the malay archipelago-1-第20章

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of　coffee　and　sugar；　sold　to　Government　at　a　fixed　price；　began　in　1832。　Just　before　this；　in　1826；　the　population　by　census　was　5；500；000；　while　at　the　beginning　of　the　century　it　was　estimated　at　3；500；000。　In　1850；　when　the　cultivation　system　had　been　in　operation　eighteen　years；　the　population　by　census　was　over　9；500；000；　or　an　increase　of　73　per　cent　in　twenty…four　years。　At　the　last　census；　in　1865；　it　amounted　to　14；168；416；　an　increase　of　very　nearly　50　per　cent　in　fifteen　yearsa　rate　which　would　double　the　population　in　about　twenty…six　years。　As　Java　（with　Madura）　contains　about　38；500　geographical　square　miles；　this　will　give　an　average　of　368　persons　to　the　square　mile；　just　double　that　of　the　populous　and　fertile　Bengal　Presidency　as　given　in　Thornton's　Gazetteer　of　India；　and　fully　one…third　more　than　that　of　Great　Britain　and　Ireland　at　the　last　Census。　If；　as　I　believe；　this　vast　population　is　on　the　whole　contented　and　happy；　the　Dutch　Government　should　consider　well　before　abruptly　changing　a　system　which　has　led　to　such　great　results。

Taking　it　as　a　whole；　and　surveying　it　front　every　point　of　view；　Java　is　probably　the　very　finest　and　most　interesting　tropical　island　in　the　world。　It　is　not　first　in　size；　but　it　is　more　than　600　miles　long；　and　from　60　to　120　miles　wide；　and　in　area　is　nearly　equal　to　England；　and　it　is　undoubtedly　the　most　fertile；　the　most　productive；　and　the　most　populous　island　within　the　tropics。　Its　whole　surface　is　magnificently　varied　with　mountain　and　forest　scenery。　It　possesses　thirty…eight　volcanic　mountains；　several　of　which　rise　to　ten　or　twelve　thousand　feet　high。　Some　of　these　are　in　constant　activity；　and　one　or　other　of　them　displays　almost　every　phenomenon　produced　by　the　action　of　subterranean　fires；　except　regular　lava　streams；　which　never　occur　in　Java。　The　abundant　moisture　and　tropical　heat　of　the　climate　causes　these　mountains　to　be　clothed　with　luxuriant　vegetation；　often　to　their　very　summits；　while　forests　and　plantations　cover　their　lower　slopes。　The　animal　productions；　especially　the　birds　and　insects；　are　beautiful　and　varied；　and　present　many　peculiar　forms　found　nowhere　else　upon　the　globe。

The　soil　throughout　the　island　is　exceedingly　fertile；　and　all　the　productions　of　the　tropics；　together　with　many　of　the　temperate　zones；　can　be　easily　cultivated。　Java　too　possesses　a　civilization；　a　history　and　antiquities　of　its　own；　of　great　interest。　The　Brahminical　religion　flourished　in　it　from　an　epoch　of　unknown　antiquity　until　about　the　year　1478；　when　that　of　Mahomet　superseded　it。　The　former　religion　was　accompanied　by　a　civilization　which　has　not　been　equalled　by　the　conquerors；　for；　scattered　through　the　country；　especially　in　the　eastern　part　of　it；　are　found　buried　in　lofty　forests；　temples；　tombs；　and　statues　of　great　beauty　and　grandeur；　and　the　remains　of　extensive　cities；　where　the　tiger；　the　rhinoceros；　and　the　wild　bull　now　roam　undisturbed。　A　modern　civilization　of　another　type　is　now　spreading　over　the　land。　Good　roads　run　through　the　country　from　end　to　end；　European　and　native　rulers　work　harmoniously　together；　and　life　and　property　are　as　well　secured　as　in　the　best　governed　states　of　Europe。　I　believe；　therefore；　that　Java　may　fairly　claim　to　be　the　finest　tropical　island　in　the　world；　and　equally　interesting　to　the　tourist　seeking　after　new　and　beautiful　scenes；　to　the　naturalist　who　desires　to　examine　the　variety　and　beauty　of　tropical　nature；　or　to　the　moralist　and　the　politician　who　want　to　solve　the　problem　of　how　man　may　be　best　governed　under　new　and　varied　conditions。

