognomy of its own; curious -enough in some of its features. But it is not this which strikes -the new-comer most forcibly. In certain Byzantine mosaics, the -figure represented is entirely eclipsed by the magnificence of the -background: the eye must grow accustomed to the splendour of the gold -and precious stones surrounding it, before it can take in the lines -of the face. In a similar manner, no surmise can be formed as to the -character of Batavia social life before the charm has, at least in -part, passed off, which its setting casts over the critical faculties. -It moves in romance; it is surrounded by beauty; its conditions and -circumstances are in themselves a source of delight. It would seem -almost enough for a feast, in the cool of the evening, to sit under -the verandah, marking on the gleaming marble floor half-reflections -as in tranquil waters under a tranquil sky seen from afar; and the -rich strange green, relieved against blackness, of the plants on -the steps outside, their every leaf and shoot shone upon by the -lamplight, standing out sparkling against the ebon wall of night. From -without, there comes the chirping of crickets, and the deepbreathed -fragrance of flowers--tuberose, gardenia and datura, nocturnal -blossoms. Framed between pillars and architrave, great rectangles of -sky are seen, interstellar azure, and the countless scintillation of -stars. Environings such as these shed a grace and dignity even over -the actions of daily life. When the scene is in itself fair, it is -transfigured into what seems the vision of a poet. - -Shortly after my arrival, I was invited to a ball at the palace. I was -at the time staying with friends in the Salemba quarter; and we had a -drive of nearly an hour through avenues of tall waringin trees. There -was no wind, not the faintest breath of air; all that world of leaves -stood unstirred; summits broad as hilltops, and cascades of massive -foliage, making a blackness against skies all limpid with diffused -starlight. Between the vaguely-discerned stems, the little lights, -which fruit vendors keep twinkling all the night through, would now and -then flare up, and a reddish arm be revealed, the portion of a face, -and some fruits in a basket. Once, too, we saw the shining of a fire -with some native watchmen crouching around it, their faces strangely -distorted in the ever-writhing and shifting light. One of them shouted -out a hoarse "who goes there?" That was the only sound I heard all the -time. Silence and night all around; and overhead, like some pale river -winding along between shores of darkness, the gleaming course of the -sky between the dark waringin-tops. We might have been in the heart -of a woodland, miles away from the populous city, when suddenly the -horses turned a corner, and there burst upon us the great white blaze -of the palace, shining beyond intervening darknesses. It seemed like -a low-hanging lightning-cloud, with myriads of little flames, like -sparks of Saint-Elmo's fire hovering around, above, and underneath. -Those aloft hung immovable: the steadfast stars; lower down, immovable -too, a wide-swung circle of seemingly larger luminaries defining a -tract of darkness; within that flame-bound space, trembling hither and -thither, fitful will-o'-the wisps; and, without the shining boundary, -rushing lights that darted by and suddenly stood, and then with jerks -and stops drew ever nearer to the great effulgent cloud. The lights -of stars, lanterns, oil-wicks, and carriage-lamps seemed all to have -been scattered from that central glow. As we drew nearer, its cloudlike -aspect changed to the semblance of an alabaster grotto, the fire in its -white core streaked with lines of black; and these lines broadened and -lengthened until they grew into solid shafts; when the columns of the -loggia stood revealed, rising from the height of a marble terrace. - -I ascended the white steps. I was in the very heart of the light. The -pillars, the floor, the walls, and the ceiling seemed to be made of -light. And, suddenly, I had a sense of home-coming. Why, I knew all -this very well! I had known it for years, for ever so long, ever since -the time when I listened to fairy tales, and in the beautifully-bound -book--I must not touch it, and I kept my hands behind my back to -withstand the temptation--was shown the picture of the castle where -the Sleeping Beauty lived. At night, lying wide awake up to quite nine -o'clock, I saw it as plain as could be, growing up around the lamp, -with the groundglass shade for a cupola. Later on, when I could read -myself, and also climb trees as the boys in the village had taught -me, sitting all through the drowsy summer afternoons in the forked -branch of an old, crooked pear-tree, with Hans Andersen's tales on my -knees, I rebuilt the Castle on a bolder scale for the Little Mermaiden. -Alas! she was never to live there! Until, at last, when Romeo crossed -the threshold, and Juliet turned and stood at gaze, a burst of music -flooded the widening halls, entwined couples moved like flowers that -sway in the evening wind, and, between the tall columns, I caught a -glimpse of the sky and "all the little stars." Now, I had entered the -palace myself. The great La France roses, and the Marechal Niel that -fell in showers of gold over the edge of the marble urns, had budded in -my dream-garden. The music played; and in the vast hall I knew so well, -the polonaise began to unwind its slow coils, with a flash of goldlace -and of diamonds, a gleaming of bare shoulders, and a wavy movement of -silken trains, whose hues enriched the pale marble underfoot.... "We -should move into this place, I think," said my partner. - -Since then, I have been to many entertainments. It is but honest to -say that at some I have enjoyed myself exceedingly, pouring rains, -and the croaking of frogs, almost in the house, notwithstanding; and -that at others I have felt my eyes burning with tears of suppressed -yawning. It is true this has not happened often; but, when it has, not -all the stars in their courses, nor all the constellations in their -fixed places, could inspirit me; and the perfume of the tuberoses gave -me a headache. I look at these things by gas-light now; and some of -them I find curious and not altogether beautiful. One especially: the -official character of social life in the best circles. It seems as if -discipline regulated matters of pleasure as strictly as matters of -business. A man will go to his chief's party as he would to his office -of a morning, never dreaming of staying away; and imposing old ladies -resent the presence of the wrong partner at a whist table, as if it -were an obstacle in their husband's career. It is as if they could -not, even for one evening, forget the struggle for existence, and as -if they regarded a dinner or a dance as an engagement with the enemy; -a brisk assault to carry by storm some place that has long stood a -regular siege--a lively skirmish in which everything that comes to -hand is a weapon for either attack or self-defence. One cannot be too -well equipped, in this great battle of official life. Intellect is -an excellent weapon, but it is not the only one; and though zeal is -indispensable, it is not enough. There are too many intelligent and -conscientious men jostling each other already. To pass them by, the -ambitious man must be more than merely intelligent and conscientious. -He must choose some special talent--any talent provided it be special. -Where merits are equal, the supererogatory decides the contest. For a -man at all well born and well bred, accomplishments of the social order -are the easiest to acquire; besides, these seemingly futile things are -in reality most important. It is the men of the world who get the good -places; while stay-at-home drudges may after ten years still stay at -home and drudge. Accordingly, social accomplishments are what a wise -man will strive to acquire. And, before anything else, let him see that -he plays a good game of cards. All elderly gentlemen like cards; all -chiefs of departments are elderly gentlemen; therefore, all chiefs of -departments like cards. Hence these many and long-drawn-out parties, -where one sits at little green tables until, dear God! those very -tables seem asleep, and the faint heart is all but lying still. And -hence the patience and the stoical courage, with which ambitious men -endure the trial. Though, to the superficial observer, they are only -taking their pleasures laboriously, they take better things than their -pleasure: a chance of preferment. They have heard ballads being sung -and said about the man who stormed the high places with his chair for -a steed and a pack of cards for shield and spear, and utterly defeated -and drove out the garrison of quill-armed men. These things have been. -And once upon a time, there was a Head of Department, who held the -official virtues to be statistics, discipline, and cards: but the -greatest of these was cards. By his play, he judged a man. A woman he -did not judge at all, conceiving her to be a non-card-playing being. -And a woman sitting down to a game, notwithstanding her declared and -organic inability, was to him the abomination of desolation. But let -young civil servants come to him! And happy that young civil servant -who could, and would, and did stand up to him, and even defeat him -utterly, to the greater glory of cards! For this man was a truly great -soul; and he preferred the honour of the game very far indeed to his -own as a player. - -Still, as all roads lead to Rome, so a good many lead to preferment. -If one great man loves cards, another is partial to a good dinner, and -most affable over pate de foie gras and a bottle of Burgundy. And a -third--this one, presumably, the proud father of pretty daughters--has -a predilection for dances. So that a man may choose his own path -upwards; and, if he will not play, why, he may dance. - -And dance they do in Batavia, with fervour and assiduity. On -east-monsoon nights, when the very crickets judge it too hot for -the exertion of chirping, snatches of Strausz waltzes may be caught -floating out on the heavy air; and luminous shapes be seen twirling -in some brilliantly-lighted front-gallery. Out of every ten persons -you meet, nine are enthusiastic waltzers; and the fieriest fanatic -of them all is sure to be a young civil servant thus "with victory -and with melody" pursuing his upward path to the heights of official -honours. Nothing arrests him in his career. The gallery too narrow for -his evolutions does not exist. One exhausted partner after another he -has led back to her mamma and the restorative champagne-cup, and his -ardour is not a whit abated, though his hair seems to be sprinkled with -diamond-dust, and its cheeks have sunk to the pallor of that wilted -lily, his collar--the last of the posy gathered at home, and thrown -away drooping into a corner of the dressingroom, off the verandah. This -is sublime courage, indeed. As one looks at him, one is reminded of -Indian braves, who, at the first outburst of the war-hoop, put on their -very best paint and shiniest mocassins, and hurry to the gathering of -the chiefs, there to dance the war-dance; not inelegantly, nor without -hidden meaning: each prance and twirl a prophecy of scalp-wreathed -triumphs. - -But dancing--like virtue--may be argued to be its own reward. And, as -such, it but partially fits into the system of amusements considered as -a means to preferment. For the triumph of the principle, commend me to -a reception. Each great man's day--for it is his, observe, and not his -wife's--is announced beforehand in the newspapers, or printed, one in a -long list, on a separate slip of paper, which you must stick up in the -corner of your mirror, so that there shall be no pretext for ignorance. -To make assurance doubly sure, you put a pencil mark against the name -and "day" of your own particular great man. On the appointed date, as -the clock strikes seven, you go. From afar you see the blaze of his -front gallery; the drive shines with multitudinous carriage-lamps, -and every now and then, as another vehicle draws up, the master of -the house is seen descending the verandah-steps, to help some lady to -alight from her carriage, with grave courtesy offering her his arm -to conduct her towards the hostess. She rises, extends a welcoming -hand, begs her newly-arrived guest to be seated, and resumes a languid -conversation with the great lady at her right. Unless, indeed, the new -arrival be a greater lady, in which case the former occupant will cede -to her the place of honour, and content herself with the next. Soon, -around the big marble-topped table, the circle is drawn, one-half of it -shining like the rainbowed sky; the other black as innermost darkness; -one semi-circle of women; another of men; as strictly separated as -we are taught that the sheep and goats shall be, on a certain day. I -cannot but think that the men must be conscious of the fact, and its -dire symbolism. For, as often as not, they get up, and stand unhappily -together in the farthest corner of the verandah, and, with cigars and -cigarettes, make little clouds to hide themselves from the children of -the light shining afar off, and drink sherry out of little glasses, in -deep meditation. Until, suddenly, the booming of the eight o'clock gun -breaks the spell. Every watch is taken out of every waistcoat-pocket, -and set aright. Every countenance brightens, and the greatest man of -all--"not Lancelot, nor another," for his life!--catching a look from -his lady, sitting mournful in her place, steps forward, and boldly -claims her for his own again. Then the others follow, the host still -conducting each fair one back to her carriage; and in another moment -the verandah is left desolate, and that reception is a thing of the -past. - -Not more than two or three of the guests have interchanged a word with -either host or hostess beyond the conventional phrases of welcome and -good bye; and unless some members of the same coterie have been sitting -together,--Batavia society is as full of coteries as a pine-apple is of -seeds--they have not had much conversation among themselves either. Of -pleasure, there has been nothing, of profit so much as may be derived -from seeing and being seen. It is almost as it was at the Court of -Louis XIV. Acte de presence has been made: and that is all; but, as it -seems, it is enough. This is, indeed, a triumph of the bureaucratie -principle. - -In "Java"--as the Batavians call the rest of the island, in curious -contradistinction to the capital--this principle rules with even -greater despotism: it assumes the importance of an article of faith. -Batavia, after all, that "suburb of the Hague," is too much influenced -by the manners and opinions of the Mother Country to be accounted -a colonial town. And, among the colonial ideas it is gradually -discarding, is that one of the extreme importance and supereminence of -office. In Holland, society metes with a different measure. And the -knowledge, perpetually forced on him, that the Honourable of Batavia -must sink into plain Mr. Jansen or Smit of the Hague, is sobering -enough to keep the vanity of even the most arrogant official within -decent limits. Not to mention the fact that, among his fellow-citizens, -there is a large proportion of non-officials, not at all eager to -acknowledge even his temporary superiority. But in "Java," where -communication with the civilized world is much less frequent and much -more difficult, old colonial notions have retained their pristine -vigour. The "Resident" of a little Java station is still very much what -his predecessor, the "Merchant," was in the days of the East-India -Company: a veritable little king. The gilt "payong" held over his -head on official occasions seems a royal canopy, and his gold-laced -uniform-cap a kingly crown in the eyes of his temporary subjects. The -native chiefs revere him as their "elder brother." His own subordinates -naturally look up to him. The planters, who, in their transactions with -the native population--bad keepers of contracts, on the whole--are -dependent upon his decision, need to be, and to continue on good terms -with him. And when it is further taken into consideration that the -social life of the station must be exactly what he chooses to make -it, it will be evident why even absolutely independent persons should -seek to be in his good graces. Thus the man lives in an atmosphere -of adulation. If there be a lack of humour or an abundance of vanity -in his composition, he will take his pseudo-royalty seriously, and -strictly exact homage. But, in the opposite case, and even when he -is averse to it, it will be still pressed upon him. An anecdote -illustrating this was told me, the other day, by an official, himself -the object, or, as he put it, the victim, of this particular kind of -hero-worship. - -He was driving at a rapid pace, down a precipitous road, when the horse -stumbled and fell, his light dogcart was upset, and he himself flung -out of the seat. He had barely recovered from the stunning fall, when -he caught sight of his secretary--who had been following in his own -carriage--coming bounding down the steep road like a big india-rubber -ball, rolling over and over in the dust. "Hullo, Jansen! have you been -upset, too?"--"No, Resident," sputters the fat little man, scrambling -to his feet again, "but I thought, the R-Resident l-l-leaps, I leap, -too!" - -And here is the pendent: - -In the latest cholera-scare, an old lady, the widow of a comptroller, -had been left the sole European resident of her station, all the others -having left for the hills. The Resident, surmising inability to meet -the expenses of travel to be the reason of her staying on, offered -to convey her to a bungalow in the hills, which his own family was -then occupying. The old lady came to thank him for the proposal. But -she could not, she said, accept it. She judged her hour had come; -and she was not afraid of death. Only one favour she would beg from -the Resident. It should be remembered that her husband had been a -comptroller, and that, as his widow, she was in rank superior to all -the European inhabitants of the station, coming second after the -Resident himself. Now her request was this; would the Resident be so -good as to leave written instructions, in case they both should die, to -the effect that her grave should be dug next to his? - -One would expect such an excess of bureaucratic etiquette to breed -dullness and constraint unspeakable. And it certainly somewhat galls -the new-comer. But it is all an affair of custom, and, after a while, -these ceremonious manners come to seem as natural and necessary as -the ordinary courtesies of life, and not a whit more detrimental to -the pleasantness of social intercourse. Indeed, one sometimes sees -positions reversed, and Netherland-Indians accusing Hollanders of -stiffness. And it must be owned that the new-comer in Batavia Society, -is struck by a certain grace and easiness of manner that contrasts -forcibly with the somewhat frigid reserve of the typical Hollander: as -forcibly as a seventeenth-century family mansion on the Heerengracht, -solid, imposing, and gloomy as a fortress, contrasts with an airy -Batavia bungalow, where birds build their nests on the capitals of -the columns, and the whiteness of the floor is tinged with slanting -sunbeams and reflections of tall-leaved plants. And, analogous -contrasts meet one at every step. Life here has less dignity than it -has in the mother country; but it has more grace. Of its--real or -seeming--necessaries, not a few are lacking. But what was that saying -about the wisdom of striving for the superfluities, and caring naught -for the necessaries of life? Existence in Netherland-India is based -upon this principle. The superfluous is striven for--the richness and -the romance of things: and everyday-life is the more acceptable for it. -The comparatively poor in the colony fare better than the comparatively -rich at home. They have more leisure, greater comforts, and better -opportunities for amusement. Hence, the prevalence of "mondain" manners. - -Hospitality is another characteristic of the average Netherland-Indian. -In the mother country, a man's house is his castle; but in Java it is -the castle of his guest. And his guest is practically, whoever likes, -a relation, a friend, a mere acquaintance, an utter stranger, his name -not so much as heard of before, who comes "to bring the greetings of a -friend"--as the pretty, old fashioned phrase has it: and he will meet -with the most cordial of welcomes. People are not content with simply -receiving a guest: they feast him. And, when hospitality is offered, -it is meant, not for days, but for weeks. To stay for two or three -months at a friend's house is nothing out of the common; and this not -for a single person merely, but for a whole family--parents, servants, -and all. I know I am speaking within the mark: having myself been one -of nine guests, four of whom had been staying for some weeks already -at a hospitable house in Batavia. And in "Java"--where hotels are bad -and railways few and far between, it is by no means rare to find an -even more numerous company foregathered at the house of the Resident, -who thus "does the honours" of an entire district; or at the bungalows -of rich planters, jealously competing with the official for what they -consider the privilege rather than the duty of hospitality. They -exercise it in a truly princely way. A well-known tea-planter, some -time ago, celebrating his silver wedding, commemorated the event by -an entertainment, which lasted for three days, and to which a hundred -and fifty guests were invited. Bamboo huts had been erected for those -who could not be accommodated in the house; barns were converted into -ball-rooms and dining-halls; and the native population of half the -district came and was welcomed to its share of the feast. - -This, of course, is a signal instance; but the tendency which it -illustrates is a very general one, so much so, in fact, that it has -influenced domestic architecture, and rendered the pavilion (the -colonial equivalent for our "spare room") as indispensable a part of -the house as the bath-room and the kitchen.--Sometimes indeed the -pavilion is let. But generally it remains dedicated to the uses of -hospitality, and still awaits the "coming and going man," as the Dutch -phrase has it. At its door welcome for ever smiles, and farewell goes -out weeping. - -Welcome. Farewell. Here, in Batavia, the short significant words ever -and again fall upon the ear, recurrent in conversations as the deep, -dominant bass-note that sends a repeated vibration through all the -changes and modulations of a melody; far off and distinct, as the -moan of circling seas, heard in the central dells of an island where -the clear-throated thrushes sing. The sensation of the temporary, -the transitory, and the uncertain that thrills the atmosphere of a -sea-port is in the air of this seemingly-quiet inland town. It is a -common saying here, that one should not make plans for more than a -month beforehand. But even a month seems almost too bold a reaching -into futurity, when every day is full of chances and changes, and the -aspect of things alters over-night. A promotion, an attack of fever, a -fluctuation in the sugar or tobacco-market, a letter from Holland--and -friends are separated, homes broken up, and careers changed. - -The effects of this living on short notice, if I may so call it, are -perceptible in everything pertaining to colonial customs, ideas, and -society. I entered, the other day, one of those ancient mansions long -ago degraded to offices of "the old city." The armorial bearings of the -patrician, who built it in the beginning of the century, still ornament -the entrance. There are stucco mouldings over the doors that lead into -the great, half-dark chambers. A trace of gold and bright colours -is still discernible on the blinds of the tall lattice windows, the -glass of which shines with the iridescent colours that so many days of -sunshine and of rain have wrought into it; and the great staircase has -an oaken balustrade richly sculptured in the style of the 17th century. -The paint might be gone, the mouldings choked with dust and cobwebs, -the sculptured ornaments of the balustrade defaced; but there was not a -stone loose in those massive old walls nor a plank rotten in the floor. -Yet, it had been abandoned. And so has the conception of life, of which -it was the visible and tangible expression. Much hard-and-fastness of -tradition and convention has been done away with. Where circumstances -change so frequently opinions must likewise change. As a result a -certain liberality of thought has come to be a characteristic of -colonial society. There is something generous and truly humane in the -opinions one hears currently professed, and the courage to act up to -these convictions is not wanting. But on the other hand delicacy, -chivalry, and what one might call the decorum of the heart, are on -the whole sadly wanting. The general tone is somewhat "robustious"; -this is perhaps an effect of the climate and soil. On the whole, and -to give a general idea of Batavia society, I fancy one might compare -it to that of some rich provincial town. There is the same eagerness -for precedence, the same intimacy and tattle and neighbourly kindness, -the same high living and plain thinking. But, in the little provincial -town, there is not such freedom from narrowness and prejudice, nor is -there so much hard work done under such unfavourable circumstances, nor -so much home sickness and anxiety and lonely sorrow so bravely borne, -as in Batavia. