number twenty-eight, some still afflicted with the scurvy, but the
greater part ill of a bloody-flux. We likewise prepared to give in to
the sabandar an account of our wants, in biscuit, wine, flour, fresh
meat, and pulse; and I begged him to let us have our provision of water
by the company’s people. We at the same time thought of getting a
lodging in town, during our stay: this we got in a great and fine house,
here called the _inner logement_, where you are lodged and boarded for
two rix dollars a day, servants not included, which amounts to about a
pistole of our money. This house belongs to the company, who let it to a
private person, and by that means give him the exclusive privilege of
lodging all strangers. However, men of war are not subject to this law,
and therefore the officers of the Etoile went to lodge in a private
family. We likewise hired several carriages, which one cannot absolutely
do without in this great town, especially as we intended to visit its
environs, which are infinitely more beautiful than the town itself.
These hired carriages have room for two persons, are drawn by horses,
and their price every day is somewhat more than ten francs (between
eight and nine shillings sterling).
On the third day of our arrival, we went in a body to pay a visit of
ceremony to the general, the sabandar having previously given him notice
of it. He received us in another country-seat, named Jacatra, of which
the distance from Batavia is only about a third of that of the house
where I had been on the first day. The road which leads to it cannot be
better compared than to the place called Boulevards, at Paris, supposing
them to be embellished with a canal of running water on the right and
the left. We ought to have made several other visits of ceremony;
likewise introduced by the sabandar, namely, to the director-general,
the president of justice, and the chief of the marine. M. Vanderluys
told us nothing of it, and we only visited the latter. His title is
Scopenhagen[129]. Though this officer only ranks as rear-admiral in the
company’s service, the present is however vice-admiral of the states
general, by a particular favour of the stadtholder. This prince was
willing thus to distinguish a man of quality, who, on account of his
broken fortune, has been obliged to leave the service of the states,
whom he has well served, and to take the place which he now occupies.
The _Schout-by-Nacht_ is a member of the high regency, in whose assembly
he has a seat, and a vote in their debates for the marine affairs; he
likewise enjoys all the honours which are due to the Edel-heers. He
keeps a great retinue, lives very high, and makes himself amends for the
bad moments he has often passed at sea, by spending his time in a
delicious villa.
[Sidenote: Amusements which are to be found at Batavia.]
The principal inhabitants of Batavia endeavoured to make our stay
agreeable to us. Great feasts in the town and country, concerts,
charming walks, the variety of objects united here, and most of them new
to us, the sight of the emporium of the richest commerce in the world;
and, more than this, the appearance of several people who, though of
entirely opposite manners, customs, and religion, however form one
society; every thing in fine concurred to charm the eye, instruct the
navigator, and interest even the philosopher. Here is likewise a pretty
good play-house; we could judge only of the theatre itself, which seemed
handsome to us; as we did not understand the language, we had seen
enough of it by going there once. We were much more curious to see the
Chinese comedies, though we did not understand any more what was said
there; it would not be very agreeable to see them every day, but one
ought to see one of each kind. Independent of the great pieces which are
represented on a theatre, there are every day small pieces and
pantomimes, represented on scaffolds, built at every corner in the
Chinese quarter. The Roman people called for bread and shows; the
Chinese must have commerce and farces. God forbid I should ever again
hear the declamations of their actors and actresses, which is always
accompanied with some instruments. It is an overstrained recitative
accompanied, and I know of nothing that can be more ridiculous, except
their gestures. I must likewise observe, that I cannot properly speak of
their actors, because the parts of men are always acted by women. I
shall add too, and allow the reader to make what inferences he pleases,
that I have seen blows as frequent on the Chinese stage, and gain as
much applause there, as at the Italian comedy, or at Nicolet’s.
[Sidenote: Beauty of is environs.]
We could never be tired with walking in the environs of Batavia. Every
European, though he be used to live in the greatest capitals, must be
struck with the magnificence of the country around it. This is adorned
with houses and elegant gardens, which are kept in order, in that taste
and with that neatness which is peculiarly observable in all the Dutch
possessions. I can venture to assert that these environs surpass those
of the greatest cities in France, and approach the magnificence of those
of Paris. I ought not to omit mentioning a monument, which a private
person has there erected to the Muses. Mr. Mohr, the first clergyman at
Batavia, a man of immense riches, but more valuable on account of his
knowledge and taste for the sciences, has built an observatory, in a
garden belonging to one of his country-houses, which would be an
ornament to any royal palace. This building, which is scarce completed,
has cost prodigious sums. Its owner now does something still better, he
makes observations in it. He has got the best instruments of all kinds
from Europe, necessary for the nicest observations, and he is capable of
making use of them. This astronomer, who is doubtless the richest of all
the children of Urania, was charmed to see M. Verron. He desired he
should pass the nights in his observatory; unluckily, not a single one
has been favourable to their purposes. M. Mohr has observed the last
transit of Venus, and has communicated his observations to the academy
of Harlem; they will serve to determine the longitude of Batavia with
precision.