The　Dutch　mail　steamer　brought　me　from　Ternate　to　Sourabaya；　the　chief　town　and　port　in　the　eastern　part　of　Java；　and　after　a　fortnight　spent　in　packing　up　and　sending　off　my　last　collections；　I　started　on　a　short　journey　into　the　interior。　Travelling　in　Java　is　very　luxurious　but　very　expensive；　the　only　way　being　to　hire　or　borrow　a　carriage；　and　then　pay　half　a　crown　a　mile　for　post…horses；　which　are　changed　at　regular　posts　every　six　miles；　and　will　carry　you　at　the　rate　of　ten　miles　an　hour　from　one　end　of　the　island　to　the　other。　Bullock　carts　or　coolies　are　required　to　carry　all　extra　baggage。　As　this　kind　of　travelling　world　not　suit　my　means；　I　determined　on　making　only　a　short　journey　to　the　district　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Arjuna；　where　I　was　told　there　were　extensive　forests；　and　where　I　hoped　to　be　able　to　make　some　good　collections。　The　country　for　many　miles　behind　Sourabaya　is　perfectly　flat　and　everywhere　cultivated；　being　a　delta　or　alluvial　plain；　watered　by　many　branching　streams。　Immediately　around　the　town　the　evident　signs　of　wealth　and　of　an　industrious　population　were　very　pleasing；　but　as　we　went　on；　the　constant　succession　of　open　fields　skirted　by　rows　of　bamboos；　with　here　and　there　the　white　buildings　and　a　tall　chimney　of　a　sugar…mill；　became　monotonous。　The　roads　run　in　straight　lines　for　several　miles　at　a　stretch；　and　are　bordered　by　rows　of　dusty　tamarind…trees。　At　each　mile　there　are　little　guardhouses；　where　a　policeman　is　stationed；　and　there　is　a　wooden　gong；　which　by　means　of　concerted　signals　may　be　made　to　convey　information　over　the　country　with　great　rapidity。　About　every　six　or　seven　miles　is　the　post…house；　where　the　horses　are　changed　as　quickly　as　were　those　of　the　mail　in　the　old　coaching　days　in　England。

I　stopped　at　Modjokerto；　a　small　town　about　forty　miles　south　of　Sourabaya；　and　the　nearest　point　on　the　high　road　to　the　district　I　wished　to　visit。　I　had　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Mr。　Ball；　an　Englishman；　long　resident　in　Java　and　married　to　a　Dutch　lady；　and　he　kindly　invited　me　to　stay　with　him　until　I　could　fix　on　a　place　to　suit　me。　A　Dutch　Assistant　Resident　as　well　as　a　Regent　or　native　Javanese　prince　lived　here。　The　town　was　neat；　and　had　a　nice　open　grassy　space　like　a　village　green；　on　which　stood　a　magnificent　fig…tree　（allied　to　the　Banyan　of　India；　but　more　lofty）；　under　whose　shade　a　kind　of　market　is　continually　held；　and　where　the　inhabitants　meet　together　to　lounge　and　chat。　The　day　after　my　arrival；　Mr。　Ball　drove　me　over　to　the　village　of　Modjo…agong；　where　he　was　building　a　house　and　premises　for　the　tobacco　trade；　which　is　carried　on　here　by　a　system　of　native　cultivation　and　advance　purchase；　somewhat　similar　to　the　indigo　trade　in　British　India。　On　our　way　we　stayed　to　look　at　a　fragment　of　the　ruins　of　the　ancient　city　of　Modjo…pahit；　consisting　of　two　lofty　brick　masses；　apparently　the　sides　of　a　gateway。　The　extreme　perfection　and　beauty　of　the　brickwork　astonished　me。　The　bricks　are　exceedingly　fine　and　hard；　with　sharp　angles　and　true　surfaces。　They　are　laid　with　great　exactness；　without　visible　mortar　or　cement；　yet　somehow　fastened　together　so　that　the　joints　are　hardly　perceptible；　and　sometimes　the　two　surfaces　coalesce　in　a　most　incomprehensible　manner。