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -GLIMPSES OF NATIVE LIFE - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -A just appreciation of sentiments and motives repugnant to our own is -among the most difficult of intellectual feats. The Germans express -their sense of this truth by a concise and vigorous, if not altogether -elegant saying: "No man can get out of his own skin, and into his -neighbour's." A difference of colour between the said skins, it may be -added, withholds even adventurous souls from attempting the temporary -transmigration. And the wisdom of nations, brown and white, sanctions -this diffidence. In Java Occidentals and Orientals have been dwelling -together for about three centuries. They have become conversant with -each other's language, opinions, and affairs; they are brought into a -certain mutual dependence, and into daily and hourly contact; there -is no arrogance or contempt on the one side, no abject fear or hatred -on the other; no wilful prejudice, it would seem, on either. But -the Hollanders do not understand the Javanese, nor do the Javanese -understand the Hollanders, in any true sense of the word. So that it -seems the part of wisdom to acknowledge this at the outset, merely -stating that the notions of nice and nasty, fair and foul, right and -wrong, such as they obtain among the two nations are antagonistic. -Anyway, on the part of a casual observer, such as the present writer, -any further criticisms would be presumptuous and almost inevitably -unjust; therefore, they will be refrained from. - -But, whereas I freely confess that the inner life of the Javanese has -remained hidden from me, their outward existence has become familiar -enough. The Javanese practically live out-of-doors. They take their -bath in the river; perform their toilet under some spreading warigin -tree, hanging a mirror as big as the hand on the rugged stem; and squat -down to their meal by the roadside. After nightfall, dark figures may -be discerned around the stalls of fruit-vendors, fantastically lit up -by the uncertain flame of an oil-wick. And, in the dry season, they -often sleep on the moonlit sward of some garden, or on the steps of an -untenanted house. - -This life seems strange to us Northerners, self-constituted prisoners -of roofs and walls. But we have only to look at a Malay, and the -intuitive conviction flashes on us, that it is eminently right and -proper for him to live in this manner. He is a creature of the field. -His supple, sinewy frame, his dark skin, the far-away look in his -eyes, the very shape of his feet, with the short, strong toes, well -separated from one another--his whole appearance--immediately suggest -a background of trees and brushwood, running water, sunlit, wind-swept -spaces, and the bare brown earth. And the scenery of Java with its -strange colouring, at once violent and dull, its luxuriant vegetation, -and its abrupt changes in the midst of apparent monotony, lacks the -final, completing touch in the absence of dusky figures moving through -it. Landscape and people are each other's natural complement and -explanation. Hence, the picturesque and poetic charm of the Javanese -out-of-doors. - -[Illustration: The River-Bath.] - -One of the most fascinating scenes is that of the bath in the river, -soon after sunrise: at Batavia, I have frequently watched it from the -Tanah Alang embankment. The early sunlight,--a clear yellow, with a -sparkle as of topazes in it--makes the dewy grass to glisten, and -brightens the subdued green of the tamarind-trees along the river; -between the oblique bars of shadow the brownish water gleams golden. -On the bank, scores of natives are stripping for the bath. The men run -down, leap into the stream, and dive under; as they come up again, -their bare bodies shine like so many bronze statues. The women descend -the slope with a slower step; they have pulled up their sarong over -the bosom, leaving their shapely shoulders bare to the sun. At the edge -of the water they pause for an instant, lifting both arms to twist -their hair into a knot on the summit of the head; then, entering, -they bend down, and wet their face and breast. Young mothers are -there, leading their little ones by the hand, and coaxing them step -by step further into the shallow stream. Crowds of small boys and -girls have taken noisy possession of the river, plunging and splashing -and calling out to each other, as they swim about, kicking up the -water at every stroke of their sturdy little feet. Half hidden in a -clump of tall-leaved reeds by the margin, young girls are disporting -themselves, making believe to bathe, as they empty little buckets, -made of a palmleaf, over each other's head and shoulders, until their -black hair shines, and the running water draws their garments into -flowing, clinging folds, that mould their lithe little figures from -bosom to ankle. Then, perhaps, all of a sudden, a bamboo raft will -appear round the bend of the river; or a native boat, its inmates -sitting at their morning meal under the awning; and some friendly talk -is exchanged between them and the bathers, as the craft makes its way -through the slowly-dividing groups. One day I saw a broad, brick-laden -barge, that had thus come lumbering down the stream, run aground on -the shallows; the men jumped out, and began pulling and shoving to -get it afloat again. The water dripped from their tucked-up sarongs, -and their backs gleamed in the sunshine, as, almost bent double, they -urged the ponderous thing forward. But still, the bright red heap -remained stationary. Suddenly, a young boy, who had just stripped for -the bath came down the embankment with a running leap, and giving the -boat a sudden sharp push, sent it darting forward. Then he stood up, -laughing, and shook back the shock of black hair which had fallen -over his eyes. He looked like a dusky young river god, who out of his -kindness had come to assist his votaries. - -[Illustration: A laundry in the river.] - -The flower-market too is a scene of idyllic grace, when, after their -early bath in the river, the women come trooping thither, and stand -bargaining, their hands full of red and pink roses, creamy jessamine, -and tuberoses whiter than snow. The Javanese have a great love of -flowers, though, apparently, they take no trouble to raise them in -their gardens. In Batavia, at least, I never saw any growing near their -cottages in the kampong; save perhaps the sturdy hibiscus in hedges, -and that large white, odoriferous convolvulus which the wind sows -along roadsides and hedgerows--the "beauty-of-the-night." And they do -not seem to care for a handful of flowers in a vase, to brighten the -semi-darkness of their little pagar huts. - -[Illustration: Native lady travelling in her litter.] - -[Illustration: A Litter.] - -But the women are hardly ever seen without a rosebud or -tuberose-blossom twined into their hair, and the men not unfrequently -have one stuck behind the ear, or between the folds of their -head-kerchief. As for the children; their bare brown little bodies -are hung with tandjong wreaths. The plucked-out petals of all manner -of fragrant flowers are used to scent the water which the women pour -over their long black hair, after washing it with a decoction of -charred leaves and stalks; and, together with ambergris, and a sweet -smelling root, called "akhar wanggi," dried flowers are strewn between -the folds of their holiday-attire. Like all Orientals, the Javanese -are excessively fond of perfumes, which, no doubt, partially explains -their profuse use of strongly-scented flowers. But that, apart from -the merely sensual enjoyment of the smell, they prize flowers for the -pleasure afforded to the eye by their tints and shapes, is proved by -the frequency with which floral designs occur on their clothes and -ornaments. The full globes of the lotos-buds, the disc of the unfolded -flower with leaves radiating, its curiously-configurated pistil, are -recognized again and again on the scabbards and handles of the men's -poniards and on the girdle-clasps and the large silver kabaya-brooches -of the women. The fine cloth for sarongs is decorated with fanciful -delineations of the flowers that blow in every field and meadow, their -calixes and curly tendrils sprouting amidst figures of widemouthed -dragons, fanged and clawed. Moreover, for their hidden virtues, and -the sacred meanings of which they are the symbol, flowers are by the -natives associated with all the principal acts and circumstances of -their lives--with joy and sorrow and ceremony, and the service of the -gods. When the village folk, donning their holiday-attire, go forth to -the festive planting of the rice, or the gathering, stalk by stalk, -of the ripe ears, they wear wreaths of flowers twined in their hair. -At the feast of his circumcision, the boy is crowned with them. They -are the chief ornament of lovers on their marriage day--gleaming in -the elaborate head dress of the bride, and dangling down as a long -fringe from the groom's golden diadem; wreathing the scabbard of his -poniard; and girdling his naked waist, all yellow with boreh powder. -They are brought in solemn offering to the dead, when, on the third, -the seventh, the fortieth, the hundredth, and the thousandth day, -the kinsmen visit the grave of the departed one, to pray for the -welfare of his soul, and in return implore his protection, and that -of all the ancestors up to Adam and Eve, the parents of mankind. And -lastly, flowers are thought the most acceptable offering to the gods, -the ancient gods whom no violence of Buddhist or Mohammedan invader -has succeeded in ousting from that safe sanctuary, the people's -heart, which they share now, in mutual good-will and tolerance, with -the Toewan Allah, "besides whom there is no God." Under some huge -waringin tree, at the gate of a town or village, an altar is erected -to the tutelary genius the "Danhjang Dessa," who has his abode in -the thick-leaved branches. And the pious people, whenever they have -any important business to transact, come to it, and bring a tribute -of frankincense and flowers, to propitiate the god, and implore his -protection and assistance, that the matter they have taken in hand may -prosper. On the way from Batavia to Meester Cornelis, there stands such -a tree by the road-side, an immense old waringin, in itself a forest. -And the rude altar in its shade, fenced off from the public road by -a wooden railing, from sunrise to sunset is fragrant with floral -offerings. - -[Illustration: The Market at Malang.] - -There are several flower-markets in Batavia. But I have taken a -particular fancy to the one held at Tanah Abang. Its site is a somewhat -singularly chosen one for the purpose, near the entrance to the -cemetery, and in the shadow of the huge old gateway, the superscription -on which dedicates the place to the repose of the dead, and their pious -memory. In its deep, dark arch, as in a black frame, is set a vista of -dazzling whiteness, plastered tombstones, pillars, and obelisks huddled -into irregular groups, with here and there a figure hewn in fair white -marble soaring on outstretched wings, and everywhere a scintillation -as of molten metal--the colourless, intolerable glare, to which the -fierce sunlight fires the corrugated zinc of the roofs protecting the -monuments. - -But on the other side of the gateway there are restful shadows and -coolness. Some ancient gravestones pave the ground, as if it were the -floor of an old village church--bluish-grey slabs emblazoned with -crests and coats-of-arms in worn away bas-relief. Heraldic shapes are -still faintly discernible on some; and long Latin epitaphs, engraved -in the curving characters of the seventeenth century, may be spelt -out, recording names which echo down the long corridors of time -in the history of the colony; and, oddly latinized, the style and -title bestowed on the deceased by the Lords Seventeen, rulers of the -Honourable East India Company--the Company of Far Lands, as in the -olden time it was called. - -Hither, before the sun is fairly risen, come a score of native -flower-sellers, shivering in the morning air, who spread squares of -matting on the soil, and, squatting down, proceed to arrange the -contents of their heaped-up baskets. The bluish-grey gravestones, with -the coats of arms and long inscriptions, are covered with heaps of -flowers: creamy Melati as delicate and sharply-defined in outline as if -they had been carved out of ivory; pink and red Roses with transparent -leaves, that cling to the touch; Tjempakah-telor, great smooth globes -of pearly whiteness; the long calixes of the Cambodja-blossom, in which -tints of yellow and pink and purple are mixed as in an evening sky; the -tall sceptre of the Tuberose, flower-crowned; and "pachar china," which -seems to be made out of grains of pure gold. - -Some who know the tastes of the "orang blandah" have brought flowering -plants to market, mostly Malmaison Roses and tiny Japanese Lilies, -just dug up, the earth still clinging to their delicate roots; or they -sit binding wax-white Gardenias, violet Scabiosa, and leaves as downy -and grey as the wings of moths, into stiff clumsy wreaths; for they -have learnt that the white folks choose flowers of these dull tints -to lay upon the tombs of their dead. And there is one old man, brown, -shrunken, and wrinkled, as if he had been made out of the parched earth -of the cemetery, who sells handfuls of plucked-out petals, stirring -up now and then, with his long finger, the soft, fragrant heap in his -basket--thousands of brilliantly-coloured leaflets. - -About seven o'clock, the customers, almost exclusively women, arrive, -fresh from their bath in the neighbouring river. They form picturesque -groups on the sunny road, those slender figures in their bright-hued -garments, pink, and red, and green, their round brown faces and -black hair, still wet and shining, framed in the yellow aureole of -the payong[2] which they hold spread out behind their head. And the -quiet spot in the shadow of the cemetery gate is alive with their -high-pitched twittering voices, as they go about from one flower-seller -to another, bargaining for Jessamines, Orange-blossoms, and tiny pink -Roses, which, with deft fingers, they twist into the glossy coil of -their "kondeh." - -[2] The payong is an umbrella, quite flat when spread out, of yellow -oiled paper. - -Javanese women are most pardonably proud of their hair. It is somewhat -coarse, but very long and thick and of a brilliant black, with bluish -gleams in it; and it prettily frames their broad forehead with regular, -well-defined curves and points. They take great care of it, too, -favourably contrasting, in this respect, with European women of the -lower classes, though some of their methods, it must be owned, are -repugnant to European notions of decency. As they bathe, and sleep, and -eat in public, so, in public, they cleanse each other's hair. A woman -will squat down in some shady spot by the roadside, and, shaking loose -her coiled-up hair, submit to the manipulations of a friend, who parts -the strands with her spread-out fingers, and removes ... superfluities, -with quick monkey-like gestures. What would you have? "The country's -manner, the country's honour," as the Dutch proverb hath it. This -particular way of cleansing the hair is a national institution among -the Javanese. And, as such, it is celebrated in the legends of the -race, and in the tales of the olden time, which are still repeated, of -an evening, among friends. - -[Illustration: Street-Dancers.] - -[Illustration: Musicians.] - -The scholar of the party, by the light of an oil-wick, reads from -a greasy manuscript which he has hired for the evening at the price -of one "pitji."[3] It is the story of the beautiful beggarmaid, who -wanders from village. She does not know her own name or who were her -parents, having, in infancy, been stolen by robbers. One day, she -comes begging to the gates of the palace. The Rajah orders the guards -to admit the suppliant, and his Raden-Ajoe[4] causes a repast to be -prepared for her. They are kind towards those in affliction, having -known great sorrow themselves: for their only child a daughter, -mysteriously disappeared years and years ago; and now they are old and -childless. The Rajah, gazing upon the stranger, frequently sighs: his -daughter would have grown up to be a maiden as fair, if she had lived. -And the Raden-Ajoe, taking her by the hand, bids her sit down, and -unloose those glossy locks, worthy to be wreathed with the fragrant -blossom of the asana. She herself will cleanse them. Then, as she parts -the long braids, ah! there upon the crown, behold the cicatrice which -her little daughter had! The long-lost one is found again. - -[3] About twopence. - -[4] Chief wife. - -[Illustration: The native cithara and violin.] - -[Illustration: Clasp for fastening a kabaya in front.] - -In Javanese fairy tales the long locks of nymphs and goddesses are -treasured as talismans by the hero who has been fortunate enough to -obtain one. There is great virtue for instance, in the long hair of -the Pontianak, the cruel sprite that haunts the waringin tree. Have -you never seen her glide by, white in the silver moonlight? Have you -never heard her laugh, loud and long, when all was still? She is the -soul of a dead virgin, whom no lover ever kissed. And now she cannot -rest, because she never knew love; and she would fain win it yet; -though not in kindness now, but in spite and deadly malice. She sits -in the branches of trees, softly singing to herself as she combs her -long hair. And when a young man, hearing her song, pauses to listen, -she meets him, in the semblance of a maid fairer than the bride of the -Love-god, and raises soft eyes to him and smiling lips. But, when he -would embrace her, he feels the gaping wound in her back, which she -had concealed under her long hair. And, as he stands speechless with -horror, she breaks away from him with a long loud laugh, and cries: -"Thou hast kissed the Pontianak, thou must die!" And, ere the moon is -full again, his kinsmen will have brought flowers to his grave. But, if -he be quick-witted and courageous, he will seize the evil spirit by her -flying locks; and, if he succeeds but in plucking out one single hair, -he will not die, but live to a great age, rich, honoured, and happy, -the husband of a Rajah's daughter and the father of Princes. - -[Illustration: A Native Restaurant in its most compendious shape.] - -Some men are fortunate, however, from their birth, and do not need the -Pontianak's long hair; that is because their own grows in a peculiar -manner, from two circular spots near the crown. To the owner of such a -"double crown," nothing adverse can ever happen. All his wishes will be -fulfilled, and he will prosper in whatever matter he sets his hand to. - -Again, it is not men alone who are thus visibly marked by fate. In the -crinklings of the hair on a horse's neck, the wise read plain signs -of good or bad fortune by which it is made manifest whether the horse -will be lucky and carry his rider to honour and happiness, or unlucky -and maim or even kill him. That is the great point about a horse: the -way in which the hair on his neck grows. If therefore you should find -the auspicious sign on him, buy the animal, whatever may be the price -and however old, ugly, or weak he may seem to the ignorant. But, if you -find the sign of ill-luck, send him away at once, and cause the marks -of his hoofs to be carefully obliterated from the path that leads to -your door; for if you neglect this precaution, great disaster may be -brought upon you and all your house. Reflect upon this, and the true -significance of the history of Damocles will be revealed to you. In -truth, all fortune, good or bad, hangs by a single hair. - -[Illustration: For the morning and evening meal he prefers the open air -and the cuisine of the warong.] - -After the bath, the Javanese proceeds to take his morning meal; and -this, again is a public performance. The noon repast--the only solid -one in the day--is prepared and eaten at home. But, for the morning -and evening meals, the open air and the cuisine of the warong are -preferred. The warong is the native restaurant. There are many kinds -and varieties of it: from its most simple and compendious shape--two -wooden cases, the one containing food, prepared and raw, the other, -a chafing-dish full of live coals, and a supply of crockery--to its -fully-developed form, the atap-covered hut. There, a dozen, and more -customers hold their symposia presided over by the owner, who sits -cross-legged on the counter amid heaps of fruit, vegetables, and -confectionery. All manner of men meet here: drivers of sadoos or hack -carriages, small merchants, artizans, Government clerks, policemen, -water-carriers, servants, hadjis,[5] not to mention the "corresponding" -womankind. They talk, they talk! and they laugh! The affairs of all -Batavia are discussed here--matters of business, intrigue, love, -money, office, everything, material to make a Javanese Decamerone -of, if a Boccaccio would but come and put it into shape. There are -several of these warongs about Tanah-Abang and the Koningsplein, and, -of course, in the native quarters. But the smaller, portable ones are -found everywhere: by the river-side, at the railway stations, at the -sadoo-stands, along the canals, at the corners of the streets; and they -seem to do a thriving business. - -[5] Title given to those who have performed the pilgrimage to Mecca. - -Each of these itinerant cooks has his own place on the pavement or in -the avenue, recognised as such by the tacit consent of the others. -Hither he comes trudging, in the early morning, carefully balancing his -cases at the end of the long bamboo yoke, so as not to break any of the -dozens of cups, glasses, and bottles on his tray; then, having disposed -his commodities in the most appetizing manner, he stirs up the charcoal -in the chafing-dish, and begins culinary operations. One of these is -the preparation of the coffee, which consists of pouring boiling water -upon the leaves, instead of the berries, of the coffee tree, after -the manner of some Arab tribes. Sometimes, however, the berries also -are used, and the infusion is sweetened with lumps of the dark-brown, -faintly flavoured sugar that is won from the areng-palm. Then the -rice--the principal dish of this, as of any other meal--is boiled in -a conical bag of plaited palm fibre; and, when ready, is made up into -heaped-up portions, with, perhaps, a bit of dried fish and some shreds -of scarlet lombok[6] stuck on the top. This is for the solid part of -the repast; the dessert is next thought of. It is ready in the portable -cupboard--the thrifty wife of the vendor having risen long before dawn -to prepare it--and is now set forth, on strips of torn-up banana-leaf, -as on plates and saucers; green and white balls of rice-meal, powdered -over with rasped cocoa-nut, orange cakes of Indian corn, shaking pink -jellies, and slices of some tough dark-brown stuff. The cool fresh -green of the banana-leaf makes the prettiest contrast imaginable to -all these colours, its silky surface and faint fragrance giving, at -the same time, an impression of dainty cleanliness such as could never -be achieved by even the most spotless linen and china of a European -dining-table. - -[6] The seed-capsules of the red pepper-plant. - -The Javanese are very frugal eaters. A handful of rice with a pinch of -salt, and, perhaps, a small dried fish being sufficient for a day's -ration. Of course, we, Europeans, confessedly, eat too much. But -how grossly we over-eat ourselves, can only be realized on seeing a -Javanese subsisting on about a tenth part of our own daily allowance, -and doing hard work on that--labouring in the field, travelling on -foot for days together, and carrying heavy loads without apparent -over-exertion. - -[Illustration: A kitchen.] - -However, though so abstemious in the matter of solid food, they are -excessively fond of sweetmeats. I have often watched a party of grown -men and women, seated on the low bench in front of a warong, and -eating kwee-kwee[7] with perfectly childish relish, or bending over -a stall, gravely comparing the respective charms of white, pink, and -yellow cakes; hesitating, consulting the confectioner, and at last -solving the difficulty by eating a little of everything. Whatever ready -money they may chance to have, is spent either on personal adornment or -on sweetmeats; and on festive occasions, they will pawn their furniture -rather than deny them selves the enjoyment of more cakes, jellies, -fruit and syrups than they can partake of without making themselves -sick and sorry. - -[7] Malay for "cakes." - -[Illustration: A native restaurant in its simplest and most compendious -shape.] - -Nor do they show more discretion in the matter of the dieting of their -children. Though left, in almost all other respects, to chance and -the guidance of its own instincts, a native child is not trusted to -eat alone. The mother's idea seems to be that, if left to itself, her -child would never eat at all, and that it is her plain duty to correct -this mistake in nature's plan. Wherefore, having prepared a mess of -rice and banana, she lays the little thing flat on its back, upon -her knees, takes some of the food between the tips of her fingers, -kneading it into a little lump, and pushes this into the baby's mouth, -cramming it down the throat with her thumb, when the baby, willy nilly, -must swallow it. Thus she goes on, the baby alternately screaming and -choking, until she judges it has had enough--is full to the brim, so to -speak, and incapable of holding another grain of rice. Then she will -set it on its feet again, dry the tears off its round cheeks, and rock -it to sleep against her breast, closefolded in the long "slendang." - -A similar principle obtains in education. To watch the native -schoolmaster drilling the Koran into his pupils, is to be reminded -of the rice-balls and the maternal thumb. I witnessed the scene, the -other day, at a little school--if a framework of four bamboo-posts and -an "atap" roof deserves that name--in a native "kampong" at Meester -Cornelis.