THE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO. 



155 



Historical Notes,— Like that of India, the euly bistury "f Java 

 lacks till satisfactory chronological data. The first known records, a* 

 Well aw the oldest monument*, an; associated with Hie ascendancy of 

 the Hindus through three successive periods of pure Buddhism,, an 

 aggressive Siv&itmi, and an apparent compromise. Of the various 

 11 in i hi States the most powerful was that of Majap.il tit, with many 

 tributaries in Java and other parts of the Archipelago. Under 

 Eudillii.it and BruhtiiaTiicul inlhiuuoe.- lh«' [K-iuvfid arts. and esptrialty 

 arch lieu tu re and sculpture* attained a degree of almost unparalleled 

 splendour, as still attested by the Humptuou* monuments of Boro- 

 bnrfor mid other places. But Hinduism was almost entirely displaced 

 in the fifteenth century by Islam, which, a* a political power* hud in 

 its turn soon to give way to Christian iulluences* 



Java was first visited in loll by the Portuguese, who were followed 

 in lMKi by the Dutch. For mvr a hnndivd y-'ut-- the Dutoh East 

 India Company owned, only a few forts and factories at Yakatra 

 • I i i i' ;ind I'lln.-r plaivri ; hut in ITO-'» tlu-y obl.iiui'd p- Kse^ion of 

 Proanger by treaty with Matamtn, ami in I74r> extended their 

 authority over the whole north QOMfc from Ckeribun to Bauyu wangi. 

 In 17.'>o Mataram was divided into the two States of Surakarta and 

 Jokjoknttft) which stilt retain a semblance of independence, and in 

 1S08 the kingdom of Bantam was finally reduced. By the British 

 occupation (1811-18) European ascendancy was strength (mumI, and 

 the great Java wnf(16S5"30), in which a last struggle was made by a 

 native dynasty, resulted in tlie cmupMe iriumph of the Dutch. 

 Since then the whole island has fallen under their sway, and under 

 their able odminUtrntinn has rapidly increased in population and 

 general prosperity. A great military road (TOO miles long ami other 

 highways have been opened in every direction, the railway system ia 

 gradually «-x1.mding all ihu ^rval agri'-ulittral conLms, life and 

 property are a? wife as in any part of Europe, and the natives are as 

 contented as any people are likely to be under the rule of an alien 

 race. 



Of ths uumaroufl tnununu'iila L<ft by tin* early Hindu nmipi-T^n, tlm 

 most n-mnrk&ble U thn gnat fcanplt el Hurobodo (lloroHudur), about 8 0 

 iili2i s of Umiulji'ieiai, ia i\i<- proviua- uf K-'du. I L frowns n manil 

 conical bill, atiil consists uf n lofty central drum;, mid seven mages of ter- 

 ra- ■•• I ctjKMi gollrriea, regularly I mo'] r round th>- hill, villi auim-ruiH eoiu- 

 ULUEiii'atioas by rtK\#\ and StaUg* Tin* duuiu is ftO fuot in diaiuutor, ami 

 tin- wIlm|i. Uuihlmg 620 fret si[iinr«- and alnml toil fwl high, rt'prd.'ntuig 

 ati iiiuomit uf I Ll«ur :i* ^TruC :m that esjivadi'd mi Hi- GtvaX Pyramid. Of 

 minor antiquities tin- most valuably arv tho inscriptions on stune and 



