The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1895-01-10
AMONG JAVA'S RUINS.
The East Indian Isle is Densely
Populated.
MOST IMPORTANT DUTCH COLONY
The Tribal Government still Prevails-The
Javanese are Considered Good
looking People.


Continent of Asia as India, that we
have almost forgotten that the original
India of our Elizabethan ancestors was
not Hindostan Mt all, but Java. 1t
was in this island that Captain Ian
caster Sailing round by the Cape
planted the first settlement of the Eng
lish East India Company in 1909. But
in Java, as in Celyon, the Dutch, and
not the English, East India Company
became paramount, so says the "Pall
Mall Gazette"
While, however, Ceylon and the
Cape-a refreshment station formed in
1862 for the benefit of Dutch East In
diamen-have ultimately passed into
our hands, Java, with the exception of a
few years at the beginning of the cen
fury, has always remained Dutch pos
session. To-day it is the center of the
Dutch East India possessions, the head
quarters of the Indian army and navy,
and the best example of their system
of colonial administration-the culture
system, as it is called Its relative i'm
portance is seen at once from the fact
that the population of Java is four
times that of the population of the re-
naming Dutch possessions in the East.
When once the identity of Java and
the Indies Of the sixteenth and seven
tenth centuries is realized, it becomes
comparatively easy to understand the
two most notable features of the
island-its marvellous population and
its vast Hindoo ruins. With the ex-
ception of Belgium and of parts of
China, Java is more thickly populated
than any other country in the world.
In 1890 the number Of it's inhabitants
was returned as 23,064, OS6 OF this
enormous population, 237,57 are
Chinese, 1878 Europeans, 10, 943
Arabs and the rest natives
or the native races, two-most i'm
portant and almost identical in Ian
guage, habits and pursuits, the Javanese
and Sundanese occupy respectively
the eastern and western portions of the
island. Both are given to the same
agricultural pursuits as the natives of
India, and of the two the Javanese
are slightly the more spirited and in
telligent. The suface of the island
which measues in round numbers $50
miles long by 100 broad-gradually
rises by series Of plateaux from the
coast to the interior. Between these
plains are high mountains, abruptly
rising and generally volcanic, of which
roach oh ~ l.,
600 feet above sea level. Both the
plains and the lower ranges of the
mountains are clothed with trees bear
ing an evergreen foliage; and the
dwellings of the inhabitants, with the
exception of the large towns, are almost
hidden away in this tropical verdure.
The staple food of the Javan native
is rice, of which enormous crops are
grown in the sawahs, or irrigated
terrace fields Palms, bamboos,
bananas, and host of other tropical
plants supply him not only with easily
adapted materials for houses, cars,
boats, and furniture and tools of all
sorts, but with an abundance of whole
some and delicious fruits. This diet of
rice and fruit is occasionally supple
mented by cured fish, originally taken
from the shallow sea which surrounds
the island. With an easy and plentiful
subsistence thus provided for him, the
Javan peasant lives for the most part
happy and peaceable existence. As
for religious belief, he is nominally
Mohammedan, but he chiefly uses his
creed to supply him with a calendar of
festivals and holidays, all of which he
observes with professions
and merry making. AS a Mohamme
dan, he is, of course, allowed as MANY
as four wives, but he is rarely in a
position to afford more than one. He
Is not given to deeds of violence, nor,
with the exception of small larcenies.
TO crime OF any sort. Besides growing
rice (Which he does for his own bene-
ht) his Dutch masters compel him to
assist in the production of sugar, and
in the cultivation of coffee and Gin.
chona plantations.
The people, however, are no less in
teresting than the trees and flowers.
For the purpose Of government the
whole island is divided into TWENTY-FIVE
residences, each of which has Resi-
dent, an Assistant Resident and a
Comptroller. With these Dutch off.
Gals are associated the native princes
under the title of Regent, and all the
subordinate officers are natives The
Regent ranks next to the Resident
whom he terms his elder brother.
Outside the towns system of village
prevails. and this tribal
organization land other organizations
are wisely utilized by the Dutch as
much as possible for the work of gov
Although the natives are chiefly en-
ployed in the cultivation of rice and
on plantations in the country districts,
yet they practice some handicrafts.
The sarongs, or clothes for the lower
limbs, are woven by the women with
great skill and taste; and the bamboo
and various fibers are cleverly EMPLOYED
for the manufacture of various kinds
,f mating and Of all manner of bias.
kets. hats and other useful articles. In
'he towns, beside these crafts. the
making of pottery and the working of
he precious metals is practiced almost
rs skillfully as in India. AS mer- |
III mrs aud Two la,, A.