444 THE RACES OF MAN [chap. xl. 



different persons give totally opposite accounts of them — 

 one praising them for their soberness, civility, and good- 

 nature ; another abusing them for their deceit, treachery, 

 and cruelty. The old traveller Nicolo Conti, writing in 

 1430, says : " The inhabitants of Java and Sumatra ex- 

 ceed every other people in cruelty. They regard killing a 

 man as a mere jest ; nor is any punishment allotted for 

 such a deed. If any one purchase a new sword, and wish 

 to try it, he will thrust it into the breast of the first person 

 he meets. The passers-by examine the wound, and praise 

 the skill of the person who inflicted it, if he thrust in 

 the weapon direct." Yet Drake says of the south of 

 Java : " The people (as are their kings) are a very loving, 

 true, and just-dealing people;" and Mr. Crawfurd says 

 that the Javanese, whom he knew thoroughly, are " a 

 peaceable, docile, sober, simple, and industrious people." 

 Barbosa, on the other hand, who saw them at Malacca 

 about 1660, says : " They are a people of great ingenuity, 

 very subtle in all their dealings; very malicious, great 

 deceivers, seldom speaking the truth ; prepared to do all 

 manner of wickedness, and ready to sacrifice their lives." 



The intellect of the Malay race seems rather deficient. 

 They are incapable of anything beyond the simplest com- 

 binations of ideas, and have little taste or energy for the 

 acquirement of knowledge. Their civilization, such as it 

 is, does not seem to be indigenous, as it is entirely confined 



