CELEBES 2 It 7 



brouglit about by a system which most Eiiglislimoii 

 would condemn untried — that of enforced labour. Any 

 person of the peasant class not having a trade is com- 

 pelled by law to plant coffee. Each must, if required, 

 plant 25 trees every year, but the number depends upon liis 

 last year's production, and is regulated by the Contioleur. 

 There are Government plantations in every village, and 

 both the land and the seedlings are su])])lied by the 

 State. The success of the industry is in great measure 

 due to the equable rainfall, the north of Celebes herein 

 differing greatly from Java, which is exposed to a long- 

 continued drought during the easterly monsoon and 

 excessive rains in the wet season. The berry is of ])ar- 

 ticularly good flavour, and finds its market chielly in 

 Eussia, bringing a far higher price than that jiroduced in 

 Java. All the coffee thus grown by the natives has to 

 be sold to Government at a fixed price. It is divided 

 into two qualities, for which fourteen and seven guilders 

 are resjDectively paid per picul of 133 lbs. This price 

 is, however, not the actual cost to the Government, since 

 presents have to be given to the head-men and " Majors," 

 and as the crop is bought on the plantation, the cost of 

 conveyance to the coast is considerable. Should a 

 Dutchman wish to plant coffee, he is permitted to do so, 

 the system being only a Government monopoly so far as 

 the natives are concerned. He is allowed to take up 

 land at a rental of one guilder per bouw (1|- acre), and 

 pays a head-tax of a dollar on his coolies. The wages of 

 the latter are six guilders, or rather less than ten shillings, 

 a month, and a catty (1^ lb.) of rice per diem. Every 

 adult male is, however, compelled to give thirty-six days 

 in the year to the service of the Government for road 

 repair and work of a like nature, or else to provide a 

 substitute. 



