JAVA. 



629 



JIT*, stands twelve or fifteen months on the field, according 

 V*' as the land is rich or poor ; and if the soil be good, it 

 UrinUtu- can be cut four times. The sugar, after being manu- 

 1 indue- factured, is divided into three kinds or qualities, of 

 B * which the first is sent to Europe, the second to India, 



and the third, which is the brownest, to Japan. Cqf- 

 Jte, though not indigenous, is raised in large crops, 

 specially in the provinces of Cheribon and Jacatra. 

 It was introduced about the year 1720 by Governor- 

 General Zwaardekroon, who procured the plants from 

 Mocha. It is cultivated in the same manner as in the 

 West Indies; and, in 1768, about five millions of 

 pounds were produced on the island, which did not 

 cost the Company above two pence halfpenny per 

 pound. The cotton thrub is cultivated in almost every 

 part of the island, except Bantam, where very little of 

 it grows. The yarn spun by the natives is sold to the 

 Company according to its quality, from 9<1. to Is. Gd. 

 sterling per pound. Salt is brought in considerable quan- 

 tities to Batavia from Rembang, and is exported chiefly 

 to Sumatra, where it is sold at an immense profit. 

 Indigo, though not originally produced in Java, lias 

 .been cultivated with great success since the Dutch Ind 

 possession of the country, and is exported principally 

 to Europe. Turmeric and long pepper, sago and cocoa, 

 are among the productions and exports of the island. 

 The caljamg, a species of dolichos, is extensively culti- 

 vated by the Chinese inhabitants for the sake of the 

 oil, which is expressed from the seed, and of which a 

 considerable portion is sent to China. The cajaputta 

 oil, expressed from the meUleuca leucadendrum, and 

 so celebrated as a specific in rheumatic affections ; the 

 nardus or spikenard, sandal wood, and calambac or 

 aloes wood, are also product* of Java, and form a part 

 of its trade with China. The cassia fistula, once con- 

 sidered as one of the most approved laxatives, was for- 

 merly sent in great quantities to Europe. The roots of 

 the water caladi (the arum csculentum) are boiled as 

 an article of food, and its broad leaves arc considered 

 as an efficacious topical application for dispelling the 

 pains of the gout 



il.u. Of the numerous animals found in Java, a few only 

 of the more remarkable can be noticed. The native 

 horses are well formed, but of a diminutive size, and 

 cnn. extremely vicious. They are trained in a very remark- 

 able manner for bunting antelopes. When the game 

 is started, the sportsman pursues at full speed, lying 

 close to the horse's neck and regardless of the reins, as 

 the hone follows the prey like a greyhound ; and, on 

 overtaking the antelope, endeavours to secure it by 

 throwing a noose over its horns. Should the rider lose 

 his seat, the hone nevertheless continues the pursuit ; 

 and instances have occurred of bis pawing the antelope 

 to the ground, or by mouthing and kneeling, holding 

 ^ajm it fast till the arrival of the hunting party. Buffaloes 

 are generally employed in the draught, both for ploughs 

 and carts. They are very large animals with small eyes, 

 great ears, and commonly immense horns bending in- 

 wards. They are almost amphibious, remaining al- 

 ways in ponds, unless when obliged to go in quest of 

 food ; and when domesticated, requiring to be led 

 three times a day to cool themselves in the water, 

 without which they could not be brought to work, 

 lopes arc found in the forests, and arc frequently 

 kept in park* by the prince*. The rhinoceros of Java 

 is of < huge size, and found chiefly in the mountainous 

 districts. In the eastern part of the island are large 

 uncultivated tracts, covered with thick woods, abound- 

 ing with tigers, wild buffaloes, wild bogs, leopards, 



and very large aprs. For one species of the monkey Java- 

 tribe, called the Wow-wow, the Javanese profess a Wp "Y" -p 

 kind of fellow-feeling, in consequence of a tradition Buffaloes, 

 among them, that their ancestors originally sprung 

 from that species of ape. There is a species of wild 

 hedgehog, which sometimes contain in their gall blad- 

 der a stone, called by the Portuguese the peclra da 

 porco, and considered by the Dutch as possessing the 

 most wonderful medicinal properties. When put into 

 a glass of wine for an hour, its virtues are supposed to 

 be communicated to the liquor, which is then used as 

 an infallible specific for all kinds of poison, for ob- 

 structions, fevers, and various other diseases. One 

 species of lizard, called Lacerto Gecko, a native of Lacert* 

 Java, is peculiarly deserving of notice, for its wonderful 

 faculty of walking, apparently in opposition to the laws 

 of gravity, running up and down the smoothest polish- 

 ed Chunarn walls, in pursuit of flies, and able to take 

 so fa.it a hold of a smooth perpenclicukr surface as to 

 carry up a weight equal to that of its own body. 

 (See HERPETOLOGY, vol. xi. p. 29. where the me- 

 chanism is described by which this is effected.) 

 crocodiles abound in the rivers and creeks, 

 the inhabitants, under the influence of terror, have 

 made the objects of adoration. The great boa Boa. 

 snake is even of greater magnitude, and a more for- 

 midable nature than these alligators. Some of them 

 have been killed in the forests which were 30 feet 

 in length, and capable of swallowing whole the largest 

 hog*. The forests and mountains produce an immense Birds. 

 variety of the feathered race, from the large cassowary 

 to the minute humming bird. Of those which arc most 

 distinguished for the beauty of their plumage, may 

 be mentioned the argus pheasants, fire-backed phea- 

 sants, crowned pigeons, birds of paradise, golden thrush, 

 king's fisher, Java sparrows, or rice birds, and many 

 of the loories and pazaquets. The insect tribes are ex- Insect?. 

 tremely numerous: snakes, scorpions, spiders, ants, 

 musquitoes, fire-flies, and many other dangerous and 

 disgusting vermin, swarm in the roads, houses, and 

 even bed-chambers. A venomous spider is very com- 

 mon in the thickets, the body of which is nearly two 

 inches in diameter, the fore legs or claws four inches 

 in length, and the webs spun by it so strong as fre- 

 quently to entangle and catch the smaller birds. Every 

 object, indeed, in this country, seems impregnated with 

 lite. The bay of Batavia, swarming with myriads of 

 living creatures, exhibits a phosphorescent light during 

 the night-time ; and a glass of water taken out of the 

 canal, becomes in a few hours a collection of animated 

 matter, the minute portions of which, multiplying by 

 division and subdivision, move about with astonishing 

 rapidity. The coasts of the island alxnind with excel- Fih. 

 lint fiji, one species of which, called the Jacob Evert- 

 zen, often weighs 400 Ibs. ; sharks infest the bays, and 

 swim boldly around the ships ; and many animals still 

 unknown in natural history, are said to frequent die 

 shores of Java. 



The commerce of Java is very considerable, as, be- commerce, 

 sides its own productions, it used to be the general de- 

 pot of all the spices of the Moluccas. It is, properly 

 speaking, however, merely an exchange trade, as all 

 exportation of cash or bullion is expressly prohibited ; 

 and even the dollars which a merchantman may bring 

 to tin- ports, are not allowed to be taken away again, 

 but must all be expended on goods. All traders were 

 generally farther restricted by the Dutch Company as to 

 the nature of the cargo which they wish to export, and 

 were required to take one- third or fourth of it in spices. 



