140 HINDU RELIGION 



time is Galuiian and is of five days duration; the fecond is termed 

 Kuninan, and is of three days' duration. Thefe fcflivals take place in 

 December and June, the firft being the time in which the great rice 

 cuhivation commences ; and ihe fecond that in which the harveft is 

 reaped ; in Ihort the fpring and harveft of thefe^ fouthern latitudes. 

 Tliey anfwer I may prefume to the feftival of the EoUi and that in 

 honour of Durga in India* 



These fedivals are dedicated to rejoicing, feflivity, and the v^^orfhip 

 of the gods, not deemed incompatible with each other. All ferious 

 occupation is interrupted ; even war at all other times carried on with 

 the relentlefs ferocity common to Barbarans, is deemed unlawful during 

 the celebration of thefe feftivals. 



Whatever be the religion of the tribes of the oriental iflands, ^ne 

 general obfervation applies to all, that fentianents conneded with It 

 make no deep or permanent imprellion qpon them. The prejudices 

 o[ ihe Eafi-infular Hindus are neither exclufive nor ynfocial ; nor are 

 their inftitutions marked by that charader of permanency and immutabi- 

 lity which we afcribe to the native inftitutions of India ; an4 

 Mahomedanifin, as it is praftifed here^ is nearly ftript of its zeal and iut 

 tolerance.* Confiderable experience of Xhe Javmeje in particular- 

 has fully convinced me that i|iey regard ih^ precept^ of the Koran, 

 only when perfectly ,conveniejit to tb,em. I ,do not apply this ob- 

 fervation particularly to t|ie common people^ wh^ like thofe of other 

 countries, often want time and opportunity to give their attention to 

 Xu^h fubjea ; but to the middling and better clalfes of fociety, who 

 enjoy the requifite leifure ; and who are not deftimte of the intelli- 

 g ence or a cquirement s that migh t be fuppofed necelTary to a con- 



The maritime and commereial tribes, fuch asftKe of the Mailays and the principal pspuJation of CM,: 

 arc ftr>aer Mahomeians .han (hofe of whom I have had moft expciiencc. A longer and more frequent ia^ 



lerceurfc vvjih;forcign %/;fl«f^*,« has made them foa 



