I2z Account of the Javanefe Swallow, 



in order to get up to the nefts ; but if they cannot reach 

 them in this manner, they ftand on the ladders and pull the 

 nefts down with poles of bamboo made for that purpofe. 

 There are alfo certain holes to which people can afcend by 

 means of ftages made of bamboos ; but thefe are exceed- 

 ingly few. 



This employment, which is attended with great danger, 

 cofts the lives of a great many men, and particularly of 

 thieves, while attempting to rob thefe caverns at improper 

 feafons. For this reafon, fmall watch-houfes are every- 

 where built in the neighbourhood. 



The mountaineers, who are thofe chiefly accuftomed to 

 this employment, never undertake their labour till they have 

 flaughtered a buffalo, which is the ufual preparation made 

 by the Javanefe for all their undertakings. On fuch oc- 

 cafions they mutter over a few prayers, anoint themfelves 

 with aromatic oils, and fumigate the holes with fweet-fmell- 

 in«; fubftances, which, according to their ideas, are things 

 all highly neceflary. At the chief of thefe caverns in the 

 ifland of Java, a particular protecting female deity is wor- 

 fhipped under the name of Raton Laut R'utul, or princefs of 

 the fouth fea. A fmall hut with a covered fleeping-place is 

 there appropriated for her, together with various elegant 

 articles of drefs, which no oire but a princefs muft approach ; 

 and every Friday when the nefts are taken down incenfe is 

 continually burnt, and the body and clothes of every one 

 who intends to afcend the rocks muft be expofed to it. The 

 other Javanefe are not fo fuperftitious, and content them- 

 felves with much fewer ceremonies. To afford them light 

 in the cavern, they employ torches made of the refinous 

 gum of a large tree called caret, and the inner bark of the 

 arek-tree. 



The collecting of the nefts continues no longer than a 

 month, and, as already mentioned, may be repeated three 

 times in the year. Some believe that it may be done a 



fourth 



