Fortifications of Batavia. 2 P % 
Befides the fortifications of the town, numerous forts are 
difperfed about the country to the difrance of twenty or thirty 
miles ; thefe feem to have been intended merely to keep the 
natives in awe, and indeed they are fit for nothing elfe. For 
the fame purpofe a kind of houfes, each of which mounts about 
eight guns, are placed in fuch fituations as command the na- 
vigation of three or four canals, and confequently the roads 
upon their banks : fome of thefe are in the town itfelf, and it 
was from one of thefe that all the belt houfes belonging to 
the Chinefe were levelled with the ground, in the Chinefe 
rebellion of 1740, Thefe defences are fcattered over all parts 
of Java, and the other illands of which the Dutch have got 
pofieffion in thefe feas. Of one of thefe lingular forts, or for- 
tified houfes, we Ihould have procured a drawing, if our Gent- 
lemen had not been confined by licknefs, almoft all the time 
they were upon theilland. 
If the Dutch fortifications here are not formidable in them- 
felves, they become fo by their fituation ; for they ate 
among moraftes where the roads, which are nothing more than 
a bank thrown up between a canal and a ditch, may eafily be 
deltroyed, and confequently the approach of heavy artillery 
either totally prevented or greatly retarded : for it would be 
exceedingly difficult, if not impoffible to tranfport them in 
boats, as they all mufter every night under the guns of the 
cattle, a fituation from which it would be impoffible for an 
enemy to take them. Befides, in this country, delay is death; 
fo that whatever retards an enemy, will deilroy him. In lefs 
than a week we were fenfible of the unheal thinpfs of the cli- 
mate ; and in lofs than a month half the flip’s company were 
unable to do their duty. We were told, that of a hurdred 
foldiers who arrive here from Europe, it was a rare thing for 
fifty to furvive the firlt year ; that of thole fifty, half would 
then be in the hofpital, and not ten of the reft in perfect 
health : pollibly this account may be exaggerated ; but the 
pale and feeble wretches whom we faw crawling about with a 
mufquet, which they were fcarcely able to carry, inclined us 
to believe that it was true. Every white inhabitant of the 
town indeed is a foldier ; the younger are conftantly muftered, 
and thole who have ferved five years are liable to be called out, 
when their affi fence is thought necelfary ; but as neither of 
them are ever exercifed, or do any kind of duty, much cannot 
be expected from them. The Portuguefe, indeed, are in ge- 
neral good markfinen, becaufe they employ themfelves much 
in {hooting wild hogs and deer : neither the Mardykers, nor 
the Chinefe know the ufe of fire-arms ; but as they are faid to 
be brave they might do much execution with their own wea- 
pons, fwords, lances, and daggers. The Mardykers are In- 
dians of all nations, who are deicended from free anceitors, or 
have themfelves been made free. 
Vol. II. S But 
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