[8] I had come upon this school quite accidentally, in the -course of a ramble along the river-side. As I was making my way through -a plantation of slim young trees, all festooned with dangling lianas, -I had been conscious for some minutes of a droning and buzzing sound, -somewhere near me, and fancied it to be the humming of bees, hovering -over the lantana-blossoms that covered the steep bank of the river -with flames of red and orange, and filled the air with their pungent -scent. But, suddenly, I caught the word "Allah:" and, the next moment, -I was standing in an open space in the midst of some ten or twelve -bamboo huts. One of these, evidently, was a school; and the droning -noise I had heard proceeded from an old spectacled schoolmaster, who -was reading aloud--or, rather, chanting--from a book held in his hand. -A little boy stood in front of him, listening very attentively, and, -every time the old schoolmaster had completed a phrase, the child -repeated it in exactly the same sing-song, closing his eyes the while, -and rocking his little body to and fro. After he had finished, another -came up; there were some twelve or thirteen seated on a sort of bench, -awaiting their turn; and all of them went through the same course -of listening and repeating, the master, now and then, correcting the -intonation of some phrase. It was the Koran which they were thus -reciting in the Arabic language. In all probability, the master did not -understand a single word of Arabic; assuredly none of the boys did. But -what of that? They know it by heart, from its very first word to its -very last. They learn to mis-pronounce the Confession of the Unity of -God; and they are taught to consider themselves Mohammedans. That is -enough. - -[8] A suburb of Batavia. - -[Illustration: Native restaurant.] - -After the early morning meal, the Javanese begin the business of the -day. In towns, where they are debarred their natural occupation, -agriculture, and where, moreover, the Chinese artisans and shopkeepers -have almost entirely ousted them from trade and commerce, the majority -of the natives, men and women, are employed as domestic servants -in the houses of European residents. Hence, but little is seen of -them during the greater part of the day. Towards four o'clock, they -reappear, and again repair to the kali or the canal for a plunge into -the tepid water. Cigarettes are lit, sirih-leaves cut up and neatly -rolled into a quid and some friendly conversation is indulged in. In -fine weather games are played. - -The behaviour of Javanese at play is one of the things which strike -most strongly upon the Northerner's observation. There is nothing here -of that vociferous enthusiasm which characterises our young barbarians -at play--no shouts of exultation or defiance, no applause, no derision, -no cries, no quarrelling or noisy contest. From beginning to end of the -game, a sedate silence prevails. This is not, as might be imagined, -due to apathy and indifference--the Javanese are keen sportsmen, and -often stake comparatively important sums on the issue of a game--but -the effect of an etiquette which condemns demonstrativeness as vulgar. -Outward placidity must be maintained, whatever the stress of the -emotions, and whether circumstances be important or trivial. Hence the -apparent calm of Javanese at play, even when engaged in games that most -excite their naturally fierce passions of ambition and envy. The winner -does not seem elated, the loser is not spiteful. They are in the full -sense of the word "beaux joueurs." - -During the East monsoon, when high south-easterly winds may be counted -upon, flying kites is a favorite game; and not only with boys, but with -grown men. Groups of them may often be seen in the squares and parks of -Batavia or in the fields near the town, floating large kites, shaped -like birds and winged dragons, which, in ascending, emit a whistling -sound, clear and plaintive as that of a wind-harp. They sometimes -remain soaring for days together, and strains of that aerial music, -attuned in sad "minore," float out upon every passing breath of air. -Passers-by in the street look up, shading their eyes from the sun, at -the bright things soaring and singing in the sky, and dispute much -about the melodious merits of each. - -[Illustration: Breakfast in the open air.] - -The paper singing-birds, called "swangan," are very popular with the -masses. But the true amateurs of the sport prefer another kind, the -"palembang" and "koenchier" kites, which do not sing but fight, or, -at least, in skilful hands, can be made to fight. These are made -of Chinese paper, and decorated with the image of some god or hero -of Javanese mythology. The cord twisted out of strong rameh fibre -is coated with a paste of pounded glass or earthenware, mixed with -starch. This renders it strong and cutting as steel wire. The aim -of each player is to make the cord of his kite, when up in the air, -cross his opponent's cord, and then, with a swift downward pull, cut -it in two: a manoeuvre which requires considerable dexterity. The game -is played according to strict rules and with some degree of ceremony -and etiquette, as prescribed by the "adat"--the immemorial law of -courtesy which, in Java, regulates all things, from matters of life and -death down to the arrangement of a girl's scarf and the games which -children play. When all the kites are well up in the air, tugging on -the strained cords, each player chooses his antagonist. He advances to -within a few paces, makes his kite approach the other's, all but touch -it, swerve, and come back; having thus preferred his challenge, he -retires to the place first occupied. Thither, presently, his opponent -follows him, and, by the exact repetition of his manoeuvre, signifies -his acceptance of the combat, retiring afterwards in the same stately -manner. Then the contest begins. The agile figures of the players dart -hither and thither, fitfully, with swift impulse and sudden pause, and -abrupt swerve, bending this way and that, swaying, with head thrown -back and right arm flung up along the straining cord. The groups -of spectators, standing well aside so as not to interfere with the -movements of the players, gaze upward with bated breath. And, aloft, -sparkling with purple and gold, their long streamers spread out upon -the wind, the two kites soar and swoop, swerve, plunge a second time, -slowly swim upwards again, glide a little further, and hang motionless. -The thin cords are all but invisible; the fantastic shapes high in the -air seem animated with a life of their own, wilful, untiring, eager to -pursue, and swift to escape, full of feints and ruses. Suddenly, as one -again plunges, the other, tranquilly sailing aloft, trembles, staggers, -tumbles over, and leaping up, scuds down the wind and is gone. The -severed length of cord comes down with a thud; and, as the unlucky -owner darts away after the fugitive, in the forlorn hope of finding it -hanging somewhere in the branches of a tree, the victor lets his kite -reascend and triumphantly hover aloft, straining against the wind, and -tugging upon the strong shiny cord that has come off scathless from the -encounter. - -The aboriginal craving for battle and mastery, which, philosophers -tell us, is at the bottom of all our games, is even more strongly -developed in the Javanese than in the Caucasian. But the race is not -an athletic one; immemorial traditions of decorum condemn hurry and -violence of movement; and active games, such as this of flying kites, -are the exception. Even at play, the Javanese loves repose; and, when -gratifying his combative instincts, he is mostly content to fight by -proxy. - -Cocks and crickets are the chosen deputies of the town-folk in this -matter; and Javanese sportsmen are as enthusiastic about them as -Spaniards about a toreador, as Englishmen about a prize-fighter. - -[Illustration: Here they are: without plaything naked, and supremely -happy.] - -The Government forbids the cock- and cricket-fights on account of the -gambling to which they invariably give rise. But the police are not -omniscient or ubiquitous. Where there is a will, there is a way; and, -in hidden corners, cocks continue to hack, and crickets to bite and -kick each other to the greater amusement of native sporting circles. - -On the training of a game-cock, his owner spends much time, care, and -forethought. The bird's diet is regulated to a nicety: so much boiled -rice per diem, so much water, so much meat, hashed fine and mixed with -medicinal herbs. One a week, a bath is given him, after which he is -taken in his coop to a sunny place to dry; and he is subjected to a -regular course of massage at the hands of his trainer, who, taking -the bird into his lap, with careful finger and thumb, "pichits" or -shampoos the muscles of neck, wings, and legs, to make them supple and -strong. Connoisseurs arrive from compound and "kampongs" to exchange -criticisms. The age, strength, and agility of rival birds are discussed -at length and finally, when there is a sufficient number in good -condition, a match is arranged. - -[Illustration: A Chinese carpenter.] - -[Illustration: A Chinese Dyer.] - -The amateurs arrive at the spot, each carrying his bird cooped up in -a cage of banana-leaves, through opposite openings in which the head, -shorn of its comb, and the tail protrude. A ring is formed, every one -squatting down, with his cage in front of him; and the birds are taken -out, and passed round for general inspection. After careful comparison -and deliberation, two of approximately equal strength are selected as -antagonists, and the umpire, whose office it is to arm the birds with -the trenchant steel spurs, further equalizes chances by attaching the -weapons of the weaker party to the spot where they will prove most -effective: high up the leg. The owners then take up each his own bird, -allow the two to peck at each other once or twice, put them down upon -the ground again, and, at the signal given by the umpire, let go. The -cocks fight furiously. Generally, one of the two is killed; and, almost -inevitably, both are cruelly injured by the long, two-edged knives -attached to their legs in place of the cut-off spurs. - -Cricket-fights do not seem quite as brutal: the natural weapons of -the little combatants, at least, are not artificially added to; and -victory, it appears, is as often achieved by courage and skill as by -mere force. It is said that even more patience is required to train a -game-cock; and the process certainly seems elaborate. - -First, there is the catching of the "changkrik." For this, the amateur -goes, after nightfall, to some solitary spot out in the fields or -woods--preferably near the grave of some Moslem saint, or royal hero, -or in the shadow of some sacred tree, the "changkriks" caught in these -consecrated places being considered much superior to those of the ditch -and garden as participating in the virtue of their habitat. Here, -then, the amateur builds some stones into a loose heap, hiding in the -midst of it a decoy "changkrik" in a little bamboo cage and retreats. -When, a little before dawn, he again approaches the spot, treading -cautiously, and shading the light of his little lantern, he is sure to -surprise quite a company of crickets gathered around the mound and -crouching under the stones, whither they have been lured by the shrill -song of the captive insect; and, if he is adroit, he may catch a score -at a time. Only the finest and strongest of these he retains; and -straightway the work of education is begun. - -[Illustration: The miniature stage on which the lives and adventures -of Hindoo heroes, queens and saints are acted over again by puppets of -gilt and painted leather.] - -This is not easy; for the cricket is among the most liberty-loving of -animals, and, at first, utterly refuses to be tamed. Unless the bamboo, -of which his little cage is made, be very hard and close-grained, he -manages to gnaw his way through it; and, when baulked in this attempt, -tries to shatter the walls of his prison by battering them with his -horny head, never ceasing until he has killed or, at any rate, stunned -himself. In order to tame him, his trainer throws the "changkrik" into -a basin full of water, and there lets him struggle and kick until he is -half-drowned and quite senseless; then, fishing out the little inert -body, he puts it in the palm of his hand, and, with a tiny piece of -cottonwool fastened to a "lidi"[9] begins to stroke and rub it, in a -kind of lilliputian massage. Then, pulling out a long lank hair from -the shock hidden under his "kain kapala"[10] he delicately ties it round -one of the cricket's hind legs, and hangs him to a nail, in some cool -draughty place, where the air may revive him. After a couple of hours, -perhaps, the tiny creature, dangling by one leg, begins to stir. It is -then taken down, warmed in the hollow of the hand, encouraged to stand -upon its legs, and crawl a little way, and, finally, replaced in its -bamboo cage. It does not again try to escape. - -[9] Lidi:--Fibre from the stalk of the palm leaf. - -[10] Kain Kapala:--Head Kerchief. - -[Illustration: Scene in a Wayang-Wong Place.] - -When it has thus been brought to the proper frame of mind, its real -education begins. With a very fine brush, made of grass-blossoms, -the trainer tickles its head, side, and back; a mettlesome individual -immediately begins to "crick" angrily, and to snap at the teasing -brush. After some time, he flies at the brush as soon as he sees it, -hanging on to it with his strong jaws, as to a living thing. This shows -he is in good condition for fighting. He is now, for some days, fed -upon rice sprinkled with cayenne-pepper, to "prick him in his courage;" -and then taken to the arena. His antagonist is there, in his narrow -bamboo cage, quivering with impatience under the touch of his trainer's -brush of grass-blossoms; the cages are placed over against one another; -and as soon as they are opened, the two "changkriks" rush at each -other. The one who is first thrown, or who turns tail and flies, is -beaten; and great is the glory of the victor. The Javanese often stake -comparatively important sums on fighting crickets. And there is always -a chance that the quarrel of the tiny champions may be fought out by -their owners. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: The Regent of Malang's Wayang-Wong.] - -To all other pleasures, the Javanese prefers that of witnessing a -performance of the wayang, the native theatre. He is an artist at -heart, loving sweet sounds, graceful movements, and harmonies of bright -colour; and all these he may enjoy at the wayang, where, in the pauses -of the drama, ballads are sung to the tinkling accompaniment of the -"gamellan," and splendidly-arrayed dancers put forth "the charm of -woven paces and of waving hands." There are several kinds of "wayang," -each having its own range of subjects and style of acting; the most -ancient as well as the most popular, however, is the "wayang poerwa," -the miniature stage on which the lives and adventures of Hindoo heroes, -queens, and saints are acted over again by puppets of gilt and painted -leather, moving in the hands of the "dalang," who recites the drama. - -The "wayang poerwa" is best described as a combination of a -"Punch-and-Judy" show and a kind of "Chinese shadows"; and--as with the -famed shield which was silver on one side and gold on the other--its -appearance depends upon the stand-point of the spectator. A puppet show -to those in front of the screen, where the gaudily-painted figures are -fixed in a piece of banana stem, it is a Chinese lantern to those on -the other side, who see the shadows projected on the luminous canvas. -According to ancient custom, the men sit in front and see the puppets; -the women have their place behind the screen, and look on at the play -of the shadows. In fully-equipped wayangs, as many as two hundred of -these puppets are found, each with its own particular type and garb, -characteristic of the person represented. - -Certain conventional features, however, are repeated throughout as -symbols of their moral disposition. Long thin noses continuing the -line of the sloping forehead, narrow, slanting eyes, and delicate -mouths, firmly shut, indicate wisdom and a gentle disposition; a -bulging forehead, short thick nose, round eyes and gaping mouth, -indicate lawlessness and violence. No difference is made between -the portraitures of gods and those of mortals; but the Titans are -distinguished by the size and unwieldiness of their body, their staring -eyes, and huge teeth, sometimes resembling tusks. The bodies and faces -are indifferently black, blue, white, flesh-coloured, or gilt; the -colour of the face, moreover, often being a different one from that of -the rest of the person. And all the figures are taken in profile. - -[Illustration: The native orchestra which accompanies every -representation of the wayang.] - -The stage on which these puppets are shown consists of an upright -screen of white sarong cloth. A lamp hangs from the top; at the bottom, -it has a transverse piece of banana stem, into the soft substance of -which the puppets may easily be fixed by means of the long sharp point -in which their supports terminate. The centre of the screen is occupied -by the "gunungan," the conventionalized representation of a wooded -hill, which symbolizes the idea of locality in general, and stands for -a town, a palace, a lake, a well, the gate of Heaven, the stronghold of -the Titans, in short, for any and every place mentioned in the course -of the drama. Among the further accessories of the wayang are a set of -miniature weapons, shields, swords, spears, javelins, and "krisses," -exactly copied after those now or formerly in use among Javanese, and -often of the most exquisite workmanship, destined to be handled by the -gods and the heroes to whose hands they are very ingeniously adapted. -Nor should such items as horses and chariots be forgotten. To manoeuvre -this lilliputian company of puppets is the difficult task of the -"dalang." - -In continuance of the Punch-and-Judy comparison, the "dalang" should -be called the "showman" of the wayang. But he is a showman on a grand -scale. Not only does he make his puppets act their parts of deities, -heroes, and highborn beauties according to the strict canons of -Javanese dramatic art, observant at the same time of the exigencies of -courtly etiquette; but he must know by heart the whole of those endless -epics, the recitation of which occupies several nights; sometimes he -himself dramatizes some popular myth or legend; and he must always -be ready at a moment's notice to imagine new and striking episodes, -adapt a scene from another play to the one he is performing, and -improvise dialogues in keeping with the character of the dramatis -personae. He should have an ear for music and a good voice, and possess -some knowledge of Kawi[11] to give at all well the songs written in -that ancient tongue, which announce the arrival of the principal -characters on the stage. Moreover, he conducts the "gamellan," the -native orchestra which accompanies every representation of the wayang; -and finally he orders the symbolical dance, which gorgeously-attired -"taledeks" execute in the pauses of the drama. Manager, actor, -musician, singer, reciter, improvisator, and all but playwright, he is, -in himself, a pleiad of artists. - -But the "dalang's" reward is proportionate to those exertions. He -and his art are alike held in almost superstitious respect. No one -dreams of criticizing his performances. If he wishes to travel, not -a town or hamlet but will give him an enthusiastic welcome. And, at -home, he enjoys that princely prerogative, immunity from taxes, his -fellow-citizens discharging his obligations in requital of the pleasure -he procures them by his wayang performances. If nothing else were -known about them, this one trait, it seems to me, would be sufficient -to prove the Javanese to be a people capable of true enthusiasm, -and a generous conception of life. There is something Greek in this -notion that holds the artist acquitted of all other duties towards the -community, since he fulfils the supreme one of giving joy. - -[11] Ancient Javanese. - -[Illustration: Wayang-Wong Players missing a Fight.] - -[Illustration: Wayang-Wong Scene.] - -At the same time that it is the chief national amusement, the -wayang-show is, in a sense, a religious act, performed in honour of -the deity, and to invoke the blessing of the gods and the favour -of the "danhjang dessa" and all other good spirits upon the giver of -the entertainment. The baleful influence of the Evil Eye, also, is -averted by nothing so surely as by a wayang-performance, wherefore no -enterprise of any importance should be entered upon without one of -these miniature dramatical representations being given. Domestic feasts -such as are held at the birth of a child, or at his circumcision, -seldom lack this additional grace. And a marriage at which Brahma, -Indra, and, above all, Ardjuna, the beloved of women, had not been -present in effigy, would be considered ill-omened from the beginning. - -As soon as it becomes known that some well-known "dalang" will hold -a wayang-performance at such and such a house,[12] the village folk -from miles around come trooping toward the spot, trudging for hours, -or even days, along the sun-scorched, dust-choked highroads, an -enormous, mushroom-shaped hat on their head, and a handful of boiled -rice, neatly folded in a green leaf, tucked into their girdle. At one -of the numerous warongs or shops temporarily erected near the spot, -where the wayang is to be performed, they buy some bananas and a cup of -hot water, flavoured, perhaps, with green leaves of the coffee-plant, -and sweetened with the aromatic areng-sugar. And, provided with these -simple refreshments, they squat down upon the ground--the men on that -side of the wayang-screen where they will see the puppets, the women on -the other where the shadows are seen--and prepare to restfully enjoy -the drama. - -[12] The wayang-screen is erected in the open air, in front of the -house. - -Already the last streaks of crimson and gold-shot opal have faded in -the western skies, and the grey of dusk begins to deepen into nocturnal -blackness. The evening breeze is astir in the tall tree-tops, waking -a drowsy bird here and there among the branches; it chirps sleepily -and is still again. Aloft, a single star is seen limpid and tremulous, -like a dewdrop about to fall. And the garrulous groups around the -wayang-screen gradually cease their talk. - -Now the "dalang" rising, disposes, on an improvised altar, the -sacrificial gifts--fruit, and yellow rice, and flowers, and lights -the frankincense that keeps off evil spirits. Then, as the column of -odoriferous smoke ascends, sways, and disperses through the thin, cool -air, a volley of thunderous sound bursts from the "gamellan," and the -dancers appear. - -Slowly they advance, in hand-linked couples, gliding rather than -walking, with so gentle a motion that it never stirs the folds of -their trailing robes, gathered at the waist by a silver clasp. Their -bare shoulders, anointed with boreh,[13] gleam duskily above the purple -slendang that drapes the bosom. Their soft round faces are set in a -multi-coloured coruscation of jewellery, a play of green and blue and -ruby-red sparks, that chase each other along the coiled strands of the -necklace and the trembling ear-pendants, and shine with a steadier -light in the richly chased tiara. A broad silver band, elaborately -ornamented, clasps the upper arm; a narrower bracelet encircles the -wrist; the fingers are a-glitter with rings. - -[13] A fragrant yellow unguent. - -[Illustration: Scene from a Wayang-Wong Play.] - -Arrived in front of the wayang-screen they pause; with the tips of -their fingers take hold of the long embroidered scarfs and stand -expectant of the music that is to accompany their dancing. The -"gamellan" intones a plaintive melody: a medley of tinkling, and -fluting, and bell-like sounds, scanded by the long-drawn notes of the -"rebab," the Persian viol. Following the impulse of its rhythm, the -dancers raise their hands making the scarf to float along the extended -arm, and waving about the glittering silk they drape themselves in its -folds as in a veil. Then, standing with feet turned slightly inwards, -and motionless, they begin to turn and twist the body, bending this -way and that way, with the swaying movement of slim young trees that -bow beneath the passing breeze, tossing their branches. And, with -arms extended and hands spread out, they mime a ballad which some of -their companions are singing, the prologue to the play. This may be -a fragment of that ancient Hindoo poem, the Maha-Bharata; or a myth -of which Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiwa are the heroes, such as there are -recorded in the Manik Maja; or, again, some episode of the Ramayana; -the "wayang poerwa" being dedicated to the representation of these -three epics. A favourite subject, popular with the men on account of -the many battles occurring in the course of the drama, and with the -women because Ardjuna, the gentle hero, has the leading part, is the -rebellion and defeat of the Titans. - -In the first scene the gods appear on either hand of the "gunungan"; -Indra and Brahma hold anxious counsel as to what course of action -shall be pursued, now that the audacious Titans have dared to march -against the abode of the gods; for already their armies occupy the four -quarters of Heaven, and the insolent Raksasa, their king and general, -fears not the arms of the gods, their deadly swords, and intolerable -lances, for, his huge body--all but one hidden spot--is invulnerable. -And none may conquer him, except a mortal hero, pure of all passion -and sin. Sorrowfully, Brahma lift his hands. "Such a one exists not." -But Indra bethinks him of Ardjuna, the gentle prince, who, having -utterly forsworn the glories of warfare, the pride of worldly rank -and station, and the love of women, has retired to a cavern on Mount -Indra Kila; and under the name of Sang Parta--assumed instead of the -kingly one of Ardjuna--leads a life of prayer and penitence, mortifying -his flesh, and still keeping his constant thought fixed no Shiwa, the -giver of Victory. "Maybe Sang Parta is the hero destined to overcome -Niwatakawaka." - -[Illustration: "Topeng" played by masked actors.] - -[Illustration: "Topeng" actors.] - -And the other gods, divided between hope and fear, answer: "Let us put -his virtue to the test, that we may know surely." Among the heavenly -nymphs, "the widadari," there are seven, the fairest of all, famous -for many victories over saintly priests and anchorites, whom, by a -smile, they caused to break the vows they had vowed, and forsake the -god to whom they had dedicated themselves. These now are sent to tempt -Ardjuna. If he withstand them, he will be, indeed, victor of the god of -Love. - -[Illustration: Slowly they advance gliding rather than walking.] - -The nymphs descend on Mount Indra Kila. "The wild kine and the deer of -the mountain raise their head to gaze after them as they frolic over -the dew-lit grass. The cinnamon trees put forth young shoots, less red -than the maidens' lips. And the boulders, strewn around Sang Parta's -cavern, glisten to welcome them, as, one by one, they pass the dark -entrance." But the hermit, absorbed in pious contemplations, never -turns his averted head, never looks upon the lovely ones, nor deigns -to listen to their wooing songs. And those seven fair queens are fain -to depart, hiding their face, smarting with the pain of unrequited love. - -But the gods, beholding them come back thus shamefaced and