BY THE REV. J. E. TENISON-WOODS. 605- 



they write with Indian ink, but in Bali the natives use an iron 

 style and cut letters on a Borassus palm leaf, cabbage palm or 

 Pandanus in the same manner as in western India. The leaves 

 are about two inches wide and 18 inches long, and ai'e strung 

 together like a Venetian blind. The letters are formed with the 

 utmost neatness, and together with the illustrations form inter- 

 esting and valuable records. 



It is supposed by Orawfurd that the Sundanese dialect is the 

 most ancient, and probably contains many of the elements of the 

 aboriginal language found amongst the tribes which were conquered 

 by the Hindoos when they established themselves in the island. 

 It may be mentioned also that the Arab elements in the language 

 are confined to less than 100 words, and these mostly terms 

 connected with articles of trade and commerce. The Malay, used 

 as a means of communication between the different nationalities 

 on the coast, differs slightly from the Malay of the Peninsula. 



Religion and Antiquities .-The Javanese profess the Mahometan 

 religion, but mixed up with a good deal of old traditions and super- 

 stitions of their former belief. Thus they readily make offerings 

 of flowers and fruits to the idols of Siva, Vishnu, Brahma, and 

 Ganesha, which are still to be found abundantly scattered amongst 

 the ruins of temples in various parts of the island. They do not 

 adhere to the Islam rule of abstaining from stimulants, though 

 they are a temperate race. In this respect the Malay races are 

 remarkably supeiior to the Hindoos. 



The ruins which are found in Java are monuments of great 

 beauty and excellence. The best ai-e at Brambanan, Singosari and 

 Borobodor, besides the whole of the valley of the countries around 

 Borobodor already referred to. A wonderfully detailed history of 

 ancient Java, its manners and customs, could be gathered from 

 the skilful carvings on the entablatures of the ruins. They are 

 mostly froui 400 to 500 years old. There are also still more 

 ancieat I'uins found in various parts of Java ; in fact the whole 

 country is rich in oriental antiquities. As usual in such cases it 

 is disputed whether the worship represented in these remains is 



