248 TOMBS OF MAT ARAM. 



to 1830, the lattei" consisting' of 15,000 men, half 

 native, lialf European troops, and peace was only 

 established by the Government paying to the Sultan 

 a sum equal to two millions sterling in consideration 

 of his receiving a Dutch Resident within his capital, 

 who thenceforth became the real Governor of the 

 province. Here, as at Solo, an independent prince is 

 recognized to keep the Sultan in check, who has since 

 been simply a vassal of Holland. 



I also visited the tombs of the Sultans at Mataram, 

 the oldest of which dates back about 300 years. In 

 the centre of the enclosure is a large fish-pond, in 

 which is kept the sacred turtle, forty inches in diameter, 

 also a number of large gold and silver fishes. 'Ihe 

 building, containing the remains of so many poten- 

 tates, consists of low walls, supporting a high-pitched 

 tile roof nearly touching the ground at either side, 

 and within are the simple tombs, constructed of 

 stone, under a wooden form, over which a white cloth 

 is suspended, giving them the appearance of rows of 

 hospital beds. Surrounding this Pashalic burial-shed 

 is the general cemetery of the faithful subjects, for 

 Mahomedanism is the professed creed here as else- 

 where in Java, — in reality, the natives of these 

 southern districts can hardly be said to have any 

 definite religion, and their existence is simply ruled 