Such　admirable　brickwork　I　have　never　seen　before　or　since。　There　was　no　sculpture　here；　but　an　abundance　of　bold　projections　and　finely…worked　mouldings。　Traces　of　buildings　exist　for　many　miles　in　every　direction；　and　almost　every　road　and　pathway　shows　a　foundation　of　brickwork　beneath　itthe　paved　roads　of　the　old　city。　In　the　house　of　the　Waidono　or　district　chief　at　Modjo…　agong；　I　saw　a　beautiful　figure　carved　in　high　relief　out　of　a　block　of　lava；　and　which　had　been　found　buried　in　the　ground　near　the　village。　On　my　expressing　a　wish　to　obtain　some　such　specimen；　Mr。　B。　asked　the　chief　for　it；　and　much　to　my　surprise　he　immediately　gave　it　me。　It　represented　the　Hindu　goddess　Durga；　called　in　Java；　Lora　Jonggrang　（the　exalted　virgin）。　She　has　eight　arms；　and　stands　on　the　back　of　a　kneeling　bull。　Her　lower　right　hand　holds　the　tail　of　the　bull；　while　the　corresponding　left　hand　grasps　the　hair　of　a　captive；　Dewth　Mahikusor；　the　personification　of　vice；　who　has　attempted　to　slay　her　bull。　He　has　a　cord　round　his　waist；　and　crouches　at　her　feet　in　an　attitude　of　supplication。　The　other　hands　of　the　goddess　hold；　on　her　right　side；　a　double　hook　or　small　anchor；　a　broad　straight　sword；　and　a　noose　of　thick　cord；　on　her　left；　a　girdle　or　armlet　of　large　beads　or　shells；　an　unstrung　bow；　and　a　standard　or　war　flag。　This　deity　was　a　special　favourite　among　the　old　Javanese；　and　her　image　is　often　found　in　the　ruined　temples　which　abound　in　the　eastern　part　of　the　island。

The　specimen　I　had　obtained　was　a　small　one；　about　two　feet　high；　weighing　perhaps　a　hundredweight；　and　the　next　day　we　had　it　conveyed　to　Modjo…Kerto　to　await　my　return　to　Sourabaya。　Having　decided　to　stay　some　time　at　Wonosalem；　on　the　lower　slopes　of　the　Arjuna　Mountain；　where　I　was　informed　I　should　find　forest　and　plenty　of　game；　I　had　first　to　obtain　a　recommendation　from　the　Assistant　Resident　to　the　Regent；　and　then　an　order　from　the　Regent　to　the　Waidono；　and　when　after　a　week's　delay　I　arrived　with　my　baggage　and　men　at　Modjo…agong；　I　found　them　all　in　the　midst　of　a　five　days'　feast；　to　celebrate　the　circumcision　of　the　Waidono's　younger　brother　and　cousin；　and　had　a　small　room　in　an　on　outhouse　given　me　to　stay　in。　The　courtyard　and　the　great　open　reception…shed　were　full　of　natives　coming　and　going　and　making　preparations　for　a　feast　which　was　to　take　place　at　midnight；　to　which　I　was　invited；　but　preferred　going　to　bed。　A　native　band；　or　Gamelang；　was　playing　almost　all　the　evening；　and　I　had　a　good　opportunity　of　seeing　the　instruments　and　musicians。　The　former　are　chiefly　gongs　of　various　sizes；　arranged　in　sets　of　from　eight　to　twelve；　on　low　wooden　frames。　Each　set　is　played　by　one　performer　with　one　or　two　drumsticks。　There　are　also　some　very　large　gongs；　played　singly　or　in　pairs；　and　taking　the　place　of　our　drums　and　kettledrums。　Other　instruments　are　formed　by　broad　metallic　bars；　supported　on　strings　stretched　across　frames；　and　others　again　of　strips　of　bamboo　similarly　placed　and　producing　the　highest　notes。　Besides　these　there　were　a　flute　and　a　curious　two…stringed　violin；　requiring　in　all　twenty…four　performers。　There　was　a　conductor；　who　led　off　and　regulated　the　time；　and　each　performer　took　his　part；　coming　in　occasionally　with　a　few　bars　so　as　to　form　a　harmonious　combination。　The　pieces　played　were　long　and　complicated；　and　some　of　the　players　were　mere　boys；　who　took　their　parts　with　great　precision。　The　general　effect　was　very　pleasing；　but；　owing　to　the　similarity　of　most　of　the　instruments；　more　like　a　gigantic　musical　box　than　one　of　our　bands；　and　in　order　to　enjoy　it　thoroughly　it　is　necessary　to　watch　the　large　number　of　performers　who　are　engaged　in　it。　The　next　morning；　while　I　was　waiting　for　the　men　and　horses　who　were　to　take　me　and　my　baggage　to　my　destination；　the　two　lads；　who　were　about　fourteen　years　old；　were　brought　out；　clothed　in　a　sarong　from　the　waist　downwards；　and　having　the　whole　body　covered　with　yellow　powder；　and　profusely　decked　with　white　blossom　in　wreaths；　necklaces；　and　armlets；　looking　at　first　sight　very　like　savage　brides。　They　were　conducted　by　two　priests　to　a　bench　placed　in　front　of　the　house　in　the　open　air；　and　the　ceremony　of　circumcision　was　then　performed　before　the　assembled　crowd。

The　road　to　Wonosalem　led　through　a　magnificent　forest　in　the　depths　of　which　we　passed　a　fine　ruin　of　what　appe