IN TH&4SLAND OF BALL J41 



lideration of foch fubjed^s. Among thefe there is not an example, 

 brie in a thoufand, who abHain from the open ufe of wine ; and in 

 (the native couirs of juilice ibe inrsreO: of money is fued for as openly 

 and with as liule fcrupICj as in the mod commercial fociety in 



Europe^ 



These people are .at the fame time to a wonderful degree fimple 

 and credulous. It U neceflary to know ihern, to be able to underftand, 

 with what facility they fometim^s lend their belief, to the moPc mar» 

 vellous and improbable fiBions ; more particularly if recommended 

 tthroDgh the medium of religion. 



This charadler rend<?rsthe Javanefe the perpetual viflims of deluOon 

 andimpofture. No great plant (irikes a deep or firm root in fuch 

 land, which is the nafural foil of the perifhable weeds of ephemeral 

 and puerile credulity. Lad year it was almoft as if by accident dif- 

 covered, that a beautiful road, more then fifty miles in extenf, had been 

 made in a very fequeilered part of the ifland, and ia the territories of 

 the native orinces. The papulation of whole diftrids was employ d 

 in making it- bur for what purpofe no one could ever didinaiy tell: 

 Some enthufiaft it was faid had dteamfc or prophefied, that a certain 

 holy peifon was to make his appearance in a certain d ly and hour on 

 thefummitofa high moun ain,* from which he would defcend into 

 the plain. A road woald therefore be neceflary for his accommoda- 

 tion ; and each man inRi^a-fd his neighbour to the pious undertaking. 

 I^ive or fix thoufand perfons were occafionally at work upon it; and 

 the road was nearly completed in a few months. The facility with 

 which the people were d.ffuaded from g; ing on with the work when 

 their ufJefs toil was difcovered, is not the lead remarkable circum* 



-» One of thofc, called ihe bioiheu bj niaiiners ; pcih<ps, the inoft lof>y in ihc ill*, d, 



O o 