sad, rejoice -exceedingly. - -Now, to put Sang Parta's courage to the test. Shiwa, the terrible one -assumes mortal shape; and descending on Indra Kila, defies the hermit. -They fight, and Sang Parta is victor. Then Shiwa, revealing himself, -praises the anchorite for his piety and his valour; and, for a reward, -bestows upon him his own never-failing spear. After which he returns -to the council of the gods, bidding them be of good cheer, for now it -cannot be doubted any longer that Sang Parta is the hero destined to -conquer the unconquerable Raksasa. - -[Illustration: Street-dancers.] - -[Illustration: The dancers stand listening for the music.] - -[Illustration: A Wayang representation.] - -He is now summoned to the presence of the gods, and receives their -command to go forth and slay the Raksasa. A goddess arms him; and -a nymph whispers into his ear the secret on which the Titan's life -depends: his vulnerable spot is the tip of his tongue. Sang Parta now -resumes his real name; and, as Ardjuna, goes to seek Niwatakawaka. -After many wanderings and perilous adventures, in which Shiwa's -miraculous spear stands him in good stead, he finally meets his -destined antagonist, and defies him to single combat. For a long time -they fight, each in turn seeming victor and vanquished, until, at last, -Ardjuna, feigning to have received a deadly thrust, sinks down. Then, -as the Raksasa, skipping about in insolent joy, shouts out a defiance -to the gods, Ardjuna hurls his spear at the monster's wide-opened mouth -and pierces his tongue; and the blasphemer drops down dead. The other -Titans, seeing their king fallen, fly, and the gods are saved. But -Ardjuna is rewarded for his exploits, the grateful gods bestowing upon -him seven surpassingly fair "widadari," a kingdom, and the power of -working miracles. - -[Illustration: A Wayang representation.] - -This drama, called Ardjuna's marriage feast, is a comparatively short -one, which may be performed in the course of one night. The majority of -wayang-plays, however, require three or four nights, or even a whole -week, for an adequate representation; and there are some which last for -a fortnight. They consist of fourteen, fifteen, or even more acts. The -number of dramatis personae is practically unlimited; new heroes and -heroines constantly appear upon the scene; and, to render confusion -still worse confounded, they again and again change their names. Time -is annihilated, the babe, whose miraculous birth is represented in the -beginning of an act, having arrived at man's estate before the end of -it, and one generation succeeding another in the course of the play. -Generally, too, no trace of any regular plan is discoverable. Incident -follows incident, and intrigue disconnected intrigue; and, at every -turn, fresh dramatic elements are introduced. So that, as the drama -ceases--for it cannot in any proper sense be said to finish--characters -whose very names have not been mentioned before, are making love, -waging war, and holding desultory counsel about events absolutely -irrelevant, and between which and those represented in the beginning -of the drama, it is all but impossible to find the slightest connection. - -[Illustration: Wayang dancers.] - -To a Javanese, these endless plays hardly seem long enough. He never -wearies of the innumerable adventures of these innumerable heroes. -Titans, queens, and gods, though he has seen them represented ever -since he was a child, and probably knows them by heart, almost as -well as the "dalang" himself. He has no prejudice in favour of any -regular intrigue, with beginning, catastrophe, and end. And, as for -improbabilities, many strange things happen, day by day. And, as -for time, was not the Prophet carried up to Heaven to sojourn among -the blessed for a thousand years, whence returning to Mecca, and -entering his chamber, he found the pitcher, which he had upset in his -heavenward flight, not yet emptied of its contents? Such considerations -cannot spoil his enjoyment of the wayang. Night after night, the -Javanese sit, listening to the grandiloquent speeches of the heroes -and their courting of queens and nymphs; discussing their opinions -and principles, moral and otherwise; and, amid bursts of laughter, -applauding any witticism, with which the "dalang" may enliven his -somewhat monotonous text. And as, at last, they regretfully rise in the -reddening dawn that causes the wayang lights to pale, visions of that -heroic and beautiful world accompany them on their homeward way. The -maidens would hardly be amazed to behold Ardjuna slumbering under the -blossoming citron bush. And the young men think of Palosara, who, by -his unassisted arm, won a royal bride and the kingdom of Ngastina. - - - - -ON THE BEACH - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -The million-footed crowd of travelling humanity has trodden Tandjang -Priok out of all beauty and pleasantness. It is nothing now but a -heap of dust rendered compact by a coating of basalt and bricks, and -bearing on its flat surface some half-dozen square squat sheds, the -whitewashed walls of which glare intolerably in the sunlight that beats -upon the barren place all day long. But, a little further down the -shore, eastwards from the harbour, the natural beauty of the country -re-asserts itself. There are wide, shallow bays, where the water sleeps -in the shadow of overhanging trees; sandy points, one projecting beyond -the other across shimmering intervals of sea; and, alternating with -open spaces where a few bamboo huts are clustered together amidst a -plantation of young banana trees, great tracts of woodland that come -down to the very margin of the water. In one place where the narrow -beach broadens out a little, some half dozen shanties, one of which -might, by courtesy, be styled a bathing-lodge, have found standing-room -between the wood and the water. Some homesick exile from France -has christened the handful of bamboo posts and atap leaves: Petite -Trouville. In the dry season, when Batavia is parched with heat and -choked with dust, people come hither for a plunge into the clear cool -waves, and for some hours of blissful idleness in the shadow of the -broad-branched njamploeng trees, which mirror their dark leafage and -clusters of white wax-like blossoms in the tide. - -The day some friends took me to see the place was one of the last in -April, when the rains were not yet quite over. We had left Batavia at -half-past five, when the Koningsplein was still white with rolling -mists and the stars had but just begun to fade in the greyish sky. The -train had borne us along some distance on our way to Tandjong Priok, -ere the sun rose. Rather, ere it appeared. There had been no heralding -change of colour in the eastern sky; only the uncertain light that lay -over the landscape had gradually strengthened; and, all at once, at -some height above the horizon a triangular splendour burst forth, a -great heart of flame which was the sun. The pools and tracts of marshy -ground flooded by the recent rains were ridged with long straight -parallel lines of red. The dark tufts of palm trees here and there -shone like burnished bronze. And where they grew denser, in groups and -little groves, the blue mist hanging between the stems was pierced by -lances of reddish light. - -At Tandjong Priok station, we alighted amidst a crowd of natives, -dock-labourers and coal-heavers, on their way to the ships. They took -the road in true native style, one marching behind the other, laughing -and talking as they went. And we followed them, in our jolting sadoos, -along a sunny avenue, planted with slim young trees, as far as to the -bend of the road; then we left it and entered the wood on the right, -which we had for some time been skirting. - -A rough track led through it. Our sadoos jolted worse than ever in the -ruts left by the broad-wheeled carts of the peasantry. We alighted and -made our way as best we could through the grass-grown clearings of the -jungle. The sun was but just beginning to warm the air. White shreds -of mist still hung among the tree-stems, and swathed the brushwood. -The grass underfoot was white with dew, glistening with myriads of -brilliant little points where the yellow sunlight touched it. The -broadly curved banana leaves, and the feathery tufts of the palm -trees overhead began to grow transparent, standing out in light green -against the shining whiteness of the sky. There was an inexpressible -vitality and exhilaration in all things, in the fine pure air, cool as -well water, in the sparkle of the dew-lit grass, in the bushes with -large round drops trembling on every leaf, in the pungent scent of -the lantana that on every side displayed its clusters of pink, mauve -and orange red blossoms. It was good to feel wet through on the tramp -through the drenched tangle, to feel the blood tingling in the finger -tips, the lungs full of quickening air, and the sunshine right in your -eyes. It was good to be alive. - -After a while, we came to a little campong, some five or six bamboo -huts, grouped together in an open space of the wood. Some naked -children were playing around a fire of sticks and dry leaves. Under -a shed, a woman stood pounding rice in a hollowed-out wooden block, -whilst another carrying a child in her slendang, talked to her. There -were no men about, save one old fellow, white-haired and decrepit, who -sat in his doorway, mending nets. In that sunny forest clearing, that -was the one thing suggestive of the neighbouring sea. - -Past the village there are several tanks of brackish water, where fish -is bred for Chinese consumption. Tangles of green weed floated on the -surface, which, in places, seemed to be filmed over with oily colours. -A man walked along the shore, dredging. Beyond, the wood recommenced. -But it was less dense there; great patches of sunlight lay on the -ground, and the sky showed everywhere through the stems. As we issued -out of the dappled shade, we beheld the sea. - -Calm and clear, it lay under the calm clear sky, a silvery splendour -suffused in places with the faintest blue. Not a ripple disturbed the -lustrous smoothness. Only, out in the open, the water heaved with a -scarcely perceptible swell, its rise and subsidence revealed by a -rhythmic pulsation of colour--streaks of pale turquoise breaking out -upon the pearly monochrome, kindling into azure and gradually fainting -and fading again. To the westward the mole of Tandjong Priok and the -two bar-iron light-towers, standing seemingly close together, had -dwindled to a narrow dark line with, at its extreme point, two little -black filigree figures delicately defined against the shimmering white -of sea and sky. Near the shore, a fishing-prao, its slight hull almost -disappearing under the immense white winglike sail, lay still above its -motionless reflection. In the eastern distance, a group of islands, -ethereal as cloudlets, hung where the sheen of the sea and the shimmer -of the sky flowed together into one tremulous splendour, dazzling and -colourless. The beach with a nipah-thatched hut on the right and a -group of spreading njamploeng trees on the left framed the radiant -vista with sober browns and greens. - -The morning was still, without a breath of air; and, all around, the -foliage hung motionless. Yet, as we walked over the fine grey sand, -which already felt hot under foot, there came drifting down to us now -and again, whiffs of a sweet subtle fragrance, as of March violets; -and transparent blossoms, fluttering down, whitened the shell-strewed -beach. Then njamploengs were in flower. - -Looking at that dark-leaved grove on the margin of the water, I thought -I had seldom seen nobler trees. Not very tall; but round and broad, -great hemispheres of foliage squarely supported on column-like trunks. -In their general air and bearing, in the character of the oblong leaves -and their elegant poise upon the branch, they somewhat resemble the -walnuts of northern countries. The colour is even richer, a vigorous -bluish green, swarthy at a distance; and, when seen near at hand, as -full of tender beryl-tints as a field of young oats, with watery gleams -and glories playing through the depths of the foliage. For a crowning -grace, the njamploeng has its blossoms, fragrant, white, and of a -wax-like transparency--cups of milky light. Standing under an ancient -tree, that overhung the water with trailing branches and a tangle of -wave-washed roots, I could see the luminous clusters shining in that -dome of dusky leafage, like stars in an evening sky. And the water in -the shadow gleamed with pale reflections. - -The sea that morning passed through a succession of chromatic changes. -The silvery smoothness of an hour ago had been broken by a ripple, -that came and went in dashes of ruffled ultra-marine. Then, here and -there, purplish patches appeared, which presently began to spread until -they touched, and flowed together, and the sea, all along the shore, -seemed turned to muddy wine whilst, out in the open, it sparkled in a -rich blue-green, rippling and flickering. At noon, the purplish brown -had disappeared, and the emerald-like tints had faded and changed to -an uncertain olive-green. The sky as yet retained its morning aspect, -cloudless and shimmering with a white brilliancy as if all the stars of -the Milky Way had been dissolved in it. Under that enduring paleness, -the fitful colouring and flushing of the sea seemed all the stranger. - -As the day advanced, the heat had steadily increased, and, at last, it -was intolerable. About ten, when we swam out into the sea, the water, -even where it grew deeper, felt tepid; a little after noon, it was -warm. The windless air quivered. And the sand was so hot as to scorch -our bare feet when we attempted to step out of the circular shadow of -the njamploengs, where a little coolness as yet remained. - -A dead quiet lay on sea and land. There was neither wind nor wave, not -the thinnest shadow of a sailing cloud, to temper for an instant the -unbearable glare. The foliage overhead was the one spot of colour in -a white-hot universe. There must be cicadas among the leaves: I had -heard them trilling, earlier in the day; but the heat had reduced them -to silence. Even the black ants, crawling among the roots, and in the -fissures of the rough rind of the trees seemed to move but listlessly. -From where I sat, I could see, framed by the circular sweep of the -hanging foliage, a stretch of beach, with some huts amidst a banana -plantation, and, further down, a native boat lying keel upwards upon -the sand. A lean dog crouched in the shadow, panting with tongue -hanging out. No other living creature was to be seen. - -The afternoon was far gone before there came a change, imperceptible -at first, a gradual sobering of colour, and a growing definiteness in -the contours of trees and bushes. Then, the air began to cool down. -The horizon grew distinct; a curve of rich green against sunlit blue; a -short ripple roughened the water; and, suddenly, the breeze sprang up, -driving before it a wave that hurried and rose, and broke foaming upon -the beach. The tide was coming in. - -It was as if the inspiriting hour, that changed the face of land -and sea, made itself felt also in the little brown huts under the -trees, stirring up the folk into briskness and activity. Merry voices -and the cries of children mingled with the sound of hammer strokes, -reverberating along the wooded beach. Among the trees, I could discern -the figure of a man bending over his boat, tool in hand; and a woman -coming out of her door with a bundle of clothes under one arm. Where -the lengthening shadow of the njamploeng trees fell on the sunny water, -two young girls were bathing; somewhat further down, a swarm of naked -urchins waded through the shallows, in search of mother-of-pearl. -The yellow sunlight shone on their little brown bodies, and made the -ripples sparkle around them as they splashed hither and thither, -feeling about with their feet for the flat sharp shards which the tide -leaves buried in the sands. Standing still for an instant, when they -had found one, they balanced on one foot, whilst, with the clenched -toes of the other they picked up the shiny piece, with a supple, -monkey-like movement. Presently, along came an old man, in a straw -topee broad-rimmed hat and a faded reddish sarong, who entered the -sea, and waded towards the spot, where, that morning,--when it was as -yet dry land--he had erected his "tero," the pliable bamboo palisade, -which, arranged in the shape of a V, with the opening towards the -shore, serves as a trap for fish. The hurdle was all but overflowed -now, only the points of the bamboo stakes emerging above the rising -tide, like the rigging of some wrecked and sunken ship. The old man -gave it a shake, to assure himself of having driven it deep enough down -into the sand, to withstand the impact of the waves; and, satisfied -upon this point, limped away again, with the air of a man who had -finished his day's work. He might lie down on his baleh-baleh now, and -peacefully smoke his cigarette. Whilst he was taking his ease, the sea -would provide for his daily fish. In a few minutes, the tide would -have submerged his "tero," and the heedless fish would swim across it; -and, as the water ebbed away again, they would be driven against the -converging sides of the lattice-work, and, presently, be left gasping -upon the bars. Then, the women of the village would come with their -baskets, and gather the living harvest, as they might a windfall of -ripe fruit; and his grandson, out at sea now, with the other young men, -would hang two full baskets to his bending yoke, and with the fire-car -go to Batavia, there to sell the fish for much money, a handful of -copper doits. Even, if he had caught "kabak" which the orang blandah -like, and "gabus," of which the rich Chinese are fond, the boy might -bring him home some silver coins. And his grand-daughter would salt and -dry in the sun the smaller fry, and make "ikan kring" for him and all -the household. - -Happy the man who has dutiful children! In his old age, when he is -able no longer to earn his sustenance, he will not want; he need not -beg, nor borrow from the kampong folk; and he will not be tempted to -invoke Kjai Belorong, the wicked goddess of wealth, who, in exchange -for riches, demands men's souls. Do not all in this kampong know of -Pah-Sidin, and what became of him after he had prayed to the evil -sprite? Here is the tale, as the old fisherman gave it me. - -He was a poor man, Pah-Sidin, unlucky in whatever he undertook, and so -utterly ignorant as not to know one single "ilmu."[14] So that, though -his wife worked from morning till night, weaving and batiking sarongs, -and tending the garden and the field, and selling fruit and flowers, -things went from bad to worse with him. And at last, there was not a -grain of rice left in the house, and the green crop in the field was -the property of the usurer. His wife, weeping, said: "O Pah-Sidin! -how now shall we feed and clothe our little ones, Sidin, and all the -others?" But he, vexed with her importunities, and weary of fasting -and going about in faded clothes, without a penny to buy sirih or -pay his place at a cock-fight, said: "Be silent! for I know where to -find great wealth." Then he went away, and walked along the shore for -many days, until he came to a place where there were great rocks, and -caves in which the water made a sound as of thunder. Here lives the -dread goddess, Njai Loro Kidul, the Virgin Queen of the Southern Seas, -whom the gatherers of edible birds' nest invoke, honouring her with -sacrifices before they set out on their perilous quest. And here, too, -lives her servant, wicked Kjai Belorong, the money-goddess. - -[14] Charm to conjure good fortune. - -Pah-Sidin, standing in the entrance of a black and thunderous cave, -strewed kanangan flowers, and melatih, and yellow champaka, and burnt -costly frankincense, and, as the cloud of fragrant smoke ascended, he -fell on his face, and cried: "Kjai Belorong! I invoke thee! I am poor -and utterly wretched! Do thou give me money, and I will give thee -my soul, O Kjai Belorong!" Then, a voice, which caused the blood to -run cold in his veins, answered: "I hear thee, Pah-Sidin." He arose, -trembling, and, as he turned his head, saw that the cave was a house, -large, and splendid, and full of golden treasure. But, as he looked -closer, behold! it was built of human bodies; floor, walls, and roof -all made of living men, who wept and groaned, crying: "Alas, alas! who -can endure these unendurable pains!" And the horrible voice, speaking -for the second time, asked: "Pah-Sidin, hast thou courage?" - -Pah-Sidin, at first, seemed as though he would have fainted with -horror. But soon, reflecting how he was young and strong, and the hour -of his death far off as yet, and hoping, also, that, in the end, he -might be able to deceive Kjai Belorong and save his soul, whilst in the -meanwhile, he would enjoy great honour and riches, he answered; "Kjai -Belorong, I have courage!" And, the voice spoke for the third time: -"It is well! Go back to thine own house now; for, soon, I will come to -thee." - -So, Pah-Sidin returned to his house, and waited for Kjai Belorong, -saying nothing of the matter to his wife. And, in the night, she came, -and sat upon the baleh-baleh, and said: "Embrace me, Pah-Sidin, for -now I am thy love." Pah-Sidin would willingly have kissed her, for she -seemed as fair as the bride of the love-god. But, looking down, he saw -that, instead of legs and feet, she had a long scaly tail; then he was -afraid, and would have fled. But Kjai Belorong, seizing him in her -arms, said: "If thou but triest to escape, I will kill thee," and she -pressed him to her bosom so violently that the breath forsook his body, -and he lay as one dead. Then she loosened her grasp, and disappeared, -rattling her tail. But when Pah-Sidin returned to consciousness, he -saw, in the faint light of the dawn, the baleh-baleh all strewn with -yellow scales, and each scale was a piece of the finest gold. - -Pah-Sidin now was as the richest Rajah: he had a splendid house, with -granaries and stables, fine horses, great plantations of palms and -jambus and all other kinds of fruit, and rich _sawahs_ that stretched -as far as a man on horseback could see. He abandoned his wife, who was -no longer young, and was worn out with care and labour; and married -the daughter of a wealthy Rajah, and three other maidens, as fair -as bidadaris. And, whenever he wished for more money, Kjai Belorong -came to him in the night, and embraced him, and gave him more than he -had asked for. Thus the years went by in great glory and happiness, -until the hair of his head began to grow white, and his eyes lost -their brilliancy, and his black and shining teeth fell out. Then, one -night, Kjai Belorong came to his couch, unsummoned, looked at him, and -said: "Pah-Sidin! the hour is come. Follow me and I will make thee the -threshold of my palace." But Pah-Sidin made answer, and said: "Alas! -Kjai Belorong! look at me, how lean I am! my ribs almost pierce through -the skin of my side. Assuredly, thou wilt hurt thy tail in passing over -me, if thou makest me the threshold of thy house. Rather take with thee -my plough-boy, who is young, and plump, and smooth!" - -Then Kjai Belorong took the plough-boy. And Pah-Sidin married a new -wife, and lived merrier than before. Thus ten years went by in great -glory and happiness. But, on the last night of the tenth year, Kjai -Belorong again came to his couch, unsummoned, and looked at him, and -said: "Pah-Sidin! the hour is come. Follow me, and I will make thee -the pillar of my palace." But Pah-Sidin made answer and said: "Alas! -Kjai Belorong! look at me, how weak I am! my shoulders are so bent I -can scarcely keep the badju jacket from gliding down. Assuredly, thy -roof will fall in and crush thee, if thou makest me the pillar of thy -house. Rather take with thee my youngest brother, who is strong, and -tall, and broad of shoulders!" - -Then Kjai Belorong took the brother. But Pah-Sidin married yet another -new wife, and lived even merrier than hitherto. Thus ten more years -went by in great glory and happiness. But, on the last night of the -tenth year, Kjai Belorong for the third time came to his couch, -unsummoned, looked at him, and spoke: "Pah-Sidin! the hour is come. -Follow me, and I will make thee the hearth-stone of my palace!" And -Pah-Sidin made answer, and said: "Alas! Kjai Belorong! look at me, -how cold I am and covered all over with a clammy sweat! Assuredly -thy fire will smoulder and go out if thou makest me the hearthstone -of thy house. Rather take with thee my eldest son, Sidin, who is -healthy, and warm, and dry!" But the wicked Kjai Belorong, in a voice -which made Pah-Sidin's heart stand still, screamed: "I will take -none but thee, old man! and, since thou art so cold and wet, I will -bid my imperishable fire warm and dry thee!" And with these words -the demon seized Pah-Sidin by the throat, and carried him off to her -horrible abode, there to be the stone upon which her hearth-fire burns -everlastingly. - -At the conclusion of this long tale, the old fisherman drew a sigh of -relief. "Such is the fate of those who let themselves be conquered by -greed and the wiles of wicked Kjai Belorong. But I, njonja, need have -no fear. For my children are dutiful, and provide for all my wants. -Nor need any one else in this dessa fear. For we are all pious men, who -pray to the Prophet and the Toewan Allah. Thus we are safe." - -Indeed, to judge from the appearance of these good-natured, frugal and -careless people, I should have fancied that the money-goddess could not -make many victims among them. - -But their safety is threatened by yet another enemy,--a much more -energetic one than Kjai Belorong to all appearance: to wit "My Lord -the Crocodile." The coast swarms with these brutes; and according to -official reports, quite a number of people are annually devoured by -them. - -They infest especially the marshy country around the mouth of the Kali -Batawi, where they may sometimes be seen, lying half in the water and -half upon a mudbank, their wicked little eyes blinking in the sunlight, -their formidable jaws agape and showing the bright yellow of the -gullet. There, they wait for the carcases of drowned animals and the -offal of all kinds floating down the river. Imprudent bathers are often -attacked by them, and they even swim up the water-courses, and venture -for considerable distances inland. - -The Government, some years ago, put a premium on the capture of -crocodiles, a relatively high sum being offered for a carcase. But the -measure had to be withdrawn after a while, and this, though, to all -appearance, it worked excellently well. Numbers of crocodiles were -caught and killed; not a day went by but natives presented themselves -at the police stations, exhibiting a limp carcase slung on to a bamboo -frame, which a score of coolies "pikoled"[15] along. Harassed officials -began to believe in a universe peopled exclusively by Malays and dead -or dying crocodiles; and philanthropists rejoiced over an imminent -extermination of caymans, and the consequent safety for bathers. -But there were those who understood the nature of both natives and -crocodiles, and who considered their ways; and they smiled a smile of -wisdom and ineffable pity, as they looked upon the dead saurians, and -saw that they were young. The philanthropists contended that a little -crocodile was a crocodile nevertheless, and would, in its own bad time, -be a big crocodile, and one which feasted on the flesh of men and -women and innocent children; but those wise men only smiled the more. -And, presently one of them took a philanthropist by the hand, and led -him by quiet waters, and showed him how men and women sought for the -eggs of the crocodile, and gathered them in their bosom, and watched -the young come out, and reared them even with a father's care and -loving-kindness, to the end that they might wax fat and kick, and be -bound with iron chains, and delivered over to the schout.