DESCRIPTION OF SOLO.

29

rigidly observed. Sovereign princes, we are told, always speak to their subjects in the same language, but they, according to their situations in life, reply in different dialects; probably this may mean no more than such etiquette in speech as prevails between superiors and inferiors in Europe.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Arrival at Solo--Description of that City-Enormous Cannon--Emperor going to the Mosque--Deputation introduced to the EmperorCeremonies and Amusements in the Palace-Sumptuous Repast"God save the King"-Reflections-Samarang-A Cavern-A Grotto-Cheanjor-Upas-tree-Return to Batavia-An Incident—Mr. Deering-Coffin-dealers--Javanese New Testament--Chinese School -Origin and Progress of an Insurrection-Idol Temple-Mahommedan Superstition-Chinese Block-printing-Rice-food--Chinese Festival-A peculiar Village-The Javanese and their Masters-English highly esteemed-Feeble Effects of Religion in Java-Tradition respecting Budhu.

Aug. 5. WE reached Solo in safety, guarded, however, from our last station by five horse-soldiers, and accompanied by five travellers, who availed themselves of the escort. This city stands in the midst of a fertile plain, and is watered by a noble river flowing through it. The population is reckoned at a hundred thousand, of whom there are said to be not more than five hundred Europeans, nearly all Dutch. There is a large fort belonging to these in the centre of the town, surrounded with a wet moat, having four draw-bridges, and mounting fifty cannon.

Adjacent to this is the residence of the personage who bears the title of emperor-a very equivocal one, while foreigners are masters of the whole of his dominions, either by sovereignty or influence. Many of the native chiefs we have observed on horseback, or in gorgeous carriages, in the streets, with their trains of servants on foot; one carrying his lord's betel-box, another his spitting-dish, another a superb umbrella over his head-his personal dignity being signified by the color of the latter, or the metal of the former.

We found here Mr. William Stavers, brother to captain Stavers, of the Tuscan, with whom we came out from England. He was very courteous to us, and conducted us to the imperial palace, into the apartments of which, however, we were not permitted to enter, but were allowed to drive round

30

EMPEROR GOING TO THE MOSQUE.

the courts. In the first of these are two cannons of vast magnitude; the one measuring eighteen feet, and having thirteen and a half inches calibre; the other is somewhat less. They are of brass, with a Javanese inscription on each. Near these are two other pieces of ordnance: these are iron, and of equal length, but smaller bore. Hard by are the dens of three royal tigers, fine, ferocious animals, deserving the name which they bear, as the brute representatives of eastern despots, bloodthirsting and untamable. In another court a small square roof, or canopy, projects from the adjacent wall, and under it are two flat stones, on which the emperor's throne is fixed on public occasions. Near this is a railed platform, sufficiently elevated to allow his majesty to witness occasional fights of wild beasts in the yard. In another court is the greatest curiosity in the empire, if it be not belied. This is the sacred cannon, raised upon a stone pedestal, covered with rich silk, and wreathed with perennial garlands of flowers that never die, though it cannot be said that they never fade, being artificial, and very pretty for the work of mortal hands. This marvellous piece, on a certain occasion, is said to have discharged itself, without even being loaded, by which feat it killed a whole gang of traitors at once, who were twenty miles off; but what is more extraordinary still, if our memory and our information be correct, the ball, when it had done this notable execution, returned to its place in the gun. We are not bound to reconcile the two ends of this story; but, no doubt, the one is as true as the other, though in palpable contradiction.

Aug. 5. We had an opportunity of seeing the emperor on his way to the mosque. He rode in a magnificent carriage, preceded and followed by a large retinue of servants and soldiers, with flags flying and instruments of music sounding. A younger brother alighted first from the chariot, bearing a golden spitting-dish before him. His majesty, who is a graceful youth, about eighteen years of age, was dressed in loose black robes, flowing down to his feet, which were without stockings, and sandalled. He walked with much dignity, bearing a sword, with a golden scabbard, in his right hand. We were not permitted to enter the mosque while the royal worshippers were there, though we had seen the interior yesterday. The place for service is a hundred and twenty feet square, besides a spacious veranda all round it; and beyond this there is a broad moat, in which devotees

INTRODUCTION TO THE EMPEROR.

31

wash their feet before they tread the holy place. We observed nothing particular within, except an immense drum suspended, for what purpose we did not learn. In the front court of the palace, opposite to this mosque, criminals are usually executed. Murderers there suffer the same kind of death as they have inflicted, and are shot, speared, or otherwise dispatched, according to circumstances.

In the evening we were sumptuously entertained by the resident governor and general de Kock. A large party of civil and military gentlemen and their ladies were present, all of whom appeared interested in the missionary intelligence which we gave them.

