INHABITANTS OF JAVA. 173 



The first law for all Europeans is to uphold the prestige of their race, and to 

 maintain their ascendancy by a sort of religious terror. Till lately the natives 

 would fall prostrate by the roadside at the approach of a white in his carriage ; 

 those carrying an umbrella hastened to close it, at the risk of a sunstroke, and in 

 the presence of an official the masses still preserve a solemn silence. For the 

 same reason, no European could accept servile work, and when condemned for a 

 breach of discipline the military were sent to Holland to undergo their sentence. 

 Before 1864, no Javanese was allowed to learn Dutch, or send his children to a 

 white school. An exception, however, was always made in favour of the Malays 

 proper, whose language has long been the lingua franca of the Eastern Archi- 

 pelago, as well as the official idiom for the transaction of public business and the 

 administration of justice. Till lately it was alwaj^s written in Arabic characters, 

 which are now being gradually superseded by the European orthographic system. 



The Dutch government also discourages the Christian missionaries, so that the 

 Javanese, nominal Mohammedans, are still pagans at heart, worshippers of their 

 ancestry and of the forces of nature, and attributing to the spirit world all the 

 events of their daily existence. But they have also preserved numerous Hindu 

 practices, while still celebrating the Mussulman feasts with ever-increasing fervour. 

 Amongst them have sprung up some fanatical sects, notably that of the ISTaksyi- 

 bendi, and since they are now permitted to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, some 

 thousands return yearly from the Prophet's shrine dressed as, and calling them- 

 selves, Arabs. The Mohammedan schools are continually more and more fre- 

 quented, and most of the peasantry observe at least the evening devotions. 



Some Christian legends have also been introduced into the national mythology. 

 Like their remote kindred, the Madagascar Hovas and the natives of the Moluccas, 

 the Javanese would have embraced Christianity had their rulers commanded them 

 to do so ; but the very opposite policy has been pursued, and missionaries, unless 

 of Dutch nationality, have often been refused permission to settle in the country. 

 Scarcely 11,000 Javanese are classed in the census papers as members of any 

 Christian church. 



In order to avoid all needless contact with the natives, the Dutch officials carry 

 on the administration largely through the agency of local chiefs. Certain Java- 

 nese " Kegents," descendants of princely families, have preserved a semblance of 

 authority, upholding their rank and dignity by means of rich emoluments and a 

 share of the public revenues. But in return they have to accept the advice of 

 the Dutch " Residents " stationed at their courts. The action of the real rulers 

 is thus masked from the natives, who have themselves no share in the choice of 

 their officials. They are, however, allowed to elect the village chiefs entrusted 

 with the distribution of lands, public works, statute labour, and salaries; but these 

 chiefs or communal mayors are liable to be removed at any moment, should they 

 fail to satisfy the central authority. 



