BAT 



BAT 



IS laid before tlie corpfe, and wax figiirfs of fervants placed 

 on each fide as attendants upon it. The Chinefc viiit the 

 graves of their anceltors from time to time, (Irewing; them 

 with odoriferous flower^ ; and when thev depart, thoy leave 

 a fciv frnall pieces of f)lk or linen before the eiitranc:^, and 

 foiTictimes boiled rice or other vifttials, which are fpecdily 

 made away with at night. 



The pfode of living prafllfed by the Europeans, either 

 from Holland or any other nation, thut rtfide at Batavla, is 

 very nearly the fame. In the morning at five o'clocli, or 

 when the day breaks, they rife ; and the table is fpread at 

 an early hour. BcCdcs tea, coffee, and chocolate, fifh and 

 flelli are fcrved for breakfail ; and when this is finillied, 

 Madeira, claret, gin, Dutch fmall-beer, and Englifh porter, 

 arc laid out in the portico before the door of the great hall, 

 and pipes and tobacco are prefented to every guell, with a 

 bright brafs jar for a fuittiiig-diili. Thofe who have bufi- 

 ncfs appear at their proper llations at eight o'clock, and re- 

 main employed til! bttv;ecn the hours of eleven and twelve. 

 Their dinner hour is one o'clock ; bnt immediately before 

 din-.ier, two men.flaves go round with Madeira wine, of 

 wliich each takes a large gl.-.fs. Then follow ti'.ree female 

 flaves, one with a filver jar, containing plam or rote water 

 for wadilnof ; a fecond wilh a filver bafon and low cover of 

 the faine metal, pierced vvith holes, to receive the water after 

 it has been ufed ; and the third with towels for wip ng the 

 hands. During dinner, a ba:id of mufic plavs at a little 

 di'laace. The muficians are all Oaves who have been in- 

 ftructed for this p'lrpofe. A confiderable number of female 

 flaves attend at table, which is covered with many dillies. 

 Dinner is imrnediately followed by coffee. After drinking 

 coffee, each perfon retires to a bed, confiding of a mattrafs, 

 bolller, pillows, and chintz counterpane, but no fheets ; and 

 puts on his night-drefs, a mufiin cap, and loofe long cotton 

 gown. A bachelor is attended by a female fiave, who fans 

 him while he fleeps. About fix they rife, drefs, drink tea, 

 take an airn;.; in their carriasres, and form parties for the 

 evening. The morninof meetings are compofed generally of 

 men, as the ladies feldom choofe to appear till evening. 

 " Marrit-d men," favs Stavorinus, "feldom give tliemfelves 

 much concern about their wives, nor fhew them much regard. 