Aug. 6. Having expressed a desire to be introduced to the emperor, at the governor's table last night, his Excellency procured us that honor, this morning; himself, general de Kock, and other distinguished officers, all in carriages, accompanying us. Alighting at the first court belonging to the royal residence, we walked through that and two beyond, which were thronged with thousands of spectators—all kept in perfect order by native soldiers on duty. In the fourth and centre court, where the palace stands, the military presented arms, and let fall their colors, in honor of the governor and the general, under whose convoy we were admitted. The people were all sitting cross-legged, having their persons, in general, uncovered as low as the chest. We found the emperor in this fourth quadrangle, enthroned on a stone platform which was raised four steps from the ground, and ́ supported by pillars, low and open on all sides. As we approached the presence, his majesty rose up, and advanced to the margin of the platform, where he took the hands of general de Kock and the governor, and bowed graciously to the rest of us, who were in their train. General de Kock, as deputy governor of the whole Dutch possessions in Java, was placed in a chair of state, on the emperor's right hand, and the resident local governor in an ordinary one on his left. Three rows of chairs were ranged on each side, in front of these, to accommodate the Dutch officers and ourselves, on the right, and the native courtiers and nobility on the left. The emperor wore a black vest, close at the neck, and reaching to the waist; below which a Javanese cloth, dark brown, spotted with white, descended to the mid-leg; his stockings were light-colored, and his shoes black, with gold buckles. He had on his head a conic-shaped hat,

32

THE EMPEROR'S COURT.

without brim, of a chocolate color, and encircled with bands. The only extraneous ornaments about the royal person were three brilliant stars of jewel-work upon his breast. The throne was nearly four feet square, covered with yellow silk, and splendidly fringed and flowered with gold; the legs also appeared burnished gold; and the height convenient for sitting upright, which his majesty did with great dignity, though there were neither elbows nor back to rest upon. A sword in a gold scabbard lay at his side, and a superb criss hung in a belt behind him. When all had taken their stations, the sovereign conversed affably with his distinguished visitors, the general and the governor, for some minutes. Tea, coffee, sweetmeats, and wine, were then successively handed round to the company. Whenever the emperor drank, he touched the glasses of the two gentlemen on his right and left with his own, and then looked graciously round upon the rest of us, as though he were pledging his guests. On his left hand, at the distance of twenty paces, the folding-doors of the royal apartments being open, discovered great magnificence in the furnishing and embellishments.

Out of these rooms presently issued a number of dancinggirls, who, crouching down, and working their way on their heels, in spite of the impediments of their long dresses, and awkward attitude, seated themselves on a platform just on the outside of the folding-doors, and over against the emperor. Near them were placed a band of Javanese musicians, and a multitude of singers. On the emperor's right hand, another band, also Javanese, but with European instruments, appeared. The girls were not more than fifteen or sixteen years of age, sumptuously apparelled; those parts of their persons which were exposed-as the face, neck, arms, and legs were stained of a delicate yellow tint by means of a liquid prepared from sandal-wood and perfumes. When the musicians and singers began to play and chant, the girls rose slowly from the ground, making many graceful and significant motions with their arms, hands, and heads. These were at first very slow, never violent, and always simultaneous, as though the tunes or the burthens of the songs put one spirit into the whole-such a perfect consonance appeared in all their gestures and attitudes, while their countenances changed not for a moment their expression, or rather their passionless quietude of aspect. In most of their gesticulations the girls made use of a beautiful scarf,

IMPERIAL ENTERTAINMENT.

33

or zone, of which both ends hung down to their feet; sometimes unfolding these loose parts, by slightly raising the edges as with a touch; then throwing the one or the other over the shoulder, or the arm, or passing them, as veils, before the face. The richly-ornamented cloth, also, that girt the loins, had a long corner which fell to the ground, and lay in a train behind. This, in the course of the dance, they played with as fantastically as with the scarf above, spurning it with the heel or the toe, first to one side, then to the other. There did not seem to be any intentional indecorum in any of their movements, and certainly, for the gentlest and easi est exhibition of limbs and bodies significantly following the sounds of instruments and voices, nothing could be less offensive. While we were looking on, attendants of the bands several times approached the emperor's officers, as if to receive orders. These servile creatures uniformly crawled, forward or backward, crouching on the ground, as though they were reptiles that feared to be spurned by the feet of their superiors while communicating with them. Both in advancing and retiring they put the palms of their hands flat together, raising them till the thumbs came over the bridge of the nose. It was humbling to see human nature so degraded.

After the lapse of half an hour, when we had concluded that this was all the entertainment to which we had been invited, the emperor rose, and we were directed to follow. To our surprise we were conducted into another open court, like that which we had left, where a vast range of tables, in the form of a capital T, appeared, loaded with piles of all kinds of substantial meats, delicacies and fruits, which the country afforded, set out in European style. The tables were so crowded with dishes that there was not room for another, and even the interstices were filled up with brilliant or aromatic flowers. The emperor took his seat in the centre of the arrangement; the general and the resident governor, as before, on his right and his left; the rest of us, natives and foreigners, occupying the remaining places. The breakfast (so it was called) was indeed sumptuous, and every thing was conducted with as much order as it might have been in the palace of a European prince. Multitudes of servants were in waiting. A band, detached from the other musicians, during the feast, played on their various instruments exhilarating tunes, and among the rest, in compliment to us