[16] - -The crocodiles now are left to multiply and replenish the shores of -Java; and nobody molests them, except now and then some adventurous -sportsman, upon whom tigers have palled, and who cares but little for -"bantengs,"[17] and holds the rhinoceros of no account. And, generally, -too, though he lie in wait for a crocodile, he catches only a fever--of -a particularly malignant kind, it is true. - -[15] To pikol = to carry a load slung on a pole. - -[16] A police official. - -[17] The wild buffalo. - -The Malays, as a rule, do not readily kill crocodiles. They believe -that the spirits of the dead are re-incarnated in these animals; so -that, what seems a repulsive and dangerous beast, may, in reality, -be an honoured father, or a long lamented bride. And they piously -prefer the risk of being devoured to the certainty of becoming -murderers. Far from injuring, they honour the "cayman" by sacrifices -of rice, meat, and fruit, which they send down the river in little -baskets of palm-leaves with a light twinkling a-top; a gift offered -whenever a child is born, to propitiate the metamorphosed ancestors -in river and sea, and implore their protection for this, their newly -born descendant. Human feelings and susceptibilities are attributed -to them which the Malay carefully abstains from wounding. He never -speaks but of "My Lord the Crocodile." And a wayang-play, such as, for -instance, Krokosono, the hero of which defeats and kills the King of -the Crocodiles, no dalang would dream of representing in a place where -caymans could hear or see it. There is one act, however, by which a -crocodile forfeits all claim to respect: and that is killing a human -being. From his supposed human nature, it evidently follows that this -is an act of malice prepense, a crime knowingly committed; and, as -such, should be punished as it would be were the perpetrator a man or a -woman--that is, with death. It would seem too as if the guilty creature -were conscious of his crime, and, sometimes, out of sheer remorse, gave -himself up to justice. At least, a story to this effect is told of a -certain crocodile, which had devoured a little girl, and this, though -the child's parents had duly offered rice and meat and fruit, at the -stated times; of which gifts this crocodile had undoubtedly had his -share. The parents, weeping, sought a hermit who lived not far from the -"dessa" or village, a wise man who understood the language of animals; -and implored him to restore at least the remains of their daughter's -little body to them, and to visit with condign punishment her brutal -murderer. The hermit, moved with pity and indignation, forthwith left -his cave, and repaired to the sea-shore. There, standing with his feet -in the waves, he pronounced the potent spell which all crocodiles -must obey. They came, hurrying, from far and near: the shore bristled -with their scaly backs ranged in serried rank and file. When all were -present, the hermit addressed them in their own tongue, declaring that -one of them had committed the unpardonable crime of murder, murder -upon an innocent child, whose parents had offered sacrifices for her -at her birth: rice and fruit and meat, of which they all had partaken, -in token of amity and good will. So abominable a breach of good faith -should not be suffered to remain unpunished. Wherefore, let him who had -perpetrated it, stand forth! But all the others, let them withdraw into -the sea! The crocodiles heard. The solid land seemed to heave and break -up, as the congregated thousands dispersed. But one crocodile remained -behind on the beach. It crawled nearer and lay down at the feet of -the hermit. And the father of the little girl, approaching, drew his -"kris," and thrust it into the creature's eyes, killing it. The holy -man then took out of the monster's jaws the necklace of blue beads, -which the little girl had worn, and handed it to the father, promising -him that, within the year, his wife would bear him another daughter, -even fairer than the lost one. But the carcase of the crocodile was -devoured by the dogs. - -Something in the landscape near Petite Trouville brought back to my -memory this tale, heard from a village priest some time ago. It was a -fit scene for such events. That brown hut among the bananas might have -been the abode of the hapless little maid. The dense wood, behind, -might well shelter an anchorite, some old man, wise and humble, content -to live on wild fruit and learn from the birds among the branches and -the fish in the sea; assuredly, he would stand upon the little spit of -land that has the njamploeng on it, and the crocodiles, obedient to -his command, would raise their formidable heads from the water, and -with their serried ranks cover the shelving beach.... Very peaceful it -lay now, in the light of the setting sun. The sea shone golden. And -already, among the blossom-laden branches of the njamploeng, there -began to rustle the sea breeze, precursor of deepbreathed Night. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -OF BUITENZORG - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -The Javanese Sans-Souci[18] lies cradled in a fold of the undulating -country at the base of the Salak, whose blue top, twin to that of -the Gedeh, is seen, in fine weather, from the Koningsplein, rising -aerially, fresh, and pure, above the dusty glare of Batavia. The -village is pretty,--all brown atap houses and gardens full of roses, -with the wooded hill-side for a background. One may wander for hours -in the splendid Botanical Garden, reputed to be the finest in the -world, and a goal of pilgrimage for scientists from every part of the -globe. Whoever visits the place in September may combine these tranquil -pleasures with the gaiety of the annual races, and the great ball at -the Buitenzorg Club, where "all Java" dances. I went in the last week -of the month, glad to escape from the town, which, at this time of the -year, is unbearable, scorched with the heat of the east monsoon and -stifled under a layer of dust, which makes the grass of the gardens -crumble away, and turns the "assam" trees along the river and in the -squares into grey spectres. The country through which the first part -of my road lay, seemed, however scarcely desolate. Nothing but flat -monotonous fields, some altogether bare and grey, others still covered -with yellowish stubble, through which the cracks and fissures of the -parched soil showed. Here and there, a patch of green, where some -huddled brown roofs and a group of thin palm-trees denoted a native -hamlet, forlorn in the wide arid plain. Then, again, bare brown fields, -where no living creature was to be seen, except, now and then, a herd -of dun buffaloes wallowing in the ooze of some dried-up pool. - -[18] Buitenzorg, literally translated, means "away from sorrow or care." - -By and bye, however, the character of the landscape began to change. -The rich blue-green of the young rice-crops, seen first in isolated -squares and patches, spread all over the gradually-ascending fields. -Along the course of a rapid rivulet, a bamboo grove sprang up, lithe -stems bending a little under their cascades of waving dull-green -foliage. Then the rice-clad undulations of the ground began to rise -into little hills, green to the very top, and down the sides of which -the water, that fed the terraced fields trickled in many a twisting -silvery thread; and suddenly on the left, rose the great triangular -mass of the Salak, dull-blue in the sober evening light. It was almost -dark when the train stopped at the Buitenzorg station. It stands at -some distance from the village; and, as I drove thither, sights and -sounds reached me that denoted the hilly country. The wheels of the cab -creaked over whitish pebbles clean as gravel from the rocky riverbed. -The gardens on each side of the road were full of flowers, that gleamed -palely through the semi-darkness. The voices of passers-by, the -laughter of children at play, the tones of a flute somewhere in the -distance, sounded clear and far through the thinner air. As I entered -the village, I noticed that the houses were built of bamboo instead of -the brick, which is the usual material in the clayey lowlands. - -[Illustration: Buffaloes at grass.] - -[Illustration: Avenue leading to the Botanical Garden.] - -It is said that these bamboo houses, covered with atap, withstand the -shock of earthquakes, frequent in this country, much better than brick -buildings with tiled roofs. However that may be, their rural aspect -harmonizes with the landscape: and they are delightful to inhabit, cool -under the noonday heat, and proof against the torrential rains, which, -at Buitenzorg, fall every day, between two and four in the afternoon. I -lived for some time in a little pavilion,--wooden floor, pagar walls, -and a roof of atap; a pleasanter abode I never knew. It was almost like -living in a hermit's cell out in the woods. I was never sure whether -the soft creaking noises heard all night through came from the bamboo -grove in the garden, or from the bamboo in my wall. The crickets seemed -to sing in my very ears; and a faint, sweet smell pervaded the little -room, such as breathes from the leafage, dead and living, of a forest. -Like a cenobite's cell, too, my pavilion was not meant for a storehouse -of worldly treasures. Even if moths and rust did not corrupt, thieves -would have quite exceptional facilities for breaking through and -stealing them. "Breaking through" is too energetic and vigorous a term; -with an ordinary penknife, one might cut away enough of the walls to -admit a battalion of burglars. Reading, one day, a French translation -of Don Quixote, I rested the ponderous folio, which tired my arms, -against the wall. It instantly gave way, sinking in, as if it had been -a canvas awning. I do not doubt that, with my embroidery scissors, I -might have cut out an elegant open-work pattern in it. - -The morning after my arrival, I was up betimes and on my way to the -Botanical Garden. It was early as yet, a little after sunrise, and -the air felt as cool and as pure as well-water. A frost-like dew had -whitened the grass; shreds of mist hung between the trees, trailed -along the hillside, and floated like low white clouds in the depths of -the ravine, where the river foamed past over the boulders of its rocky -bed. And, in the branches, the birds were twittering and singing their -little hearts out. I met some natives on the way to their morning bath -hugging themselves in the folds of the "baju," the women among them -having the "slendang" drawn over their heads. They walked at a brisk -pace, very different from the listless movements of pedestrians in the -sultry streets of Batavia. The type was of another kind, a slightly -oval face, with a thin nose somewhat aquiline in design, and very -brilliant eyes; the complexion of a clear yellowish brown, with a touch -of red in the lips. They had an elastic gait, and the free carriage of -the head peculiar to hillfolk. Some of the young girls were absolutely -pretty. - -[Illustration: A Nipah Palm.] - -[Illustration: The Brantas River. Malang.] - -[Illustration] - -I asked my way of an old woman who sat by the roadside, complacently -smoking a cigarette, and soon found myself within the gates of the -Botanical Garden, and in the celebrated waringin avenue, one of the -glories of the place. The first impression, I confess, is somewhat -disappointing. The avenue is not very long, so that it lacks the depths -of green darkness, the prospect along apparently converging parallels -of pillar-like trunks, and the bluish shimmer of light afar off, which -are the characteristic charms of woodland glades. It seems more like a -square, planted with trees on two sides of the quadrangle only, -a comparatively narrow space of shadow, abutting on the broad fields -of sunlight beyond. After a while, however, one notices the smallness -of the figures moving past the trees, men, horses, and bullock-carts. -By comparison, one begins to realize the gigantic proportions of it -all,--the length and breadth and height of the leafy vault overhead, -and the hugeness of those stupendous growths that support it, each of -them a grove in itself, congregated hundreds of trees, group by group -of stately stems crowding round the colossal parent bole. Then, bye -and bye, the sense of grandeur is succeeded by a curious impression -of lifelessness. In their vast size, their stark immobility, and -their rigid attitudes, these grey masses resemble granite peaks and -cliffs rather than trees. The aged trunks, broadbased, are riven and -fissured like weather-beaten rocks, showing gnarled protuberances -and black clefts from which ferns and mosses droop. Some, rotten to -the core--nothing left of the trunk but a fragment of grey gnarled -rind, with the fungus-overgrown mould lying heaped up against the -base--resemble boulders, covered with earth and detritus. One or two, -quite decayed, hang in mid-air, dependent from a dome of interlacing -branches, stems, and air-roots, like some gigantic stalactite from the -roof of a pillared cavern. And, aloft, the dense masses of foliage, -grey against the sunlit brilliancy of the sky, seem like the broken -and crumbling vault of this immense grotto. This strange resemblance -of living vegetable matter to inert stone ceases only when, issuing -from among the stems, one looks at the waringins from a distance, and -sees the grey multitude of boles, trunks, and stems disappearing under -spreading masses of foliage, resplendent in the sun. - -[Illustration: A Hill-man.] - -[Illustration: In the depth of the ravine.] - -The garden is worthy of this magnificent entrance. Enthusiastic -"savants" have sung its praises in all the languages of civilization, -and, by common consent, have declared it to be the finest botanical -garden in the world, assigning the second place to famous Kew, and -mentioning the gardens of Berlin, Paris, and Vienna as third, fourth, -and fifth in order of merit. Originally, it was no more than the park -belonging to the country-house, which Governor-General Van Imhoff built -here in 1754: a house since destroyed by an earth-quake, and on the -site of which the present lodge was erected. - -[Illustration: Watch-men.] - -In this park, Professor Bernwardt, some eighty years ago, arranged a -small botanical garden, a "hortus" as the innocent pedantry of the -period called it. The idea was to gather in this fertile spot specimens -of all the plants and trees growing in Java, so as to afford men of -science an opportunity for studying the flora of the island. By and -bye, however, especially under the direction of Teysmann, many plants -from other countries were introduced, with a view of acclimatizing -them in Java, often with signal success. And, recently, a museum and -a library have been established, as well as several laboratories for -chemical, botanical, and pharmaceutical research. For the cultivation -of such plants as require a cool climate, gardens have been laid out -on the terraced hill-side, in ascending tiers that climb up to the -heights of Tji-Bodas, where in the early morning, the temperature is -10 deg. Celsius. These ameliorations, for the greater part, are due to -the untiring energy of the eminent scientist now directing the garden. - -[Illustration: Prinsenlaan-corner, Batavia.] - -[Illustration: The beautiful tall reeds of the sugar cane, their -pennon-like leaves gleaming in the sunshine.] - -[Illustration: Avenue of old waringin trees, Botanical Garden, -Buitenzorg.] - -But, that morning, as I wandered through the tall avenues of the -Buitenzorg Park, the thought of its importance as a scientific -institution disappeared before the perception of its exquisite -loveliness. Not a beauty of line and colour merely: it has these--the -park is admirably arranged, in broad effects of light and shadow, -dark hued groves and avenues contrasting with sunny expanses of lawn -and copse and mirroring lake; but there is something over and above -all this, an element of beauty as subtle and elusive as the transient -sparkle of a sun-beam, or the fitful comings and goings of the summer -wind. Perhaps it was the extraordinary brilliancy of the colours, and -the shimmer in the rain-saturated atmosphere; or perhaps it was the -profound quietude all around, a stillness so perfect that it seemed it -must endure for ever. I do not know what may have been the elements -that made up the nameless charm. But I yielded myself up to it; and it -seemed to me, as if I were walking in a dream, amidst objects at once -unreal and singularly distinct. For a long time I sat by the shore of -a little lake, that had an islet in the midst of it, all overgrown -with brushwood, and great tangles of liana, that opened hundreds of -pale violet flowers to the sunlight; in the centre there rose a group -of young palms, of the sort that has a bright red stem; and all these -colours, the many-tinted green and the lilac and the scarlet were -mirrored so vividly in the clear water as to almost make the reflection -seem brighter than the reality.... By and by, following a path that -wandered out of sunshine into chequered shadow, and out of shadow into -sunlight again, I came to a vast sweep of meadowy ground, where herds -of reddish deer were feeding as peacefully as in a forest clearing. -Presently I found myself in a great dim avenue of kenari-trees, through -whose sombre branches the sky showed but faintly; and anon in a bamboo -grove where there was a continual rustling and waving of leaves though -not the slightest breath of wind could be felt to stir the air. - -[Illustration: A cactus in flower.] - -[Illustration: Gum tree, Botanical Garden, Buitenzorg.] - -[Illustration: Palm trees in the Botanical Garden.] - -Here and there through gaps in the trees came a sudden glimpse of the -distant valley, with the river shining between the light-green -rice fields, and beyond the encircling hills. Everywhere, too, the -presence of living water made itself felt, in the cool damp air, and -in the delicious smell of moist earth, wet stones, and water-plants. -And I would suddenly catch the silvery gleams, between the bushes, of -a brooklet hurrying past over its pebbly bed, and foaming in small -cascades that be-sprinkled the ferns and tall nodding grasses upon -the bank with scintillating spray. Here and there, I heard the murmur -and tinkle of a fountain; and I passed by quiet ponds and lakelets, -dark green in the shadow of overhanging trees. One of these sheets of -water--or rather the streamlet into which it narrows at one end--is -completely overgrown with white lotus flowers; and a sight more -exquisitely beautiful cannot be imagined. It burst upon me suddenly, -as I came out of a long, dark avenue; and, at first, I could not -make out what that white splendour was. It seemed to float like a -luminous summer cloud, like a snowy drift of morning mist. A breath -of wind arose, and the even splendour trembled and seemed to break -up into hundreds of white flames and sparks, that for an instant all -blew one way, and then shot up again, and stood steadily shining. As -I came nearer, I discerned the great, round white flowers, radiant -in the sunshine. The circular, purplish brown leaves spread all over -the surface of the water, covering it from bank to bank. And, out of -these heaps of bronze shields, there rose the straight tall stems, -like lances, with the white flame of the flower breaking out at the -top--sparks of St. Elmo's fire, such as, on that memorable night, -tipped the spears of the Roman cohorts, on their march to battle and -victory. - -[Illustration: A waringin-tree.] - -[Illustration: A path leading from sunshine into dappled shade and from -shade into sunshine again.] - -[Illustration: A bamboo-grove where was an incessant rustling and -waving of foliage though no wind.] - -[Illustration: Carriers walking by the side of their lumbering, -bullock-drawn pedati, which creaks along the sun-scorched roads.] - -This field of radiant lotus blossoms, and the sombre and solemn -waringin avenue, contrasting glories, seem to me to be the crowning -beauties of the Buitenzorg garden. The name of Buitenzorg, by the bye, -is an innovation. Natives still call the town by its ancient name of -Bogor, which it bore in the glorious age when it was the capital -of the Hindoo realm of Padjadjaran. A Muslim conqueror, Hassan Udin, -son of the Sheik Mulana, destroyed it; and a new town was reared on -the ruins, but legends of its bygone glory still haunt the imagination -of the country folk. In the tales which they repeat to one another -of an evening, the splendour of the ancient empire, and the wisdom -and unconquerable valour of its founder are still remembered. Tjioeng -Wonara was his name; and his son and successor, the victorious Praboe -Wangi, was even greater than he. In the craggy hill-tops of the Gedeh -range, popular tradition sees the ruins of the splendid palace he built -himself on the heights; the hall where the throne of gold and ivory -stood; the temple, where he worshipped the gods; the domes of his -harem; and the battlemented towers which his unconquerable warriors -kept against the world, a thousand years ago. The southern wall of -the Gedeh-crater surrounds, as an impregnable bulwark, the palace and -temple courts. - -The Hindoo period, however, has left in this neighbourhood records -more authentic than Praboe Wangi's fancy-built palace on the heights. -Near a native kampong, which derives its name from this proximity, the -so-called Batu Tulis is found, a field covered with a quantity of stone -slabs, some lying prone, others still upright, adorned with figures in -bas-relief and covered with inscriptions. The legend on the largest of -these memorial tablets, traced in ancient Javanese characters, has been -deciphered; it celebrates the virtues and victories of a Hindoo king. -And the worn-away superscriptions and rude effigies discernible on the -other stones probably commemorate contemporary princes and warriors. -The Bogor country-folk greatly venerate these relics of a glorious past. - -[Illustration: Palm trees and Arancaria.] - -[Illustration: A tall gloomy avenue of kenari trees, the sky but -faintly showing through their sombre branches.] - -[Illustration: Submerged rice-fields.] - -Carriers walking by the side of their lumbering, bullock-drawn -"pedati," which creaks so leisurely along the sun-scorched roads; -labourers on their way to the rice fields, the light wooden ploughshare -across their shoulders, driving the patient yoke of oxen before them; -women from the hill-villages around, who come to the Bogor market in -holiday attire, a chaplet of jessamine blossoms twisted into their -"kondeh"--all turn aside from the road, to murmur a short prayer, and -offer a handful of flowers, of frankincense and yellow boreh unguent, -or even Chinese joss-sticks and small paper lanterns on the consecrated -spot. Whether this be an act of homage to those ancient kings and -heroes, whose rude effigies adorn the stones, and whose spirits are -believed still to haunt the spot; or simply a fetishistic adoration -of these blocks of granite and the curious signs engraved thereon, it -is difficult to decide; the worshippers themselves hardly seem -to know. When asked, they reply that they do as their fathers did -before them, and so, therefore, must be right; unless, indeed, they -merely smile, and offer the somewhat irrelevant remark that they are -true Moslemin. This, indeed, every native of Java (save such few as -have been converted to the Christian religion) professes himself to -be. And, in a measure, the Javanese are Mohammedans; they recite the -Mohammedan prayers and Confession of Faith, go to the Messigit--which -is Javanese for mosque--when it suits them, keep the Ramadan very -strictly; also, if they can afford it, they perform that most sacred -duty of the Mohammedan, the Mecca pilgrimage, and, returning thence, -live for ever on the purses of their admiring co-religionists. But -for the rest, one may apply to them Napoleon's dictum concerning the -Russians--mutatis mutandis. Scratch the Muslim, and you will find -the Hindoo; scratch the Hindoo, and you will find the fetish-adoring -Pagan. In the same way, too, as they confuse religious beliefs, they -distort historical facts and traditions so as to make them tally with -the prevalent opinions of the day. This Batu Tulis, for instance; -though they venerate it as a record of the Hindoo empire, they yet, -at the same time, honour it as a monument of the Mohammedan conquest. -According to them, these roughly-fashioned stones, of which, they say, -there are over eight hundred dispersed throughout the neighbourhood, -are the transformed shapes of Siliwangi, last King of Padjadjaran, and -his followers, who, in this spot, their last refuge on flight from the -victorious Muslim hosts, were turned into stones by Tuan Allah, as a -punishment for their persistent refusal to embrace El-Islam; and the -superscription celebrating the Hindoo prince they make out to be the -record of this miracle. A touch of romance clings to the grim legend -like a tender-petalled flower to a rock. It concerns the impress of -a foot, visible on one of the slabs, and a fair princess who left it -there, many centuries ago. Alone of all that multitude that fled with -Siliwangi, she, the consort of valiant Poerwakali, his son, escaped the -general doom, through the influence of an Arab priest who had converted -her to the true religion. She could not, however save her husband, -whom, before her very eyes, she saw turned into a stone. But, in her -faithful heart, love could not die, though the loved one was dead. The -victor, vanquished in his turn by her incomparable beauty, implored her -in vain. She would not be separated from her husband's inanimate -shape, and, building herself a little hut under the waringin trees, -she still, day by day, repaired to the stone, which bore Poerwakali's -semblance, with sacrifices and prayers, and tears. And, often, in a -transport of love and grief, she would throw her arms about the inert -mass, closely embracing it, and, into its deaf ear, murmur soft words, -and vows of eternal loyalty, and bitter-sweet memories of the days that -were no more. Her tears, still flowing, fell on the stone underfoot, -day by day, month by month, year by year, until at last it became soft -and yielding as clay, and received and retained the impress of those -tender feet, which for so long had known no other resting place. - -[Illustration: Bamboo bridge near Batu Tulis.] - -[Illustration: Bamboo bridge across the Tji-taroon.] - -[Illustration: Bamboo bridge across the Tji-taroon.] - -From these memories of an empire overthrown, a religion smitten with -the edge of the sword, and a love stronger than death--"old unhappy -far off things and battles long ago"--suggested by Batu Tulis, to the -gaiety of the Buitenzorg races is a wide step. But our modern souls -have grown accustomed to these sudden transitions. In Java, more than -in any other country, one must be prepared at any moment to pass from -the fairy lands forlorn of history, to contemporary Philistia. Let -me hasten to add, in justice, that I found that high festival of -Philistinism in Java, the Buitenzorg races, both amusing and full of -interest. The crowded Stands gave one an "impression d'ensemble" of -society in the colony, such as would be expected in vain on any other -occasion--formal functionaries and business men from the hot towns with -their exquisitely dressed, palefaced wives and daughters, mingling with -sunburnt planters from the interior, and rosy-cheeked girls from the -neighbouring hill-stations, in white muslin frocks, brightened up by -flowers such as those grown at home. And the spectacle of the races, -exciting in itself, is rendered the more interesting by the changes and -transformations which an essentially northern sport has suffered under -the sun of the tropics--by the substitution of Sandalwood and Battak -ponies for horses, of native syces, who clutch the stirrup with bare -toes, for jockeys, and of silent multitudes brightly garbed, for the -black-coated crowds that shout and huzza at Epsom or Longchamps. