NATIVE SCHOOLS. 195 



the time not to bend Ms extended arms. TTiis ordeal 

 finislied, the eliildren join in singing a psalm, all 

 keeping time by striking the forefinger of tlie right 

 hand Avith the palm of the left. It was most amusing 

 to see the little ones perform their part of the cere- 

 mony. The four classes, into which the schools are 

 divided, are now successively examined. The two 

 younger classes in reading and spelling the Malay 

 language, Avritten in the Roman alphabet, according 

 to the Dutch rules of pronunciation. The two older 

 classes are like^\'ise examined in these branches, in 

 penmanship, and the simple rules of arithmetic. 



As I visited school after school I became more 

 and more surprised at the general proficiency of the 

 children, and I am certainly of the opinion that they 

 would compare very favorably with the children of 

 the same ages in our own country districts. This 

 remarkable promise in childhood is not, however, 

 followed by a corresponding development during 

 youth and manhood. 



The population* of these islands is divided into 

 the following kinds: first, that of Europeans, which 

 also includes the mestizoes, or, as they are always 

 called here, " half-castes," who are of all shades of 

 mixture, from those who are as white as Europeans 

 to those who are as brown as the natives. Outside 



* In 1855 the population of the islands east of Amboina was thus di- 

 vided, and so little change has occurred that these figures closely repre- 

 sent the relative uumbers of each class at the present time : 



