1 697-] JAVAN WOMEN. 265 



about them, are, they believe, a more powerful Preservative 

 than either their Arms or their Armour. 



When I was at Batavia, the Cric was forbidden to the 

 common Javans, and only Officers and other Persons of Dis- 

 tinction had the Privilege to wear it. They were distin- 

 guishable by this Weapon, the Hilt whereof was massy Gold, 

 as likewise by Guards, which the People of Quality were 

 attended by. These were arm'd with Wooden Half-pikes, 

 which they carry'd upright : Princes and Ambassadors have 

 a number of these Guards to wait ©n them. The Princes, 

 etc., are carry'd on People's shoulders in a sort of Litter 

 cover'd, in the middle of which they sit cross-legg'd like our 

 Taylors.-^ 



The Javan Women, according to common Eeport, are 

 extraordinary amorous, and what is uncommon, their Passion 

 is no less constant than strong. They frequently make use 

 of Philtres, which I have been assur'd they administer to their 

 Lovers with Success^: And when they suspect that any of 

 them have been faithless to them, they do not fail to regale 

 them with such a Drug, as quickly sends them to the King- 

 dom of Moles,^ so that it requires a Mans Consideration twice, 

 before he engages with those sorts of Females once. There 

 are a great many who not being so much expos'd to fatigues 

 as the Men, are not near so Tawny, and who might pass even 

 in Euro'pe for Genteel.* They have likewise good Faces, 

 especially the younger sort, according to the notion we have 

 of Beauty. Their pretty swelling Breasts have no conformity 



1 In orig. : " dans une espece de brancart couvert, au milieu duquel 

 ils sont assis sur une planche traversante large d'uu bou pied, les 

 janibes croisees comme nos tailleurs." 



2 In orig. : " a leurs Maris ou a, leurs galans afin d'augmenter & 

 d'assujettir de plus en plus leur amour." 



^ In orig. : " qui le mine peu-a-peu, & qui I'envoye enfiu dans le 

 sombre Pais, que plusieurs appellant aussi bien que nous, le Royaume 

 des Taupes." 



* In orig. : " qui seroient trouvees fort gentilles par les plus delicate 

 de nos Europeans." 



