CHAPTER XXXII

THE DUTCH EAST INDIES--JAVA

The East India Islands is a name which embraces nearly all the islands of the Malay Archipelago, together with the Philippines. The largest of these are New Guinea, Borneo, Sumatra, Celebes, and Java. Nearly all of them, except the Philippines and parts of New Guinea and Borneo, are controlled by the Dutch. These fertile islands are a source of great revenue to the Netherlands; to the rest of the world they are the chief source of sugar, spices, and coffee.

Of all the Dutch East Indies, Java is by far the most beautiful and productive; it is a garden of the choicest fruits and flowers.

There are two seasons, a wet and a dry. During the wet season the torrential rains are accompanied by thunder and lightning. In some parts of the island more than a hundred thunder-storms occur yearly. The average rainfall is from sixty to one hundred and eighty-five inches, most of the rain falling on the windward side.

Many of the streams are perennial, and their waters are conducted away to be used in irrigation, thus bringing under cultivation nearly every part of the island. Moreover, the streams themselves hold fertilizing material much of which has been thrown out by volcanoes. The irrigating water itself furnishes sufficient enrichment for the soil, and but very little fertilizing is required. The heat, moisture, and fertile soil, coupled with skilful farming, produce bountiful harvests and make the whole island a smiling field of verdure and plenty.

The hills and mountains in many places are terraced, so that at a distance they look like gigantic staircases carpeted with bright green. So fertile is the soil that in some places two or three crops are raised each year.

About one-fourth of the surface is covered with forest. Among the most valuable trees is the teak-wood, which is extensively used in ship-building. It is a more durable timber than oak, since it resists decay for a long time, even when wholly or partly submerged in sea water. There are vessels afloat to-day which were built of teak one hundred years ago.

The inhabitants, about thirty million in number, are of the Malay race and belong to three nations, speaking closely related but different languages--the Sundanese, Javanese, and Mandurese. The island was wealthy, populous, and had a high degree of civilization long before it was known to Europeans.

Long years ago--twelve hundred or more--the Hindoos invaded the country, and in the fifteenth century Muhammadans came. They were followed later by the Dutch who first gained trading concessions and then gradually got possession of the whole island, much in the same way as England secured India. Each conquest left its impress on the people; the Muhammadans converted the natives to their religion. Buddhism preceded the religion of the great prophet, and some of the teachings of Buddha have been retained, together with many pagan customs.

The Dutch wisely made no effort to Christianize the natives and, until recently, they have discouraged all such attempts, believing that they could control the people better without disturbing the prevailing religious conditions. Indeed, they manage affairs with the natives wonderfully well.

The island is divided into "residences," in each of which the laws are administered by a native governor. A Dutch resident is employed by the colonial government to assist the native governor--really to see that he manages his people justly and fairly, for strict justice has always been observed in dealings with the natives.

[Illustration: A breadfruit tree in Java]

The Dutch residents are called "elder brothers." Each resident watches his residency with great care to see that the taxes are collected and paid to the government, and that the natives are treated with justice. He is usually the judge who settles all family quarrels and disputes between neighbors. He is just in his judgments and his decisions are not questioned. Affairs are managed in much the same way as the "School City" or the George Settlement in the United States.

At the same time the Dutch are very careful to impress their authority on the natives. They require the natives to pay great respect to all officers of the colony. A native who comes into the presence of an official must have his head turbaned and his attire in proper form. Under no circumstances is he permitted to smoke, chew betel-nut, or behave carelessly.

The daily work of the natives is very carefully supervised. They are taught where to plant, what to plant, and how to plant their crops. The "elder brothers" also see that the crops are cultivated with care and properly harvested.

Java is ruled by a Governor-General and a council appointed by himself. The officers are selected because of their fitness, and most of the subordinates must pass a civil service examination. Once in the East India service an official is fixed for life, and when he has served his time he retires on a pension. Most of the pensioners prefer to remain in the island the rest of their lives.

The officials and, indeed, all European residents live well. Stone houses with marble or tile floors, wide verandas, and large gardens are the rule. Breakfast at one o'clock is the substantial meal of the day. It marks not the beginning but the end of the day's work. From one to five the intense heat keeps every one indoors. At five, official Java and all other Europeans bathe, dress, and get ready for dinner. After dinner, driving, calling, and gossiping at the clubs is the proper thing, and nowhere are people more ceremonious.

The natives have but little ambition and no desire to do anything for themselves. Now and then there are exceptions, however; and a native may be found pegging away at the studies that will enable him to pass the examinations and hold an official position.

As a whole, the native is gentle and polite and yields ready obedience to those in authority. He is fond of amusement, feasts, and gambling; he, moreover, celebrates every possible event--his marriage, the birth of his children, the building of his home, the rice harvest, a return from a journey, a recovery from illness, and even the filing of his teeth. If he, perchance, has not sufficient money to hold the celebration, he can join with a neighbor, then both will share mutually the expense. On all occasions his deportment is quiet, and whether moved by joy or anger, no loud language or boisterous laughter is ever heard.

The marriageable age of girls is from twelve to fourteen years, and that of boys sixteen. The night preceding the wedding must be spent by the couple in watching, in order to avert subsequent unhappiness, and the next day they repair to a mosque and are married according to Muhammadan rites and customs. To symbolize her total submission to her husband, the wife washes his feet. Unfortunately, a divorce can be obtained by the husband for a trivial cause by the payment of a small fee. A native, on being asked why he got a divorce from his wife, replied, "She ate too much and I could not afford to keep her."

Early in the morning the highways are thronged with people on their way to and from the markets. And the markets?--well, one is certain to find John Chinaman in charge. As a matter of fact, there are more than half a million Chinese in the island, and they have the control of the trade with the natives. But the native Javanese trudges along, balancing two baskets on a long bamboo pole. Women and girls help to make up the throng, and they, too, are laden.

At the market pandemonium seems to be loose, and both buyer and seller are shrieking at the top of their voices over a bargain price. There is no question as to which wins; the Chinese merchant is there for business. When the native receives the pay for his produce quite as likely as not he makes for the nearest gambling-house and in half an hour loses the savings of a month.

To the natives the greatest terrors are lightning and tigers, both of which claim hundreds of victims each year. They often refrain from killing the tigers, since the tigers kill the wild pigs which destroy their crops.

The tiger is killed usually by capturing him in a sort of box-trap, and then the trap is taken to the nearest stream, where it is submerged and the animal drowned, to avoid injury to the skin, which brings a good price. The claws and whiskers are carefully removed and sold as fetiches, since they are considered to be very efficacious.

Notwithstanding their hard lot, the people seem happy and there is no starvation poverty. They and their ancestors from time immemorial have always worked hard under task-masters and they know of no better condition. Since their scanty clothing costs but little, if they can have enough to eat and a little amusement occasionally, they are content. When they have money they spend it recklessly, regardless of the future. If the needs of the present are supplied, that is sufficient. When misfortune or disaster overtakes them they merely say: "It is the will of God."

The temples built centuries ago are among the most wonderful structures in the world. They vie in size and grandeur with those of India. Thousands of these ruined temples are found scattered everywhere over central and eastern Java, and many of them are built on the slopes and summits of mountains. These ruins give evidence of the wonderful skill in sculpture and building attained by the people in by-gone ages, a skill not excelled even in modern times, but lost to the present inhabitants.

The ruins of the great temple of Boro-Bodor, situated in the south-central part of Ja