# Life in Java/Volume 1

W.B. d'Almeida, del. Vincent Brooks, Chromolith.
THE WORSHIPPING OF THE VOLCANO.
London, Hurst & Blackett.
LIFE IN JAVA:
WITH
SKETCHES OF THE JAVANESE.
BY
WILLIAM BARRINGTON d'ALMEIDA.
TOPENGS.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN.
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1864.
The right of Translation is reserved.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY MACDONALD AND TUGWELL, BLENHEIM HOUSE.
BLENHEIM STREET, OXFORD STREET.
TO
MY WIFE,
THIS WORK IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED.
STERNE says in his Sentimental Journey—"What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in everything, and who, having eyes to see what time and chance are perpetually holding out to him as he journeyeth on his way, misses nothing he can fairly lay his hands on."
In presenting these volumes to the public, I am reminded of the above quotation, which, being in some measure apposite to the pretensions of this work, will best convey to the minds of my readers the object I had in selecting from my journal descriptions of the scenes through which I passed, and reminiscences of the adventures I encountered en route.
​Other writers—though very few and far between—have written upon Java, but the impression left upon my mind by such of their productions as I have perused, has been far from satisfactory. Without wishing to detract from their merits, I am compelled to acknowledge that they failed in communicating to me any adequate idea either of the appearance of the island or of the life of its inhabitants. The work I now offer to the public will, I trust, be found to contain a faithful account of this valuable possession of the Crown of Holland.
Through the kindness and attention of my friends and acquaintances in Java—for which I beg, with deep gratitude, to offer my sincere thanks —I enjoyed many opportunities of witnessing the most remarkable physical phenomena of the island, and was introduced to scenes of public and domestic life in which I became familiar with the manners and customs of the peculiar people inhabiting it. Adopting a simile suggested by the illustration on the cover, I may venture to express a hope that ​I have succeeded in striking a light, the rays of which, illumining a spot hitherto comparatively little known, will reveal to my readers some new and interesting features in the almost endless diversity of human life and character.
                W. B. d'A.
The Grange,
    West Moulsey. ​
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
CHAPTER I.
Voyage to Batavia — Description of Harbour — Landing at the Jetty — Examination of Luggage — Our Welcome to Java — Drive to Parapattan — Dutch Life in the East — Fondness for the Weed — Police Arrangements — Guardos, Weapons used — Toks-Toks — Wykemester — Public Hospital — Topengs — Musical Instruments — Jacatra — The Head on the Wall — Peter Elberfeld — Conspiracy — A Love Tale — Discovery of the Plot — Punishment of the Offenders ........ 3
CHAPTER II.
The Chinese — Empty Flower-pot — Advertisement — Museum — Portraits — On the Move — Our Rees-Wagen — Boy Drahman — We leave Batavia — Brief Explanation — Some ​of the Passengers, Raden Rio and Raden Mas, making Themselves comfortable — Hospitality of the Dutchman — What we see En Route — Samarang Harbour — The Canal — Drive to Town — Hotel — Evening Drive — Rice Sawahs —Reception 55
CHAPTER III.
Leave Samarang Harbour for Surabaya — Enter the Straits of Madura — Orange Fort — Gressik — Surabaya — Visit to the Docks and Arsenal — Monument to Admiral Van Den Bosch — Fort — Iron Foundry — Drives about Surabaya — The Godoldok — Tale of Tyranny and Oppression in Bygone Times — Public Gardens — Artillerie Constructie Winkle — Our Hotel — Life in it . . . . 93
CHAPTER IV.
To Passeroewan — Postal arrangements — Stations — Bridal and Basunat Processions — Foot Passengers — Passeroe- wan — Description of the Town — Journey to Tosari — Temporary Village — Passangrahan — Wild Boars — Untahs — Malay Legend — Ayam Alas — Keng Kin — Coothookan — Proceeding under difficulties — Arrival at Tosari — "Aspershe" — Novel Mode of Cooking — Bromok — Description of Sagara-Wadi, or Sandsea — Volcano —
Crater . . . . . . . . .121 ​
CHAPTER V.
Climate of Tosari — Second Journey to the Bromok — Annual Festival — Slamat of the Volcano — Mahomedan Antipathy — Gay Scene — Blessing the Offerings — Throwing them into the Crater — Fowl pitching — Present to my Wife — Another View of the Sand Sea — Battu Cuda — Singular mode of marking the Route — Battu Balang — Good Luck or Bad — Return to Tosari — Leave for Passerpan, and from Thence to Passeroewan . 165
CHAPTER VI.
Start for Probolingo — Bagnio Biro — Our Post-Horses taken by a Controleur — Lake Gratie — Noted for Water-Lilies. Duck-Eggs, and Alligators — Offerings to the Alligators — Probolingo — Leave for Klaka — Bad Road — Kindly Help — Night View of the Volcano — The Passangrahan — Chain connecting Three Volcanoes — Curious Fact — Row round the Lake — Delicious Dip — Proximity of Tigers — Leave Klaka — Harbour of Probolingo — Dangerous Navigation . . . . . . . 179
CHAPTER VII.
Return to Passeroewan — Start for Malang — Inconveniences which may arise from not knowing the Dutch Language — Cascade of Baong — Our Incredulity — Seeing is Believing — Ruins of Singasari — Native Tradition — Malang — ​Interview with the Resident — Perplexing difficulty — Importance of knowing French — Electric Telegraph — Fertility of the Soil — The Sawah Serpent — A Disturbed Siesta — Singular Stocking — Narrow Escape — Tobacco Fields — Visit to the Regent 211
CHAPTER VIII.
To Batoe, or Batu — Stubborn Horses — Legend of Aruman — Javanese Dislike to a Broken Tale — Arrival at the Passangrahan — Bath-House — Ruins of Singorite — Hot Springs — Petrifactions — Javanese Pilgrimages — Their Reverence for the Religion of their Ancestors — Excursion to Ngantang — Waterfall of Tretes — Coffee Factory — — The Jodang — Fancy Ball at Malang — Java Sparrows — Sugar Factory — Effects of Free Labour — Torches and Lamps for Evening "Walks — Native Game of Foot-Ball .... 237
CHAPTER IX.
Leave Surabaya for Kedirie — Locks — Marriage of Verengeii Trees — Modjophait — Revered Birds — A Poor Man's Pet — Drive to the Tologo — Bathing-Place of the Sultanas — Ruins of their Palace — The Koobooran, Plataharan, or Wishing-Sheds — The Requests of Luck-Seekers — Darawattie's Tomb — Troublesome Horses — Late Arrival — Kedirie — Wretched Hotel — Simple Food — We Ride to Salomanglain — Tiger Haunt — Blitar, Panatharan, and
Tologo ........ 275 ​
CHAPTER X.
Route to Madioen — Dadup Tree, a Substitute for Rope — The Cupoo — Tales of Poontiana, the Native Evil Spirit — Arrival at Madioen — A Dilemma — Village Wedding — The Waksie — The Length of Time a Javanese Marriage may continue — Situation of Madioen — Number of Java Sparrows ........ 301