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -IN THE HILL COUNTRY - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -Among other Western ideas and institutions, the Hollanders have -imported into Java that of health-resorts. Erstwhile lonely hills now -bear hotel and "pavilions" upon their disforested summits; picnics -are held in glades where, a few years ago, the timid antelopes fed; -and Strauss's waltzes have reduced to silence the noisy cicadas. In -the country south and east of Batavia, in the Gedehhills, and in the -Preanger district, there are several of these hill-stations. There, the -air is pure and cool, in the months when the hot east monsoon scorches -the plains. There is Tji-Panas, Tji-Bodas, Sookaboomi, Sindanglaya, -Tjandjoor, the country round about Bandong, and, somewhat farther east, -Garoot, all of which places are easily accessible from Batavia. The -hotels are generally airy, roomy, and clean, if not elegant; the food -is fairly good, and the charges moderate, about four dollars a day, the -average rate throughout Java. - -The Preanger district, in which Garoot, Bandong, and Tjandjoor are -situated--the "Garden of Java" as it is fitly named--in more than -one respect reminds the traveller of the hillcountry. There is the -same clearness in the profiles of the mountain-ranges; the same -transparency of the air, which causes distant objects to appear quite -near, and reveals their contour rather than their modelling; the -same jewel-like sparkle in the colouring of the landscape, in the -clear-hued green of valley and hillside, in the changeful hues of the -water, and in the blue, opal, and roseate violet of the distances -under an azure sky. The thin pure air is as wellwater; in the evenings -one has to kindle a fire in order to keep warm; and walks of several -hours cause neither heat nor fatigue in this bracing climate, which -makes even natives quicken their naturally slow movements, and which -tinges their brown complexions with a flush of healthy red. In the -fields, corn is seen instead of rice, and, in places, golden wheat -waves. The gardens are fragrant with mignonette, heliotropes, and -carnations; mossroses flourish, velvety pansies, geraniums, fuchsias, -phlox in all its countless varieties of brilliant colours, and the -tender forget-me-nots of northern brooksides. Strawberries, along with -clusters of the blue and white grape show between the dense foliage -of the vines. At certain seasons of the year, the hills are purple -with the blossoms of the rasamala tree,--a magnificent growth which -throws out its first branches at a height of a hundred feet, and the -summit of which reaches an altitude of a hundred and eighty. The most -splendid orchids are found in the woods side by side with mushrooms -of extraordinary dimensions, some of three feet in diameter, and of -strange and brilliant colours. On all sides, too, there is sparkle -of living water as limpid as the air itself, leaping down the rocky -hill-sides in innumerable cataracts and shining in broad tranquil lakes -that mirror the encircling hill-tops and the clouds sailing overhead. -As one reaches higher levels, from about four thousand feet above the -sea level to six thousand and upwards, the changes in the landscape -become more and more marked. The Flame of the Forest, the kambodja, -the champaka, and all the countless host of large-flowered trees, -characteristic of the tropics, disappear. The type of the foliage -changes: it is less fantastic in shape, less luxuriant, and differently -tinted from the leafage of the lowland forests. To the sombre green -of the plains, which under the glaring sunlight, assumes tones of an -almost blackish blue, succeeds a vivid emerald, touched with tender -yellow. Then come dense forests of "tjemara", a coniferous tree, the dim -greyish foliage of which resembles a drift of autumnal mist; and, by -and bye, trees of the oak and chestnut kind appear, and the maple that -balances its fan-like leaves on bright red stalks. Violets open their -purple chalices in mossy hollows. On the cloudy mountain heights of -Tosari, one may gather flowers such as grow on the Alps. The scenery -here is grand beyond description--a landscape of vast hill ranges, -cataracts, and precipices, and heaving seas of cloud. The temperature -is almost too low; big fires are kept burning all day in the hotel, -through the verandahs of which the clouds float past. The one thing -that still reminds the traveller of the tropics is the wonderful -splendour of the orchids that grow here. In the fourth zone, at an -altitude of from seven thousand to ten thousand feet, the orchids, too, -disappear. A European vegetation covers the summits of the mountains -and the chill "plateau" of the Djeng, where four wonderful lakes -of green, and blue, and yellow, and pure white water sparkle in the -sunlight, and the nights are frosty. - -[Illustration: A village couple.] - -These wonders of the Javanese hill-country are well known, from the -descriptions of many able pens, and from the enthusiastic reports of -travellers. But, here and there, in the folds of the lower hills, there -are pleasant nooks and corners, all but ignored of the multitude, and -hardly inferior in beauty to these famous sites, albeit beauty of a -very different character. And, among these places, the idyllic grace of -which has not yet been marred by railroads and hotels, few can surpass -in loveliness the country round about Tjerimai, where it was my good -fortune to spend several pleasant days, last June. - -Tjerimai, a spur of the lofty Preanger range, is situated on the -confines of the Preanger Regencies and the Cheribon district, the -broad green plains and marshy coast of which its finely shaped summit -dominates--a landmark to sailors. - -[Illustration: Near Garoot.] - -From Batavia, the way thither leads through some of the loveliest -scenery in Java--past Buitenzorg and Bandong, straight across the -Preanger. Rantja-ekkek, a village in the vast plain which begins an -hour or so east of Bandong, is the last railroad station on the route. -There, the noise, the hurry, and the bustle of western civilization -cease, as if arrested by some invisible barrier; and the traveller -enters the real Java, the Java of the Javanese, the tranquil land of -plenty, the inhabitants of which lead their leisurely lives without -much more thought of the morrow than the tall gandasoli lilies of their -fields. When we two--the friend whom I accompanied to her home among -the hills, and myself--reached this stage of our journey, the day was -still young. The summits of the hills, which bound the plain on -the west, had already assumed their sober day colours--greyish brown -and dark green. But the distant eastern range stood out in violet -gleams against a sky of crimson and orange; and the intervening plain -was a lake of whitish, waving mist. The air had a peculiar, sweetish -taste--like an insipid fruit--which reminded me of early autumn -mornings at home. It was cold, too. Our native servants went with head -and shoulders wrapped up: and the breath of the ponies waiting for us -at the station made little clouds about their heads. We were grateful -for the plaids which we found in the carriage. - -The road lay straight before us--a long white streak through the soft -misty green of the plain. As we drove along, the pink sheen, which -rested on the hazy hillside to our left, like a handful of scattered -roses, began to spread and glide down into the valley, kindling as it -flowed, until the whole vast vapoury plain was suffused with purple. -The mist began to dissolve, and float upwards in little crimson drifts. -Suddenly, the great golden sun leaped up from behind the eastern -summits, and day streamed in upon us. The country-folk had already -begun the labours of the day. Children met us on the road, driving -powerful grey buffaloes before them; in a hamlet which we passed, the -women were pounding rice, breaking the silence of the morning with the -rhythmic click-clack of the wooden pestles. And, here and there, groups -of labourers moved through the rice fields, weeding. Overhead, larks -were soaring and singing; it was the first time I had heard their sweet -shrill note in Java. After a while, a partridge flew up with a whirr of -hurrying wings, almost from between the hoofs of the horses. They are -plentiful in this neighbourhood. At certain seasons of the year, large -parties of sportsmen assemble here to shoot them. - -On starting from the railway station, I had thought that, in half an -hour or so, we should have reached the hill-range, which bounded the -plain in the north. But the clear atmosphere has a perspective of -its own, confusing to eyes unaccustomed to it. After about two hours -of rapid driving we were still in the valley--on either side of us, -immense tracts of soft bluish green, full of the thousand lights and -shades that form the peculiar beauty of these terraced rice-fields; -and, all around, the circling summits which seemed no sensibly nearer -than at first. - -At every turn of the road, I expected to reach the base of the hills. -And again and again, they appeared to recede as we advanced, until -the fancy was stirred to the idea of some magic wall environing the -captive, withersoever he might turn; and the wish to find an exit -out of this hill-bounded plain grew almost to a fever. At length, we -reached it--a narrow defile between two steep green heights; and the -road began to climb. Here, in the deep glens and valleys, the air was -notably cooler than on the sunlit plain. Where the road broadened, it -was shaded by tall njamploeng trees, which strewed the ground with -their white transparent blossoms; and their faint fresh odour, which -reminded one of the scent of March violets, perfumed the breeze. - -[Illustration: "A brownie of that enchanted garden that men call Java."] - -[Illustration: Girl from the Preanger Country.] - -[Illustration: Javanese of higher class.] - -Meanwhile, we had changed horses at a "gladak"--a nondescript wooden -shed--stable, barn, and hostelry for native wayfarers in one--with a -spacious thoroughfare leading right through it. And our shaggy ponies -trotted along with a right good will, until they came to a sudden -stand at the bottom of a hill. "Gladakkers," as these ugly little -animals are called, are notorious for freakishness and perversity, and -often, without any apparent reason, will stand stockstill in the -middle of the road, and refuse to move another step. But this time, -as I soon found, they were moved by no such perverse whim; they knew -their duty, and that the dragging of carriages up this particular hill -was in no way a part of it. When the syce had unharnessed them, they -turned aside, and began to crop the dewy grass by the way-side, as -if work were over for that day. And, presently, their substitutes, a -pair of powerful grey buffaloes, appeared goaded on by their owner. -Slowly, the majestic brutes descended the hill, bending a broad -splendidly-horned head and an enormous neck under a triangular bamboo -yoke, and sending forth the breath in clouds from their large nostrils. -They drew the carriage up hill without any apparent effort, still -moving onward with that same slow, strong, steady gait, which neither -the impatient shouts of our syce, nor the goad which their owner plied, -could make them accelerate one whit. At the summit they halted of -their own accord; and, as soon as they felt their necks free of the -harness, turned and departed. As they passed me, the curved horn of the -one just grazing my shoulder, they seemed to me the personification -of resistless strength, unconscious of its own power, and patiently -subservient. Their large beautiful eyes had a look of meekness most -pathetic in so tremendous a creature. - -After this steep hill, the ascent became easy and gradual, and the -ponies trotted on at a good round pace. The road still kept zig-zagging -between steep hill-sides, densely overgrown with nipah-palm, banana, -and dark-leaved brushwood, which shut out the view of the landscape. -And I remember no noteworthy incident, except the passing of a native -market, a "passar," in a spot where the road broadened a little, and -where an impetuous brook, that came bounding down the hillside, spouted -from a sort of primitive aqueduct made of bamboo. Half a score of naked -children were bathing themselves under the icy "douche," whilst their -parents stood bargaining and chaffering at the narrow booths that -adhered to the steep hillside like swallows' nests to a house-wall. As -we approached, the whole company, men, women, and children, squatted -down with one accord, as if they had been so many puppets pulled -by a string. One very fat baby, his fists and his mouth full of -sweetmeats, stood staring at us in round-eyed surprise; but his mother -managed to catch him and draw him to his little haunches, just in the -nick of time; and the whole company remained in this crouching posture -until our carriage rounded the bend of the road. - -[Illustration: Girl from Kadoo.] - -[Illustration: Women pounding rice.] - -[Illustration: The rapids of the Tjitaroon.] - -At Batavia, where the manners of the natives have suffered a change--a -change for the worse, as some maintain--by contact with Europeans, I -had never witnessed this peculiar mode of salutation. And I confess -I was painfully impressed by it, the more so as my friend warned me -that native etiquette forbade my acknowledging the humble greeting -by so much as a nod. I do not know whether it was the abjectness of -their semi-prostration, or the seemingly gratuitous insolence of our -thus ignoring it, that I felt as the more acute humiliation to human -dignity. But, after all, the only way to rightly judge the manners -and customs of a country is to look at them from the point of view -of the natives; and, to a Javanese, there is nothing undignified in -a salutation which impresses us as slavish. He squats down, just as -a European rises, in the presence of a superior. It is a token of -respect; nothing more. And the superior's apparent unconsciousness of -this greeting no more implies rudeness on his part than the familiar -nod with which in Europe a gentleman might answer a labourer's or -artisan's raising of his cap. "The way of the land, the honour of -the land," as the Dutch proverb puts it. - -[Illustration: Pangeran Adipati Mangkoe Boemi (Djokjakarta).] - -[Illustration: Javanese Lady.] - -[Illustration: Waterfalls.] - -[Illustration: The Tji-mahi falls.] - -[Illustration] - -On the point of etiquette, the Javanese, moreover, are infinitely more -punctilious than any western people of our period. I believe they might -even be said to surpass the Spaniards of the time of Philip II, in the -elaborateness of their code of manners and in their strict adherence -to its requirements. Every possible circumstance and occurrence in -life have been foreseen, and the appropriate conduct noted down in -the unwritten law of the "adat"; the attitude, the gesture, and the -set phrase, are all prescribed, down to the smallest detail. Nor is -it a question of phraseology only; the very language is subject to -the regulations of the adat, which distinguishes three separate and -altogether different kinds of Javanese, according as a man speaks to -his superior, his equal, or his inferior. For speech to one higher -in rank, there is the "Kromo"; commands to a subordinate are given -in "Ngoko"; friends familiarly converse in a third idiom into which -elements of the other two enter. The theory of these three kinds of -Javanese is a science by itself, and one not easily acquired by a -westerner. At the same time, it is imperatively necessary to him, if -he would gain the esteem of the natives; for the use of a Ngoko word -when a Kromo term should have been employed, would mark the offender -with an indelible brand of vulgarity and ill-breeding. When the Bible -was being translated into Javanese, this peculiarity of etiquette -proved a considerable difficulty; and the missionaries had to consult -countless authorities and compare a thousand precedents, before they -could settle the question whether Christ should address Pilate in Kromo -or in Ngoko, or in the third idiom. A solecism would have fatally -injured the "prestige" of the new religion: and its ministers could -not have escaped the accusation of being "koerang atjar" which being -translated into English means "ill-bred." It was in order to avoid this -qualification, that my friend and I seeing the country folk at the -"passar" squat down in the dusty road, passed on, without so much as -looking at them. - -Towards eleven o'clock, we reached the highest point of our journey--a -ledge upon the mountain-side called Njadas Pangeran. Here, the hills on -our right suddenly fell away, and the broad green plains of Cheribon -lay disclosed, dazzling with sunlight and living water. At our feet, -away far below, lay a brown hamlet in the midst of sawahs, like a -lark's nest in a field of clover; and the hills through which we -had threaded our way, since dawn, hung in the western distance like -massy clouds, tinted with brown and violet, and an exquisite pale, -half-transparent blue. We paused here for some minutes, to rest the -horses, whilst we gathered armsful of a splendid orchid which grew -in profusion on the hillside--great shiny snow-flakes of blossoms, -with a touch of carmine on the curling petals; and then resumed the -journey along a road which steadily sloped to the bottom of the valley. -A muddy river runs through it, which we crossed on a primitive kind -of ferry--the carriage, horses, and all standing on a raft, which a -score of natives dragged and pushed across the shallow water. On the -other bank, the road began to ascend again; we had reached the base -of Tjerimai, and a drive of some two or three hours more, along a -smooth road that passed by prosperous sugarcane plantations waving in -the breeze with thousands of glossy green streamers, brought us at -length to our destination--the little bamboo cottage upon the hillside, -whither my friends repaired for a spell of coolness and a breath of -mountain air, when the heat rendered the sojourn on their estate in the -plains unendurable. It was about four in the afternoon when we entered -the garden gates, and the air was as fresh as in the early morning. -The breeze rustled through the tall flower-laden njamploeng-trees on -the roadside; there was a smell of water and moist stones in the air; -I heard the murmur of a brook over its rocky bed. This was the country -of which hot, dust-stifled Batavia was the capital. The thing seemed -scarcely credible. - -[Illustration] - - - - -IN THE DESSA - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -Our bungalow on the Tjerimai hillside was situated in the near -neighbourhood of a native dessa. But we had been there for some time, -before I became aware of the fact. And my first glimpse of the village -was a surprise as fascinating as it was sudden. - -It chanced in the course of a cool clear morning, as we rode along on -our way to the sacred grove of Sangean and the legend-haunted lake in -its shadow. - -We had been skirting for some time what seemed to be an unusually -dense bamboo-wood, when suddenly, in the wall of crowded stems, there -appeared a breach and framed in it, lo! a prospect of brown huts, with -flowering fruit-trees set between, and a well-kept road in the middle, -on which a score of children were playing about. A plough-man came -along, driving a pair of grey buffaloes before him, women were coming -and going, carrying waterpitchers and piled up baskets of fruit on -their erect heads; it was a busy hamlet in the heart of the wood. - -We entered, passing from the sunny hillside into the green twilight -among the trees, and out again upon the village road, flecked with -changeful lights and shadows. It was trim and clean as a gardenpath. -The huts on either side of it had a prosperous look, each standing in -its own patch of ground, surrounded by fruit-trees--mangoes, bananas -and djamboos that turned the soil purple with their fallen blossoms. -The rice-barns shaped like a child's cradle, narrow at the base, and -broadening out towards the top, were full of sweet new rice and in the -sheds sleek dun-coloured cattle stood patiently chewing the cud. - -[Illustration: Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched.] - -I saw no men about, they were probably at work on the outlying -ricefields. But here and there, under the pent-roofs of the houses, -women sat at their looms busily weaving sarong-cloth. And on the -doorsteps plump brown babies were rolling about. - -[Illustration: Gunungan, or Pile of Sacrificial Food, as offered by -women on Garebeg Mulud, the feast of the nativity of Nabi Muhamed, the -Great Prophet.] - -[Illustration: A native official and his followers.] - -One hut we passed, where a very old man sat playing with a tiny baby, -so exceedingly pretty, that we could not help stopping to admire it. -With a proud smile he told us it was his great-grand-child. Its father -and mother were living with him, and so indeed were all the other -members of his numerous family, sons and daughters and grandsons and -granddaughters who, each in turn, had wedded and brought a wife or a -husband to the parental home. - -[Illustration: Rice-barn shaped like a child's cradle.] - -"There are over a score of them" said the patriarch proudly. To him -had, in truth, been granted the prayer, which, on their wedding-day -Javanese couples put up to the gods "Give us a progeny like to the -spreading crown of the waringin tree." And the venerable sire, -trusting in his helpless old age to the love and piety of his children, -reminded one of the parent trunk, which, when decaying, is upheld by -the stalwart young trees that have sprung up around it. - -We asked after his family. The children, the old man answered, were all -out in the fields; no hands could be spared from the work just now. -Only his youngest grand-daughter, the baby's mother, had stayed in the -house, to look after the little one, and cook the familydinner. Yonder -she was, at her batik-frame, painting the sarong-cloth with flowers and -butterflies. The girl looked up as he spoke, turning a pretty face on -us; and smiled. - -"Ah! happy those that live among the woods and fields, if they but knew -their happiness...." It seemed to me that these dessa-folk knew theirs. - -And I filled my eyes and my heart with the scene before me--the low, -brown roofs amidst the fruittrees, the merry-eyed children at play, the -leisurely comings and goings of the women upon their daily occupation, -with the rustling coolness and the soft green light of the bamboo -leafage over it all; gathering all the gladsome beauty of it, that it -might keep fresh and fragrant my thoughts, when I should have returned -to the world outside, to the weariness, the fever and the fret to which -we of the conquering race have condemned ourselves. - -As we rode on, and the wood-enshrined hamlet disappeared among the -folds of the hillrange, like the beautiful day-dream it all but seemed -to me, I learnt that it was but a fair type of the prosperous dessa, -such as it is found throughout the length and breadth of Java. - -[Illustration: "A progeny like to the spreading crown of the -waringin-tree."] - -The plan and general appearance of these native villages are always the -same--a cluster of huts, each standing in its own patch of