Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-17
EVENING STAR.
Gibson's Work on East Indian Arch ipelsso,

Oipsous . Work On Last lnolan Archipelago.
We copy from the London Atheneum, Of
June z, the following review of the Prison
! Of Weltevreden," whose author and his ad-
| ventures and suferings We have had several
times occasion to ering to the notice of our
| readers
"PRIsoN OF WELTEvREDEN, and A Glance
at the East Indian Archipelago By WAL
ter NJ Gibson.
cit is long since we have had picture Of
Dutch colonial life so curious or SO authentic
| as this The Netherlands Government. like
that of Japan, is jealous Of foreigners, of Eng
| hsh and Americans especially, and guards its
| eastern territories with the utmost vigilance
| against intrusion. Thus, since Sir Stamford
Rallies quilted Java, We have not had one
| really broad view of that island and its man
| ners. Sumatra, quite as interesting, is almost
as impenetrable. Fragmentary descriptions
have been obtained of both those beautiful
| countries but, for complete information, the
| older records have to be referred to.
"We have said that Mr.. Gibson picture is
| authentic. Readers who are persuaded by
| our praise to glance at il will be surprised by
a long and guady prelude of romance. But
| the book harmonizes in effect with the reports
of the general body Of historians and travel
| ers, and proves that Dutch colonial manners
have not greatly changed since Erberfeldt
| was executed, since Stavorinus wrote, and
| since Lord Shaftesbury denounced their eter-
| nal hatred of England. 1t is by carefully
| avoiding Mr.. Gibson's elOquence.' and noting
| only his account of scenes and incidents, that
we gain a really lucid and suggestive view of
native and European life in Java and Suma-
| ira.
"From certain scraps of autobiography we
suImise that Mr.. Gibson, youth, was in
| spired by tales of the Indian islands, and that
| he sailed tor Sumatra in the clipper FliTt with
| objects not very plainly defined. The en-
trance into the Archipelago was to him the
| approach to a paradise Of bright seas and
| fOwery islands; but at Banca he speedily
| learned in what light the Dutch would regard
his arrival. They began to interrogate and
he to fence, until the Resident insnuated that
| as Lopez was garroted in Cuba, so Gibson, if
| he persisted in his enterprising views, might
come to grief in Java. However, he resolved
upon the attempt to penetrate in Dutch India
and see its reputed wonders Accordingly
| the Fiirt was steered for the entrance of Pa
| lembang river, and her captain soon inhaled
fragrant breeze from off the shore. AS he
approached a skiff put off, "a light gondola of
| polished maple woOd,) in which sat young
man, dressed in a robe of gold and green,
with Jeweled poignard, and golden-tinted
olive complexion. He came on board, and
said that the sight of a strange flag had as
| tOnished the people Of the country. Mr.. Glib
son succeeded in showing the American colors
for the first time in the interior, and began to
realize his preconceived notions of Sumatra
He listened to innumerable relations to the
report of a race of beings halfway between
humanity and brutality-the 0rang Kubas-
who barter the gum of the forests for the
manufactures Of the coast towns "
Here follows the account of the 0rang Ku-
ba, given in the book:
In these native accounts there is con-
fusion between the tribes of men and mon
keys that inhabit the half-explored interior.
Arrived at Palembang, large and curious
Sumatron city, Mr.. Gibson was delighted by
| Its aspects-the rivers swarming with boats,
and enlivened by the boatmens songs, the
lines of floating houses mOored to the shore,
the beauty and the riches everywhere visible.
The Prince of the Arabs of Palembang visited
him on board the clipper. Returning the
visit, the American found himself in q Suma-
tran interior, not rude and poor, but smart
and graceful, with Chinese finish and more
| than Chinese taste. A feast was followed by
conversation, in which the Prince sought to
discover other motives for his guests adven-
ture than those which he professed-the COM
mon objects Of a traveller. Perhaps the
Prince was right; at all events Mr.. Gibson
had strong political opinions on the subject of
Indian Archipelago history. His account of
Dutch manners at Palembang would be in
credible were 1t not that We are familiar with
similar illustrations from other sources Walk
ing late through the streets, he saw Dutch
officers, with canes driving before them two
| sobbing girls" prawans," or virgins re-
Gently purchased by them from the Ulu OF
hill country Other traits, native and Euro
Pean, were supplied ut a Chinese entertain
ment Oh shore.
"When seated on fantastic rattan chairs,
! fruits, sweetmeats, and warm tchOO were
| placed before US. In a little dainty pot of
the measure of 4 cup of our own table was tea
| that filled the room with fragrance when
poured into the tiny bowls, which Cinnamon
| poise Oh thumb and fOrefnger, and tipping
| over to the lip, thus love to quaf in dainty
| drops the soothing drink Of their country"
The host called girl by name. owe heard
| a shrill, sweet voice, then a bound, and in
! sprang into the room, with panther-hke leap,
pretty little young creature, Malay girl,
with soft skin, bright eyes, and limbs that
moved and played and lifted her up like
| wings, around which bright scarlet silk
sarong, her only dress, was gracefully folded" :"
She danced and impToVised a compliment
tary song but similar style of welcome was
exhibited far more sumptuously at the rural
palace Of a Sumatran prince. Mounting
succession of floors, MIR Gibson was intro
duced TO the upper chamber
Description Of the palace from book, page
Rice, roasted birds, rasped nuts, beans,
| bamboo pith, and fruits were served. Then
| entered three girls, who placed themselves on
! the floor. These wore a scarlet saronS or
| skirt, held in its fold or position by a silver
girde. curiOusly made of many joints, called
| q tall pendeng the arms and bust were bare,
| except the partial covering of wreaths of
white odorous fowers-the fragrant %ana6aRg
| mstati, or flower of love-which were trimmed
| in rich clusters, among plaits of their glossy,
jewel bedecked hair; and these were men
ganyse, the singing girls of the country. They
| stood forth in postures, their flexible arms
| doubling backward almost as far as forward;
| and their fingers, tipped with curved silver
| points, played with fantastic motion; anu
thus, without any movement of feet, except
| from time to time, a change of position, they
swayed their bodies, they twined their arms,
! and twirled their fingers in all the masses OF
the Sumatran ronggeng dance
"Afterwards men joined in the dance and
| song, and the company separated for siesta
| MIR. Gibson was shown into a chamber with
varnished walls and polished floor to repose on