 Thev feldom convcrfe with tliem, at leall on ufeful fubjecls, 

 and fuch as concern fociety, with which of courfe they are 

 little acquainted. Few of thefe ladies are natives of Europe, 

 but many are defcended from Dutch lettlers here ; and they 

 are educated with lome care. The features and outlines of 

 their faces are European ; but the compkxion, charafter, 

 and mode of life, approach more to thofe of the native inha- 

 bitants of Java. A pale languor overfpreads the counte- 

 nance. In their own houfes, they drefs like their Haves, 

 with a long red checqnered cotton gown defcend;ng to the 

 ankles, with larije wide fleeves. They wear no hcad-drefs, 

 but plait their hair, and fallen it with a filver bodkin on 

 the top of the head. The colour of their hair is almolt 

 univerfally black ; they anoint it with the oil of the cocoa- 

 nut, and adorn it with chaplets of flowers. When they go 

 abroad, and particularly to their evening parties, they drefs 

 magnificently in gold and filver fpangled m.uflin robes, with 

 a profufion of jewels in their hair, wh'ch is worn without 

 powder. They never attempt to m.ould or regulate their 

 fhape by any foreign idea of elegance, or any llandard of 

 fafhiun ; and, therefore, exhibit a linking contrail to the 

 Dutch ladies. Every native lady is conllantly attended by a 

 female (lave, who fits at the feet of her millrefs on the floor, 

 holding her gold or filver box, the compartments of which 

 contain areca-nut, cardamom feeds, pepper, "tobacco, and 

 flaked lime ; all which, mixed together in due propovtions, 



and rolled within a leaf of bete!, conftitutc a msfllcatory of 

 a pungent tafte, that is in general ufe. In public afiemblies, 

 when the ladies are i:.commoded with heat, they retire to 

 change theit drefs, and return, without ceremony, in a more 

 light and loofe attire. Their example is followed by the 

 gentlemen, who appear in white jackets, fometimes adorned 

 with diamond buttons. The elderly gentle.men lay afide 

 their wigs, and put on night-caps. The members of the go- 

 vernment, except on thefe occafions, appear abroad in crim- 

 fon velvet ; their carriages are dillinguilhed by peculiar or- 

 naments ; and they receive homage from others not of their 

 rank. One of the gates of the city is opened only to let 

 them pafs. The Indian women marry young, generally at 

 twelve or thirteen years of age ; they have feldom many 

 children, and they are old women at thirty. They are re- 

 markably fond of bathing and ablutions ; and ufe for this 

 purpofe a large tub containing three hogfheads of water, 

 in which they immerfe the whole bocy ?.t leall twice a week ; 

 and fome do this in the morning, in fome of the running 

 flreams out of the city. They manifell a mod excefiive jca- 

 louly both of their hufbands and of their female flaves : 

 and when they difcover the fiightell familiarity, punifli the 

 latter with a variety of tortures ; and of the former they 

 avenrje themfelves in kind. The coaches ufed at Batavia are 

 fmall and light, and for keeping thefe a yearly tax is paid to 

 the company. Services of a domeilic or menial kind are 

 chiefly performed at Batavia by flaves. Three thoufand of 

 both fexes are annually brought hither from the coafl; of 

 Malabar, Bengal, Sumatra, and other parts ; but in the 

 greatefl; number from Celebes. Their treatment is in ge- 

 neral mild and gentle, though fome inftances of barbarity 

 and inhumanity occur. They are not forced to fxceflive 

 labour, and they are allowed fufBcient fuilenance. How- 

 ever, many of the males, who had formerly, perhaps, led an 

 independent life before they were made captives in war, have 

 taken offence againil their mailers upon flight occaiions, 

 and wreaked their vengeance by aiTaffwation. To the ap- 

 prehenfion of fuch an event is afcribed the preference given 

 at Batavia to female flaves, for every ufe to which they caa 

 be applied ; and therefore the number of thofe that is pur- 

 chafed far exceeds that of the other fex. The flaves that 

 are determined on revenge, often fwallow, f jr the purpofe of 

 acquiring artificial courage, an extraordinary dofe of opium, 

 and foon becomi-ng frantic as well as defperate, they not 

 only fl;ab the objeCls of their hatred, but fally forth to at- 

 tack in like maimer every perfon they meet, till felf-pre- 

 fervation renders it necelfary to deftroy them. They are 

 faid in that Hate to be " running a muck ;" fo called be- 

 caufe, during their frenzy, they continually cry out, 

 "amok! amok!" which fignifies "kill! kill!" and their 

 fury has been trroneoufly afcribed to opium, whereas in 

 reality it is the effeft of unruly paffion. Inftances of it are 

 not more common among flaves than among free natives of 

 the country, who in the angiiiflt for lofing their money, 

 effccls, and fometimes their families, at gaming, to which 

 they are violently addifted, or under the urgency of fome 

 other paffion or mislortun«, have recourfe to the fame re- 

 medy, with the- fame i'atal effefts. A fondnefs for play, 

 and alfo for opium, is not uncommon among the Chinefe 

 aifo at Batavia; but by habits of relliaint and moderation, 

 they are prevented from fallii-.g into the fame frantic ex- 

 ccffes. The Cliinefe at Batavia are accuftomed to keep 

 gaming-houfes, which are the means of fedudlion and ruin 

 to the greateft part of the flaves in the city ; and thefe pells 

 of fociety are under the pntediion of the municipal govern- 

 ment, the officers of which pay to the company, as a con- 

 flderation for the profits accruing from them, a monthly 



contributioa 



