Part 12
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.
EPILOGUE
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 mythopœic 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.
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 Garĕbĕg Mulud, the feast of the nativity of Nabi Muhamed, the Great Prophet. (Vide: Groneman, "the Garĕbĕg". 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.
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
PRINTED IN HOLLAND
* * * * * *
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.