ground, -surrounded by a quick-set hedge; a main road from which numerous -bye-paths diverge, leading through; in the centre an open square, -shaded by waringin trees, fronting the mosque; then, surrounding the -whole, a dense plantation of bamboo trees, which completely hides the -village from sight. Around stretch meadows, ricefields, and plantations -of nipahpalm, which, in many cases, are the property of the community. - -Where this particular form of proprietorship obtains, the village -authorities assign portions of the communal fields in usufruct to such -inhabitants of the dessa as will pledge themselves in return to pay -certain taxes, and to perform certain duties entailed by the possession -of landed property; the principal of which are, keeping the roads and -irrigation works in repair, and guarding the gates or patrolling the -streets at night. Moreover in all matters touching the cultivation of -these fields, they are obliged to observe the prescriptions of the -"adat," and such regulations as the village authorities may deem proper -to make. - -Very strict supervision is excercised in this matter, so as to prevent -the occupant from exhausting, either through ignorance or neglect, -the field, which, at the expiration of his lease, will be allotted -to another member of the community. Disobedience to the commands of -the village authorities is punishable by forfeiture of the right of -occupation. - -In most districts, this communal right alternates with private -proprietorship. - -[Illustration: Sellers of rice.] - -According to the ancient custom, which has been ratified by the -Colonial Regulations, whosoever, of his own free will, reclaims a piece -of waste ground, by that act acquires the possession of the same, and -the right to transmit it to his heirs, the "hereditary individual -right," as the legal term is. Any native, desirous to obtain land on -these terms, can apply for permission to the Government, which, having -taken the place of the ancient Sultans is considered as the "Sovereign -of the Soil." This permission is never refused. So that, under the -communal regime as under the system of hereditary individual ownership, -anyone who has the will to work is sure of being able to earn a -sufficiency for himself and his family. There need be no unemployed: -there are no paupers in our sense of the word. It should be added, that -the right of usufruct under the system of communal possession, can -be converted into that of "hereditary individual ownership." But the -inherited communistic sentiment is so strongly developed in the people -of the dessa, that they but rarely, if ever, avail themselves of the -facilities, which the law offers them in this respect; they prefer that -the community should own the soil. - -[Illustration: Women dyeing sarong-cloth.] - -[Illustration: Woman picking cotton, and man plaiting a sieve.] - -As might be expected the principle of solidarity which pervades these -laws and customs, manifests itself even more strongly in the domestic -life of the dessa-folk. - -[Illustration: A Javanese family.] - -[Illustration: Mat-plaiting.] - -The ties of kinship--though not those of marriage--are much respected -by them. Parents are so absolutely sure of the love and filial piety -of their children, that they often, as they grow older, abandon all -their property to them, content to live for the remainder of their -days as their sons' and daughter's pensioners. And even the most -distant relation, who, like the nearest, is termed brother or sister, -may count, in case of need, upon assistance and hospitality. Parents -are free to bequeath their property as they like; and they sometimes -give everything to the first-born son or daughter, without any of -the other children protesting. But, just as frequently, the heritage -is left to all the descendants in common, when the paternal house is -enlarged, so as to afford room for all the married sons and daughters -and their families; and the produce of the fields is equally divided -amongst them, as they equally divide the labour and the toil. Thus, -through all chances and changes, the communistic principle is still -maintained in the small community of the family, as in the greater -one of the dessa. And indeed it may be said that the dessa is but the -enlarged paternal house of the Javanese. All the inhabitants of it are -his kinsfolk and nearest of blood, whose interests are his own, whose -prosperity or misery is bound up with his, and who are his natural -allies in defending the common inheritance against the stranger. The -bamboo enclosure which defines and defends the dessa and the environing -fields--the common possession of all--are the symbols and the outward -visible signs of this. - -Such then are the conditions which determine the existence of the -Javanese husbandman--a happy life on the whole, exempt from hardship, -excessive toil and care, and not without dignity or idyllic grace. - -The dessa-man has to work, certainly, but he need not slave; a -very moderate exertion is sufficient to procure him what food and -raiment he wants. His neighbours are his next of kin, and spite -occasional bickerings, his helpful friends. He has himself chosen the -village-chief to whose authority he defers, and is free to follow that -ancestral law of the adat, which, to him, is the embodiment of supreme -wisdom and justice. And as he goes about his daily business, his labour -in wood and field, still keeping time to the recurrent rhythm of the -seasons, is graced by many a ceremony and religious rite, which while -honouring the gods, rejoices the hearts of the worshippers. - -At these religious festivals called "Sedeka," sacrifices of flowers and -fruits are offered to the deity and the ancient, naive idea, that which -is pleasant to human beings must also be acceptable to the gods, causes -the Javanese to lay on his altar offering of the eatables he is fondest -of himself. Such as spice-flavoured rice and all manner of sweetmeats. - -[Illustration: A bamboo hut.] - -[Illustration: Weighing rice-sheaves.] - -[Illustration: Native official.] - -In this he does but as Jews and Greeks did before him. But there is -a distinguishing detail about Javanese sacrificial rites,--a -feature, which one is never quite sure whether to call eminently -spiritual or naively gross and selfish. Of the food offered they -believe the deity to enjoy the savour only; the celestial being -disdains the material part. And so the worshippers, after a decorous -interval of waiting, when they may suppose the invisible and -imponderable essence of the meal to have been absorbed by the god, -make a cheerful repast on the visible and ponderable parts left on the -altar, thus combining piety and high living in one and the same act. -In Java, if anywhere, it may be said, that, when the gods are honoured -the people fare well. - -It would be somewhat invidious to inquire whether piety or appetite -be the impelling motive; but, from whatever cause, the Javanese are -most assiduous in the performance of sacrificial rites. Not only are -the cardinal events of human existence, births, marriages and deaths, -and the recurrent epochs of the agricultural year honoured with solemn -observances, but any and every incident of daily existence is made the -occasion of a "Sedeka." - -Sedeka is offered on setting out on a journey, on entering into any -contract or agreement, on moving into a new house, on taking possession -of a newly-acquired field: the sacrifice being oftenest dedicated to -the "Danhjang dessa," tutelary genius of towns and villages; to the -spirits who render the soil fertile; to the goddess Sri, protectress -of the rice crops; and to all the ancestors, up to Father Adam and -Mother Eve. Then too, side by side with these benignant deities, the -wicked "seitans" and djinns are worshipped, the princes of the air, -as powerful for evil as Sri and the Danhjang Dessa are for good. It -is they who send plagues and pestilence, who make the babe to die at -its mother's breast, and the buffalo to drop dead on the half-ploughed -field; who cause fires to destroy villages, and floods to sweep away -the standing crops; and who seduce men to theft, deceit, robbery, and -violence. Since, then, they are so powerful for harm, it is wise to -keep on terms of amity with them, and give even the Devil his due, -bringing him the appointed sacrifices of eggs and yellow boreh-unguent -and jessamine blossoms. - -These evil spirits, it should be noted, are exceedingly jealous, and -one should never glory in the possession of any desirable thing, such -as good health, riches, power, or, above all, fine children, lest -in their spite, they should turn these blessings into curses. But -humility, or still better contempt of the things men generally covet, -conciliates them. Wherefore a Javanese mother will often call her -child, more particularly if it be remarkable for grace and beauty, by a -name implying that it is hateful, ugly and altogether worthless. - -[Illustration: Preparing the village field.] - -[Illustration: Native nobleman and his wife.] - -Among the saints of El-Islam, Joseph the father of the Christian -prophet Jesus, is the one whom Javanese matrons venerate above all -others; from him they implore the gift of beauty for their children. -Nor do they implore in vain. Javanese babies are absolutely charming. -The brilliancy of their black eyes, and the dusky tints of their soft -skin give their round little faces a piquancy altogether fascinating. -The blue eyes, fair hair and pale complexion of European children -seem insipid by comparison. Now and then one sees faces amongst them, -innocent and earnest as those which on Murillo's canvases surround the -Madonna in cloud-like clusters. But alas! these heavenly memories fade -soon. The suns of a few East monsoons utterly wither them. Villon, -could he see the grown-up youths and maidens of Java, would vary his -melancholy refrain about fair dead ladies. "But where are the babes of -yester-year?" - -[Illustration: Pilgrims returned from Mecca.] - -Among adults beauty is as rare as, among children, it is common. -So that after all, it seems Saint Joseph takes the prayer for fine -children "at the foot of the letter" and answers the petition in a -somewhat ironical spirit. - -Of the many "Sedeka's" which grace the agricultural year, those -connected with the cultivation of the rice-plant are the most -important. Java is essentially what, according to tradition, its -ancient name betokens--the Land of the Rice. The whole island is one -vast rice-field. Rice on the swampy plains, rice on the rising ground, -rice on the slopes, rice on the very summits of the hills. From the -sod under one's feet to the uttermost verge of the horizon, everything -has one and the same colour, the bluish green of the young, or the -tawny gold of the ripened rice. The natives are all, without exception, -tillers of the soil, who reckon their lives by seasons of planting and -reaping, whose happiness or misery is synonymous with the abundance or -the dearth of the precious grain. And the great national feast is the -harvest home, with its crowning ceremony of the Wedding of the Rice. - -In order to approximately understand the meaning of this strange rite, -it should be borne in mind that a Javanese, similar in this respect to -the ancient Greek, believes all nature to be endowed with a semi-divine -life. To him a tree is not a mere vegetable, nor a rock a mere mass -of stone, nor the sea a mere body of water, any more than he regards -a human being as a mere aggregate of flesh, blood, and bone. A hidden -principle of life, invisible, imponderable, and powerful for good or -evil animates the seemingly inert matter. In this sense, a Javanese -believes in the _soul_ of a plant or a rock almost as he believes in -the soul of a human being. And this soul he endeavours to propitiate -with prayers, libations and offerings of fruit and flowers. Hence -the frequent altars under old waringin-trees, in which the Danhjang -dessa, tutelary genius of towns and villages, is believed to dwell. -Hence the solemn sacrifices to the Lady of the Sea, Njai Loro Kidoel, -who has her shrine on the rocky south-coast. And hence too the rites -in honour of Dewi Sri, the Javanese Demeter, whose soul animates the -rice-plant,--rites which culminate in the Wedding of the Rice. - -[Illustration: A scholar.] - -At every Harvest-Home this mystical ceremony, the Pari Penganten, is -celebrated; and the manner of its conducting is as follows: - -As soon as the owner of a field sees his rice ripening, he goes to -the "dookoon-sawah" literally, the "medicine man of the rice-field," -to consult him as to the day and hour when it will be meet to begin -the harvest. This to a Javanese, is a most important matter, and it -requires all the astrological, necromantic and cabalistic knowledge -of the dookoon-sawah to settle it. For there are many unlucky days in -the Javanese year, and any enterprise begun on such a day is doomed to -inevitable failure. After long and intricate calculations, into which -the cabalistic values corresponding to the year, the month, the day, -and the hour enter, an acceptable date is at last fixed upon by the -dookoon-sawah, on which the selection of the Rice-Bride and Bridegroom -is to take place. - -On the appointed day, having first solemnly consecrated the field by -walking round it with a bundle of burning rice-straw in his hand, and -by the planting of tall glagahstalks at each of the four corners, -invoking Dewi Sri as he does so,--the dookoon begins to search for two -stalks of rice exactly equal in length and thickness, and growing near -each other. When these are found, four more are hunted for, two pairs -of absolutely similar ears of rice. The first couple are the Bride and -Bridegroom; the four others the bridesmaids and the "best men," (if the -term may be used to designate what the French call garcons d'honneur.) -These couples are now tied together as they stand, with strips of -palm-leaves, and the doekoen invokes on them the blessing of Dewi Sri. -Then he addresses the Rice-Bride and the Rice-Bridegroom, asking -them, each in turn, whether they accept each other as husband and -wife, and answering for them. The marriage now is concluded; the stalks -are smeared with yellow boreh-unguent, decorated with garlands, and -shaded from the sun by a tiny awning of palm leaves, whilst the stalks -round about are cut off. - -[Illustration: Filling the village field.] - -[Illustration: Rice-barn.] - -Now the dookoon, the owner of the field and his family, all those -who have in any way helped in preparing the "Sawah," or planting the -rice, sit down to a "Slamettan," a repast which is at the same time a -sacrifice to the gods, and a further celebration of the marriage just -contracted; and, at the end of the banquet, the doekoen, rising up, -solemnly declares that the hour of the harvest has come. - -Now, it is the kindly custom of Javanese land-owners to invite to the -harvest-feast all who, during the past month, have taken any part, -however slight, in the cultivation of the Sawah. And as, under so -elaborate a system of agriculture as is demanded by the growing of -rice, these are necessarily many, the Pari Penganten is a feast for -the whole "dessa" as well as for a single family. The men leave their -work in the shops or the market, the women lay down the sarong-cloth on -which for weeks and weeks they have been patiently tracing elaborate -patterns with wax, and blue and brown pigment; and all, in holiday -attire and with flowers wreathed in their hair or stuck into a fold of -their head-kerchief, repair to the ripe rice-field. - -[Illustration: Peasant ploughing.] - -The dookoon-sawah is the first to enter it; and, as he does so, he in -this wise greets the spirits of the field. - -[Illustration: Rice on the swampy plains.] - -"O! thou invisible Pertijan Siluman! do not render vain the labour -I have bestowed upon my sawah! If thou dost render it vain, I will -hack thy head in two! Mother Sri Penganten! hearken! do thou assemble -and call to thee all thy children and grand-children! let them all -be present and let not one stay away! I wish to reap the rice. I -will reap it with a piece of whetted iron. Be not afraid, tremble -not, neither raise thine eyes! All my prayers implore thy favour and -gracious protection. Also, I propose to prepare a sacrificial repast, -and dedicate it to the spirits that protect this my sawah; and to the -spirits that protect the four villages nearest to this our village, and -also to Leh-Saluke and Leh-Mukalana!" - -[Illustration: "The produce of the fields is equally divided amongst -them as they equally divide the labour and the toil."] - -Having pronounced this invocation, he cuts off the ears which represent -the Rice-Bride and Bridegroom and their four companions, and the -reapers begin their work. The implement they use is best described as -a cross-hilted dagger of bamboo, having a little knife inserted into -the wooden blade; the reaper, holding the hilt in the fingers of his -right hand, with the thumb presses the rice-stalk against the small -knife, severing the ear, which he gathers in his left hand; and thus he -cuts off each ripe ear separately with a gesture as delicate as if he -were culling a flower. The whole rice harvest of Java is reaped in this -manner. - -The loss of time may be imagined. The Government has, again and -again, tried to introduce the use of the sickle and more expeditious -methods, but in vain. In all things, the Javanese love to do as their -fathers did before them; and, in this particular matter of the reaping -of the rice, their attachment to ancestral customs is still further -strengthened by a religious sentiment. The Dewi Sri herself they -believe, having assumed the shape of a gelatik or rice-bird, which -broke off the ripe ears with its bill, taught mortals the manner in -which it pleased her that her good gift of the rice should be gathered. -And accordingly, her votaries to the present day do gather in thus, -culling each ear separately. In their opinion, to use a sickle would -be to show a wanton disrespect to the goddess, and a contempt of her -precious gift, as if it were not worth gathering in a seemly manner; a -sacrilege which the outraged deity would not fail to avenge by famine -and pestilence. On the other hand, what would they gain by departing -from their ancestors' honoured custom, and adopting instead the manners -of the men from Holland? "Time," these men respond. But then, that -means nothing to a Javanese. He no more wants to "gain time" than he -wants to "gain" fresh air or sunlight. It is there; he has it; -he will always have it. What absurdity is this talk of "gaining" an -assured and ever-present possession? - -[Illustration: Flooded rice-fields.] - -The idea of time as an equivalent for a certain amount--the greatest -possible--of labour performed, is essentially occidental. A Javanese -not only does not understand it, but he shrugs his shoulders and smiles -at the notion. He does not see what possible relation there can be -between a day and what these white men call a day's work. He works, -undoubtedly; but he works in a quiet deliberate fashion, for just so -long as he thinks pleasant, or fit, or when the monsoon threatens, -unavoidable; and then he stops; and, if the task be not finished, well, -it may be finished some future day. There is no cause why any ado -should be made about it. Everything in time. And let us remember that -haste cometh of the evil. - -At last, however, the harvest is reaped, and the hour has come for the -Rice-Bride and Bridegroom to repair to their new home. The two reapers -on whom devolves the honourable duty of conducting them thither, don -their very best clothes for the occasion, and daub their faces with -yellow boreh-unguent. Then to the strains of the gamelan and followed -by all the reapers, men and women in solemn procession, they carry the -garlanded sheaves to the house of the owner of the field. He and his -wife meet them in the doorway; and, in set phrase, they inform the -Rice-Bride and Bridegroom that the house is swept and garnished, and -all things ready for their reception. The procession then wends its way -to the granary, where a small space, surrounded by screens and spread -with clean new matting, represents the bridal chamber. - -The Rice-Bride and Groom and their "maids and youths of honour" are -introduced into this miniature room, the other sheaves are piled up in -the loomboong (rice-born) and when the whole harvest is stored, the -dookoon-sawah pronounces the prayer to the Goddess Sri. - -[Illustration: "The men, with the father of the bride at their head, -come for the bridegroom, to conduct him to the mosque."] - -"Mother Sri Penganten, do thou sleep in this dark granary, and grant -us thy protection. It is meet that thou shouldst provide for all thy -children and grandchildren." - -[Illustration: "With measured steps the two advanced towards each -other, and whilst yet at some distance paused."] - -Then the door of the loomboong is locked; and during forty days -none dare unlock it. At the end of that time the honey-moon of the -Rice-Bride and Bridegroom is supposed to be over. The owner of the -field comes to the loomboong, unlocks the door, and in set phrase -invites the couple to an excursion on the river. "The boat," he says, -"lies ready; and the rowers know how to handle the oars." With this -comparison the process of husking the grain is designated. - -The sheaves are laid in the hollowed-out tree-trunk which serves as a -kind of mortar, and the women, bringing down the long wooden pestles -in a rhythmic cadence husk the rice. And this is the end of the Pari -Penganten. - -[Illustration: "Humbly kneeling down, the bride proceeded to wash the -bridegroom's feet, in token of loving submission."] - -But, as the proverb has it, "of a wedding comes a wedding" and this -mystic marriage of the rice invariably proves the prelude to marriages -among the young folk of the dessa, who have met and wooed and won -one another during the long days of common work and play in the ripe -rice-field. During our stay on the Tjeremai hill-side we had occasion -to convince ourselves of this. The Pari Penganten was but just over -when we arrived; and already several marriages were being arranged in -the dessa, among the number that of the headman's pretty daughter to a -good-looking youth, her remote cousin. - -[Illustration: Bride and bridegroom sitting in state.] - -As a preliminary the village scholar had been consulted as to the -young couple's chances of happiness; and he having declared the -cabalistic meaning of their united initials to be "a broadly-branching -waringin-tree" which is the symbol of health, riches and a numerous -progeny, the parents, reassured as to the future of their children, had -begun negotiations about the dowry. This, it should be noted, is given -by the family of the future husband. - -[Illustration: The wedding-guests on their procession through the -village.] - -After a great deal of haggling and protesting, they had at last agreed -upon a sum about half-way between the amount originally offered by the -bridegroom's parents and that demanded by the father of the bride. In -due course, then, the youth had sent the customary presents of food, -clothes, and domestic utensils to the house of his bride. And now he -was busy preparing himself for the great day. He had had his teeth -filed almost to the gums, and blackened till they shone like lacquer, -so that his enthusiastic mother and sisters compared his mouth to the -ripe pomegranate, in which the black seeds show through the red flesh. -And, day by day, he went to the village-priest to recite to him the -words of the marriage-formula, which he did, sitting up to his chin in -the cold water of the tank behind the mosque, the priest standing over -him, Koran in hand. The bride, on her side, had been living on a diet -of three tea-spoonfuls of rice and a glass of hot water per diem, so as -to lose flesh and--according to Javanese notions--gain beauty against -the happy day; and to the great satisfaction of her family she was now -so thin, that they could almost see the flame of the oilwick shining -through her. - -Meanwhile the entire population of the dessa was busy with preparations -for the marriage-feast. The women might be seen all day long, under -the pent-roof of the bride's house and in the kitchen, pounding rice, -boiling vegetables, broiling fish, roasting goats' flesh, and mixing -all manner of condiments for the innumerable dishes, which figure at -a Javanese repast. And the young men were chopping wood and carrying -water as if for their livelihood. - -At length the wedding-day arrived. - -The sun had hardly risen when already the women of the village were -up and stirring, hastening on their way to the house of the bride, -whom they were to assist at her toilet. This was a most complicated -affair, the girl's hair having to be dressed in a curious and elaborate -fashion, requiring much twisting and coiling of oil-saturated tresses, -interwoven with wreaths of jessamine blossom, and fixed with large -ornamental pins; and a row of little curls must be painted on the -forehead with black pigment. Furthermore the face must be carefully -whitened with rice-powder, and the shoulders and arms anointed with -yellow boreh-unguent. It need hardly be said that it required the whole -morning to bring these many and delicate operations to a satisfactory -end. - -The men, meanwhile, with the father of the bride at their head, -had gone to the house of the bridegroom, to conduct him in solemn -procession to the mosque, where the priest was to perform the -marriage-ceremony between him and the representative of the bride; -for, according to Javanese notions, a woman has no business at a -wedding--least of all at her own. From the mosque the groom then -returned to his own house, where he proceeded to a toilet hardly -less elaborate than that of his bride. After a considerable time, -he issued forth again, resplendent with boreh-unguent, garlands -of jessamine-blossoms and silver ornaments. He mounted a richly -caparisoned pony, which his "youth of honour" held ready for him; and, -at the head of the procession, triumphantly rode to his bride's house, -where the guests were waiting, my friends and I among the number, to -witness the meeting of the newly-wedded pair. - -As the bridegroom drew rein in front of the house, the bride supported -by two maids of honour, slowly came out of her chamber. With measured -steps the two advanced towards each other; and whilst yet at some -distance paused. Two small bags of sirih-leaves containing chalk and -betel-nuts were handed them; and with a quick movement each threw his -at the other's head. The bride's little bag struck the groom full in -the face. "It is she that will rule the roost," said one of the women, -chuckling. And I fancied I saw a gleam of satisfaction pass over the -bride's demure little face, half hidden though it was by the strings -of beads and jessamine flowers dependent from her head dress. The next -moment however, she had humbly knelt down on the floor. One of the -bridesmaids handed her a basin full of water, and a towel; and she -proceeded to wash her husband's feet, in token of loyalty and loving -submission. - -[Illustration: "The men sat down to a repast."] - -When she was done, he took her by the hand, raising her; and led -her towards the middle of the apartment, where a piece of matting -was spread on the floor. On this she squatted down, holding up a -handkerchief; and the bridegroom threw into it some rice, some -"peteh"-beans and some money, symbolising the sustenance which he bound -himself to afford her. The symbolical ceremonies were then concluded -by his sitting down next to her, and putting three spoonfuls of rice, -kneaded into little balls, into her mouth, after which he ate himself -what was left in the dish. The solemn part of the proceedings being now -over, the festivities began. - -As a preliminary, the bridal party was to go in solemn procession -through the village; and they were marshalled in order before the door. - -A curious cortege it was. At the head appeared two "barongans" the -images of a giant and a giantess, carried on the shoulders of men who -were hidden in the large framework; then came the gamelan orchestra, -bells, drums, kettles, viols and all; next a group of men mounted on -hobby-horses, and beating on the sonorous "angkloeng."