Butte record., 1855-12-01
Jbt 5torq.
ROY Al \ SEAIE-NYS
IN JAVA.

disgrace OF civilized Span, Whlch were
even transp an'ed to Mexico under tie
former Spanish dominion, and are car
ried on there with more ardor and plea
sure than in their original home, have
been frequently enough described with
all the power language could command
We must confess, on the other hand
however, that We scarce knew anything
about the extraordinary tiger fights
which take place at the courts OF
the lesser princes III the island
of Java, and which may be regarded as
counterparts Of the Spanish bull-fehts,
through emanating from a lower stand
point Of civ lization. We have come
across very animated description Of
them in a work by Franz JungI.ahn, 4
Dutch traveller, who has written 4 very
valuable treatise on the internal state
Of Java from personal observation and
we will proceed to give our readers some
account of the way these tiger G.hts are
Carried on
/ Writing from Solo, the seat of I.ttlo
} vanese prince, who has the reverend
title Of Su9uhunan, but is usually called
Emperor by Europeans, Junghahn writes
as follows:
"To-morrow there IS tiger, ,fsLt!''
this was the cry from every mouth
The tigers hch had been captured for
this purpose by command Of the cmpe-
ror, and have been kept alive, had de-
voured nearly every dog in the village
which was given them as foed, either
dead or alive. 1t was high time to have
the fight carried out, if the tigers were
not to perish Of inattention.
The day arrives. In the front gallery
with the Dutch resident are all the off
GERS Of the garrison, all the employees,
and few dozen citizens. all dressed il
their gala clothes, as well as the royal
princes-the latter are nearly all at;irod
in European uniforms; the majority are
lioutenants, some captains, a couple ma
jors, and one even a colonel. They look
very chiyalrous, except that they have
not laid aside one article Of the Jayan-
ese national dress, namely, the colorod
handkerchief, w.th which they keep their
long tresses in order
At length the signal is given, the car
riases drive up, and bear the company,
surrounded BY a swarm of pedestrians,
to the palace. In the second courtyard
all descend, and the procession proceeds
on foot up and down flights of stairs: at
several points musicians are stationed,
who make a loud noise with their drums
and trumpets In the central court the
body guard is drawn up with shoulderod
pixies, and trumpeters also in waiting.
Before the resident tue guard lower their
weapons reverentially Thus they walk
on to the actual entrance Of the sauctua-
~. Here stands troop Of old, half
naked women they receive the resident
with shakes of the hand, and accompany
him further to the Supreme master "
These are important person1ges, they
form the immediate body-guard Of the
emperor, whose person no male servant
dare not approach. The procession has
scarce passed through the last portal,
before fresh troop Of red-coated musi-
ciaus, adorned with plumes of feathers,
who are drawn up in the central hall,
commence making a tremendous noise
with their drums, trumpets, and Gym
balls Here the emperor IS seated on hi,
chair Of state The Europeans APP
proach him with uncovered heads. The
prince of the country rises with meas
ured solemnity on the approach Of the
resident, and offers each European his
hand with stately ceremony. The resi-
dent takes his place at his left hand, and
the other Europeans by lis side \
few minutes are passed silently and with
o,t sornd Then thev sat out. the
emperor and the resident, arn-in-arm,
walk in front; women, with the upper
parts of their bodies uncovered, follow
next, hey cary Letel-bozes, spittoons,
and the imperial velvet chair Of state,
which four Of them hold high in the air.
The Europeans joined the procession,
mixed up with Jayanase; the musicians
asaia break OF. into taeir noisy accom-
raa,m n. Thus tie procession ,aCTes