[19] After these -came some half dozen women, carrying the bridal insignia--paper birds, -bunches of green leaves and paper flowers, and tall fans made of -peacocks feathers. A group of priests followed, beating tambourines and -chanting a sort of epithalamium. Next came the bride and her maidens in -a litter, carried upon the shoulders of four men; and immediately after -her the bridegroom on horseback followed by a group of musicians. The -wedding-guests brought up the rear. - -[Illustration: Native policeman.] - -In this order the procession took the road; went round the dessa twice; -and finally halted at the house of the bridegroom. - -[19] An instrument composed of a series of graduated bamboo tubes. - -The father appeared in the door, as soon as he heard the music -approaching; came out to meet the procession; and advancing towards -the litter of the bride, lifted her out of it, and carried her into -the house, where the bridegroom's relations were seated in a circle to -receive her. To these she was now, with great ceremony, introduced as -the daughter of the house, whilst she and the bridegroom saluted every -member of the assembly in turn, by kneeling down and kissing his or her -feet. - -The guests were then invited to enter, and the men sat down to a -repast, at which the women served them, whilst the bride and bridegroom -took their meal together, separately from the rest. - -We took advantage of the momentary bustle to slip away unobserved. -There was not a soul to be seen on the moonlit village street; the huts -were dark and silent; and at the entrance of the village the watchman -on duty for the night had left his post vacant. - -A din of laughter and buzzing voices pursued us as we descended the -hill-path to our bungalow. And all that night, long after the last -cricket had ceased his song we heard the thin clear notes of the -gamelan resounding from the heights. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -EPILOGUE - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - -As I write these lines--adding a last touch to the slight sketches in -which I have endeavoured to render my impressions of this country--the -shrill whistle of steam and the thudding and panting of powerful -engines are in my ears, and I see the radiant sky blackened by volumes -of smoke. The "campaign" has begun in the Cheribon plains. In endless -file the lumbering, buffalo-drawn "pedatis"[20] creaking under the -load of luscious green sugar-cane, jolt along upon the dusty road, on -their way to the factory yonder,--a great, square, ungainly building, -all around which there is a stir and bustle of dark figures, like the -swarming of ants around an ant-hill. The gate is thrown wide; tall -black shapes loom through the semi-darkness of the interior; and, -now and then, the sudden flare from a furnace reveals the bulging, -sooty-black mass of a boiler, or the contour of the gigantic wheel -slowly revolving. The nauseous smell of the boiling syrup taints the -air. - -[20] Carts the wheels of which are wooden discs. - -I went to the mill, the other morning, to watch the transformation -of the beautiful tall reeds, which, only a few hours ago, so gaily -fluttered their pennon-like leaves in the wind and sunshine without, -into a shapeless pulp, and a turbid viscous liquor. The "mandoor" -showed me the first sugar-bags of the season. I looked at them with -some interest beyond that which they deserved in themselves. We were -to be companions on the journey westwards, and already the steamer -which was to convey us hence, was riding at anchor in the roadstead of -Cheribon. - -Last impressions, it is said, are the strongest, and those which -ultimately fix the mental images. If so, I will remember Java, years -hence, not as the fairy-land it seemed to me only yester day, in the -sylvan solitudes of Tjerimai, but as a busy manufacturing country, -prosperous and prosaic. - -I will remember a rich soil, an enervating climate, alternating -droughts and inundations and fever-breathing monsoons; a mode of life, -comfortable and even luxurious, but monotonous in the extreme, which -taxes to the utmost both mental and physical energies. I will think -of white dusty towns by yellow muddy rivers; of hills, and vales, and -marshy lowlands overgrown with thick, sprouting rice; of admirable -irrigation works; of a system of political administration, apparently -wise and equitable and conducive to the well-being of a prosperous -native population. And I will be at a loss how to reconcile all these -hard solid facts about Java with the airy fancier, the legends and the -dreams, which must still, as with white splendours of zodiacal light, -illumine my thoughts of the beautiful island. - -It seems impossible that both should be true. And yet, I know that the -fancies are every whit as real and living as the facts, that the poetry -and the romance are as faithful representations of things as they are, -as the driest prose could be. - -Even now, whilst in the factory yonder, fires roar, engines pant, -and human beings sweat and toil, to change the dew-drenched glory of -the fields into a marketable commodity some hamlet in the plains is -celebrating the Wedding of the Rice with many a mystic rite. Some -native chief, celebrating the birth of a son, welcomes to his house -the "dalang," the itinerant poet and playwright, who on his miniature -stage, represents the councils of the Gods, and the adventures, in -war and love, of unconquerable heroes, and of queens more beautiful -than the dawn. And in the sacred grove of Sangean on Tjerimai, the -green summit of which dominates the southern horizon, some huntsman, -crouching by the shore of the legend-haunted lake, invokes the -Princess Golden Orchid, and her saintly brother, Radhen Pangloera, -who live in a silver palace deep down in the shining water, and who -shower wealth, honour, and long life upon the mortal, who pronounces -the names the spirits of the lake know them by. Nay--on this very -estate, amid the smoke of the factory-chimneys romance still holds -her own. The mythopoeic fancy of the country-folk has enthroned a -"danhjang," tutelary genius of the field, in the branches of an ancient -waringin-tree out in the fields. On their way to the mill, men and -women pause in its shade, to hang little paper fans on the branches, or -deposit on the humble altar jessamine blossoms, yellow "boreh" unguent -and new-laid eggs in homage to the agrestic god. Now, the waringin tree -stands in a field of sugarcane, where its wide-spreading roots exhaust -the soil, and its broad shadow kills the young plants within an ever -expanding circle. Clearly, it should be cut down. But the owner of the -estate, warned by recent events, wisely forbears. He chooses to put up -with these inconveniences, rather than expose himself and his property -to the revenge which the votaries of the Danhjang would undoubtedly -take, if a sacrilegious hand were laid on his chosen abode. And so, the -Sacred Waringin thrives and flourishes in the midst of the plantations -of sugar-cane, a fit symbol of the romance which, in this island, -pervades all things, even those the most prosaic in appearance. - -It is this, I believe, this constant intrusion of the poetic, the -legendary, the fanciful into the midst of reality, which constitutes -the unique charm of Java. This is the secret of the unspeakable and -irresistible fascination by which it holds the men of the north, born -and bred among the sterner realities of European civilisation. A spell -which becomes so potent as to countervail ills which otherwise would -prove unbearable; and to temper, with a regret and a strange sense of -want, the joys of the exile's home-coming. - -And this, too, is the reason why, to me as to so many who have beheld -Java not with the bodily eye alone, it must still remain a land of -dreams and fancies, the Enchanted Isle where innocent beliefs and -gladsome thoughts, such as are the privilege of children and childlike -nations, still have their happy home. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Page - - *Mask used by Topeng-players I - - *Batik-freme for the exclusive use of ladies of quality V - - A "brownie" of that enchanted garden that men call Java 2 - - *Batik-pattern 3 - - "Fishing-praos, their diminutive hull almost disappearing under - the one tall whitish-brown sail, shaped like a bird's wing and - flung back, as if ready for a swoop and rake" 6 - - "The ship lay still and we trod the quay of Tandjong Priok" 7 - - *Sekin. (Interior of Sumatra) 11 - - *Four-armed Civa 12 - - *Lamp.--Garuda the Sun-Bird in the shape of a winged woman 14 - - *Landing of a Hindoo Ship.--Relief to Boroboedoer (Java) 15 - - "A seller of fruit and vegetables his baskets dangling from the - end of a bamboo yoke" 17 - - "Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvety rambootan and smooth-skinned - dookoo" 19 - - "The big kalongs hanging from the topmost branches in a sleep - from which the sunset will presently awaken them" 21 - - *Ivory Mortar and Pestle, decorated with representations of scenes - from the Life of Krishna 26 - - *Mask used by Topeng-players 28 - - *Wayang "beber", drawing, representing the story of Djaka Prataka. - (Vide: Vreede Catalogue of Javanese and Madurese MS. Leiden - 1892, page 196) 29 - - "A triple row of branching tamarinds" 32 - - "The idyllic Duke's park, very shadowy, fragrant and green" 33 - - The business quarter of Batavia 36 - - A footsore Klontong trudging wearily along 37 - - +The Chinese Quarter 39 - - "The West-monsoon has set in, flooding the town" 40 - - +"The Kali Batawi on its way through the Chinese Quarter" 41 - - +Entrance to a rich Chinaman's House 43 - - "A glimpse of the river as it glides along between the bamboo - groves of its margins" 45 - - +Procession at the funeral of a rich Chinaman 50 - - +Funeral procession on its way to the Chinese Country 51 - - +Burning of symbolical figures at a Chinese Funeral 53 - - "The deliberate stream sauntering along at its own pace on its way - from the hills to the sea" 55 - - *Bamboo case. (Java: Preanger Regencies) 60 - - *Batik-pattern 61 - - "Compound" of a Batavia House 62 - - +The servants' kitchen 67 - - +Native servants 71 - - +Native gardener 75 - - +Native footboy 77 - - +Sacred gun near the Amsterdam-gate, Batavia 78 - - *Brass flower-pot, modern (Java: Resid of Surabaya) 80 - - *Wayang beber, drawing, representing the story of Djaka Prataka. - (Vide: Vreede, Catalogue of Javanese and Madurese MS. Leiden - 1892. page 196) 81 - - *Mandau. (S. E. Borneo) 95 - - Raksasa (Demon) 96 - - *Mask used by Topeng-players 98 - - *Creese. (Java) 99 - - +The River-Bath 101 - - +A Laundry in the River 103 - - Native Lady travelling in her Litter 104 - - A Litter 105 - - +The Market at Malang 107 - - +Street-Dancers 110 - - Musicians 111 - - +The native cithara and violin 112 - - Clasp for fastening a kabaya in front 113 - - +A native restaurant in its most compendious shape 115 - - "For the morning and evening meal he prefers the open air and - the cuisine of the Warong" 117 - - +A kitchen 120 - - A native restaurant in its simplest and most compendious shape 121 - - +Native restaurant 123 - - Breakfast in the open air 125 - - "Here they are: without playthings naked and supremely happy" 129 - - +A Chinese Carpenter 130 - - +A Chinese Dyer 131 - - "The miniature stage on which the lives and adventures of Hindoo - Heroes, Queens and Saints are acted over again by puppets of - gilt and painted leather" 133 - - Scene in a Wayang-Wong Place 136 - - The Regent of Malang's Wayang-Wong 137 - - The native orchestra which accompanies every representation of - the Wayang 139 - - Wayang-Wong Players missing a Fight 144 - - Wayang-Wong Scene 145 - - Scenes from a Wayang-Wong Play 149 - - "Topeng" played by masked actors 152 - - "Topeng" actors 153 - - "Slowly they advance gliding rather than walking" 155 - - Street-dancers 156 - - "The dancers stand listening for the music" 157 - - A Wayang representation 159 - - A Wayang representation 160 - - Wayang dancers. 161 - - *Wooden model of a boat (majang.--Java: Res. of Japara) 164 - - *Batik-pattern 165 - - *Balinese crease.--Stabbard made of "Kajoe pelet" 181 - - *Padi-Reaper.--Java 182 - - *Laksjmi seated on a lotos-cushion 184 - - *Batik-pattern taken from a Head-kerchief 185 - - Buffaloes at grass 188 - - +Avenue leading to the Botanical-garden 189 - - A Nipah Palm 194 - - The Brantas-River.--Malang 195 - - A Javanese 197 - - A Hill-man 198 - - +"In the depth of the ravine" 199 - - Watch-men 201 - - +Prinsenlaan-corner, Batavia 202 - - "The beautiful tall reeds of the sugar-cane, their pennon-like - gleaming in the sunshine" 204 - - Avenue of old Waringin-trees, Botanical-garden, Buitenzorg 205 - - +A cactus in flower 208 - - +Gum tree, Botanical-garden, Buitenzorg 210 - - +Palmtrees in the Botanical-garden 211 - - +A Waringin-tree 214 - - +"A path leading from sunshine into dappled shade and from shade - into sunshine again" 216 - - +"A bamboo-grove where was an incessant rustling and waving of - foliage though no wind" 217 - - "Carriers walking by the side of their lumbering, bullock-drawn - pedati, which creaks along the sun-scorched roads" 219 - - +Palm trees and Arancaria 222 - - +"A tall gloomy avenue of Kenari-trees, the sky but faintly - showing though their sombre branches" 223 - - Submerged rice-fields 225 - - +Bamboo-bridge near Batu-Tulis 227 - - Bamboo-bridge across the Tjitaroon 229 - - Bamboo-bridge across the Tjitaroon 230 - - *Brass water-kettle.--Java: Res. of Surabaya 231 - - *Copper Dish, decorated with Wayang-figures 232 - - *Javanese girl 234 - - *Relief to Boroboedoer 235 - - A village couple 237 - - Near Garoot 241 - - A "brownie" of that enchanted garden that men call Java 246 - - Girl from the Preanger-Country 247 - - Javanese of the higher class 249 - - Girl from Kadoo 251 - - +Women pounding rice 253 - - The rapids of the Tjitaroon 254 - - Pangeran Adipati Mangkoe Boemi (Djokjakarta) 256 - - Javanese Lady 257 - - Waterfalls 259 - - The Tjimahi falls 260 - - +"Through the darkling stillness of the grove there break the - splendour and the sound of living water" 261 - - Pedang. (Interior of Sumatra) 264 - - *Ganeca.--The God of Wisdom 266 - - *Priests with their Guru or Teacher 267 - - Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched 268 - - *Gunungan, or Pile of Sacrificial Food, as offered by women, on - Garebeg Mulud, the feast of the nativity of Nabi Muhamed, the - Great Prophet. (Vide: Groneman, "the Garebeg". The Hague 1895, - page 33) 270 - - A native official and his followers 271 - - +Rice-barn shaped like a child's cradle 273 - - "A progeny like to the spreading crown of the waringin-tree" 275 - - Sellers of rice 278 - - +Women dyeing sarong cloth 279 - - +Woman picking cotton, and men plaiting a sieve 281 - - A Javanese Family 282 - - +Mat-plaiting 283 - - +A bamboo hut 286 - - Weighing rice-sheaves 287 - - +Native official 289 - - Preparing the village field 291 - - Native nobleman and his wife 292 - - +Pilgrims returned from Mecca 293 - - +A scholar 295 - - Filling the village field 297 - - +Rice-barn 299 - - Peasant ploughing 300 - - Rice on the swampy plains 301 - - "The produce of the fields is equally divided amongst them as - they equally divide the labour and the toil" 303 - - Flooded rice-fields 306 - - +"The men, with the father of the bride at their head, had come - for the bridegroom, to conduct him to the mosque" 308 - - +"With measured steps the two advanced towards each other, and - whilst yet at some distance paused" 309 - - +"Humbly kneeling down, the bride proceeded to wash the - bridegroom's feet, in token of loving submission" 310 - - +Bride and bridegroom sitting in state 311 - - +The wedding-guests on their procession through the village 312 - - +"The men sat down to a repast" 315 - - Native Policeman 316 - - *Mandou (S. E. Borneo) 317 - - *Vishnu the preserver, four-armed, standing on a lotos-cushion, - lotos-plants to his right and left, under which two women - standing: Laksjmi and Satiavana the Consorts of the God. (Java) 318 - - *Javanese Type 320 - - *Crease. (Java) 321 - - A seller of Peruvian bark 325 - - Crease. (Java) 329 - - A Malay 330 - - Crease. (Java) 331 - - *Kartakeya Civa's Son, the War-God, seated on a pea-cock 331 - - Cock-fighting 332 - - The illustrations marked * are taken from originals in - the Leyden Ethnographical Museum, those marked + from the Haarlem - Colonial Museum. - - Vide also: H. H. Juynboll, "Das Javanische Maskenspiel" in: - Intern. Archiv. fuer Ethn. XIV 41. - - L. Serrurier, De Wayang Poerwa. Eene ethnologische studie. Leiden - 1896. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PROLOGUE v - - I. FIRST GLIMPSES 1 - - II. A BATAVIA HOTEL 13 - - III. THE TOWN 27 - - IV. A COLONIAL HOME 59 - - V. SOCIAL LIFE 79 - - VI. GLIMPSES OF NATIVE LIFE 97 - - VII. ON THE BEACH 163 - - VIII. OF BUITENZORG 183 - - IX. IN THE HILL COUNTRY 233 - - X. IN THE DESSA 265 - - EPILOGUE 319 - - ILLUSTRATIONS 325 - -[Illustration] - -PRINTED IN HOLLAND - -[Illustration] - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - - Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as - possible. Obvious punctuation errors repaired. - - The usage of hyphenated words in this text is inconsistent. This was - retained. - - The following is a list of changes made to the original. - The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. - - Page VI - breathed its odour-laden air for to long a time; - breathed its odour-laden air for too long a time; - - Page VI - he is content to live on dreamely by some - he is content to live on dreamily by some - - Page 18 - immates of the hotel are all - inmates of the hotel are all - - Page 18 - Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvetry rambootan - Pine-apples and mangosteen, velvety rambootan - - Page 26 - a spacious hall supported on pillars, was brillantly lit. - a spacious hall supported on pillars, was brilliantly lit. - - Page 38 - such as Shakspeare loved as a setting - such as Shakespeare loved as a setting - - Page 54 - Funeral Procession on its way to the Chinese Cimetery. - Funeral Procession on its way to the Chinese Cemetery. - - Page 57 - the attitude of mind and the habits of though identical - the attitude of mind and the habits of thought identical - - Page 57 - He could as soon leave off breathing as leave of buying and selling - He could as soon leave off breathing as leave off buying and selling - - Page 61 - the Northerner's mind when the looks upon a house - the Northerner's mind when he looks upon a house - - Page 65 - and supported on colums - and supported on columns - - Page 76 - a sufficient domiestic staff - a sufficient domestic staff - - Page 81 - and the deepbreathed fragance of flowers - and the deepbreathed fragrance of flowers - - Page 84 - almost in the house, nothwithstanding; - almost in the house, notwithstanding; - - Page 91 - nests on the capitals of the columms, - nests on the capitals of the columns, - - Page 92 - analogous contasts meet one at every step - analogous contrasts meet one at every step - - Page 92 - Thy have more leisure, - They have more leisure, - - Page 92 - a friend, a mere acquintance, an utter stranger, - a friend, a mere acquaintance, an utter stranger, - - Page 106 - invader has suceeded in ousting from - invader has succeeded in ousting from - - Page 109 - wax-white Gardenias, violet Seabiosa, and leaves - wax-white Gardenias, violet Scabiosa, and leaves - - Page 109 - the soft, fragant heap in his basket - the soft, fragrant heap in his basket - - Page 109 - figures in their brigh-hued garments - figures in their bright-hued garments - - Page 112 - the fragant blossom of the asana. - the fragrant blossom of the asana. - - Page 121 - the guidance of its own insticts - the guidance of its own instincts - - Page 129 - a Englismen about a prize-fighter. - as Englishmen about a prize-fighter. - - Page 131 - and the tail protude. - and the tail protrude. - - Page 138 - figures are fixed in a piece of bananastem - figures are fixed in a piece of banana stem - - Page 142 - and posess some knowledge of Kawi - and possess some knowledge of Kawi - - Page 147 - that some well-know "dalang" will hold - that some well-known "dalang" will hold - - Page 150 - the pride of wordly rank and station - the pride of worldly rank and station - - Page 155 - that we many know surely. - that we may know surely. - - Page 156 - thus shamefaced and sad, rejoice exeedingly. - thus shamefaced and sad, rejoice exceedingly. - - Page 159 - as Ardjuna, goes to seek Niwatakawata - as Ardjuna, goes to seek Niwatakawaka - - Page 160 - called Ardjuna's marrage feast - called Ardjuna's marriage feast - - Page 165 - In one place were the narrow beach broadens - In one place where the narrow beach broadens - - Page 166 - of the broad-branched nyamploeng trees - of the broad-branched njamploeng trees - - Page 167 - cool a well water - cool as well water - - Page 167 - one old fellow, white-haired and decrepid - one old fellow, white-haired and decrepit - - Page 168 - a group of island, ethereal as cloudlets - a group of islands, ethereal as cloudlets - - Page 169 - whitened the shell-strewd beach - whitened the shell-strewed beach - - Page 169 - Then jamploengs were in flower. - Then njamploengs were in flower. - - Page 169 - its blossoms, fragant, white, and of - its blossoms, fragrant, white, and of - - Page 171 - erected his "tero," the piable bamboo palisade - erected his "tero," the pliable bamboo palisade - - Page 173 - weaving and batikking sarongs - weaving and batiking sarongs - - Page 176 - For my childern are dutiful - For my children are dutiful - - Page 186 - The gardens on each side the road - The gardens on each side of the road - - Page 220 - the Gedeh-crater surrouds, as an impregnable bulwark - the Gedeh-crater surrounds, as an impregnable bulwark - - Page 226 - a tender-pettalled flower to a rock - a tender-petalled flower to a rock - - Page 236 - The gardens are fragant with mignonette - The gardens are fragrant with mignonette - - Page 239 - where four wounderful lakes of green - where four wonderful lakes of green - - Page 243 - with the rhytmic click-clack of the wooden pestles - with the rhythmic click-clack of the wooden pestles - - Page 254 - "They way of the land, the honour of the land," - "The way of the land, the honour of the land," - - Page 267 - Our bungalaw on the Tjerimai hillside - Our bungalow on the Tjerimai hillside - - Page 267 - in the near neighbourhood af a native dessa - in the near neighbourhood of a native dessa - - Page 267 - a prosprect of brown huts - a prospect of brown huts - - Page 268 - Raised shad from which the ripening fields are watched. - Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched. - - Page 277 - Around stretch meadows, ricefields, and plantions of nipahpalm - Around stretch meadows, ricefields, and plantations of nipahpalm - - Page 277 - in return to pay certain taxas - in return to pay certain taxes - - Page 289 - detail about Javanese sacrifical rites - detail about Javanese sacrificial rites - - Page 292 - European children seem insiped by comparison - European children seem insipid by comparison - - Page 293 - Pelgrims returned from Mecca - Pilgrims returned from Mecca - - Page 294 - takes the prayer for fine childeren - takes the prayer for fine children - - Page 300 - under so eleborate a system of agriculture - under so elaborate a system of agriculture - - Page 307 - for the Rice-Bride and Bridegoom to repair - for the Rice-Bride and Bridegroom to repair - - Page 307 - and all thing ready for their reception - and all things ready for their reception - - Page 315 - And I fancied a saw a gleam of satisfaction - And I fancied I saw a gleam of satisfaction - - Page 315 - The symbolical ceromonies were then concluded - The symbolical ceremonies were then concluded - - Page 322 - of a system of political admistration - of a system of political administration - - Page 324 - if a sacriligious hand were laid on his chosen abode - if a sacrilegious hand were laid on his chosen abode - - Page 327 - *Copper Dish, decorated with Wayang-figures - Wayang dancers. - - Page 328 - Raised shad from which the ripening fields are watched. - Raised shed from which the ripening fields are watched. - - Page 329 - Bride and bridegoom sitting in state - Bride and bridegroom sitting in state - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAVA, FACTS AND FANCIES*** - - -******* This file should be named 43665.txt or 43665.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/3/6/6/43665 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/43665.zip b/43665.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index d1b124e..0000000 --- a/43665.zip +++ /dev/null |