[Sidenote: Interior parts of the town.]
Though this city is really very fine, it is however far from answering
what one may expect, after seeing its environs. We see few great
buildings in it; but it is well laid out: the houses are convenient and
pleasant; the streets large, and adorned with a well embanked canal, and
bordered with trees; the first to promote cleanliness, and the latter to
procure conveniency by their shade. It is true, these canals keep up an
unwholsome humidity, which renders the stay at Batavia pernicious to
Europeans. The insalubrity of this climate is likewise in part
attributed to the bad quality of the water; therefore the rich people at
Batavia drink nothing but Seltzer water, which they get from Holland at
a vast expence. The streets are not paved; but on each side there is a
broad and fine foot-pavement of free-stone, or of bricks; and Dutch
cleanliness constantly keeps it in the best repair. I do not pretend to
give an exact and particular description of Batavia; that subject has
often been exhausted. One may form an idea of that famous place, by
knowing that it is built in the taste of the finest towns in Holland,
with this difference, that on account of the frequent earthquakes, the
people cannot raise their houses very high, and consequently they have
only one story. I shall likewise not describe the Chinese camp, which is
out of town, nor the police it is subject to, nor their customs, nor a
number of other things, which have already been repeatedly said by
others.
[Sidenote: Riches and luxury of the inhabitants.]
The luxury which prevails at Batavia is very striking; the magnificence
and taste, with which the interior parts of the houses are decorated,
are proofs of the riches of their inhabitants. We have however been
told, that Batavia was not near so great as it had been. For some years
past, the company have forbid private persons to carry on the commerce
between the two Indies, which was to them the source of an immense
circulation of riches. I do not censure this new regulation of the
company, as I do not know what advantages they may have in view in this
prohibition. I only know, that the persons in their service still know
the secret of making thirty, forty, an hundred, and up to two hundred
thousand livres, of yearly revenues, of their places, to which the
salaries of fifteen hundred, three thousand, and at most, six thousand
livres are annexed. But almost all the inhabitants of Batavia are
employed by the company. However it is certain, that the price of
houses, both in the town and country, is more than two thirds below
their ancient value; yet Batavia will always remain more or less rich;
both by means of the secret I have just spoken of, and because those who
make a fortune here, find it difficult to bring it over to Europe. There
are no other means of conveying it to Holland than through the hands of
the company, who take charge of it at the rate of eight per cent.
discount; but they take but a very little at a time from each person.
Besides this, it is impossible to send over such cash by stealth; the
specie, which is current here, losing twenty-eight per cent. in Europe.
The company employs the emperor of Java to strike a particular coin,
which is the currency throughout India.
[Sidenote: Particulars concerning the administration of the company.]
In no place in the world the different classes of people are less
confounded together, than at Batavia; every one has his rank assigned to
him; this is fixed unalterably by some exterior marks; and the stiff
_etiquette_ is more rigidly observed here than it ever was at any
congress. The ranks of the different states are the high regency, the
court of justice, the clergy, the servants of the company, the officers
of the marine, and, last of all, the military.
The high regency consists of the general, who presides there; of the
counsellors of the Indies, whose title is _Edele-heeren_, of the
president of the court of justice, and of the Schout-by-Nacht. They meet
at the castle twice a week. The counsellors of the Indies are now
sixteen in number; but they are not all at Batavia; Some of them have
the important governments of the Cape of Good Hope, of Ceylon, of the
coast of Coromandel, of the eastern part of Java, of Macassar, and of
Amboina, and they reside there. These _Edele-heeren_ have the
prerogative of gilding their carriages all over, and having two
running-footmen before them; whereas every private person can only keep
one. It is further settled, that all coaches must stop, when those of
the _Edele-heeren_ pass by; and the people within, either men or women,
are obliged to rise up.
The general, besides this distinction, is alone permitted to go with six
horses; he is always followed by a guard on horseback, or at least by
the officers of that guard, and some of the private men; when he passes
by, both men and women must step out of their carriages; and the coaches
of none but those of the _Edele-heeren_ can drive to the flight of steps
before his door. I have seen some of them, who had good sense enough to
laugh with us in private at all these pompous prerogatives.
The court of Justice decides without appeal in all civil and criminal
causes. About twenty years ago, they condemned a governor of Ceylon to
death. That Edele-heer was convicted of exercising horrible oppressions
in his government, and was executed at Batavia, on the place opposite
the citadel. The appointment of the general of the Indies, of the
Edele-heeren, and of the members of the court of Justice, is made out in
Europe. The general, and the high regency of Batavia, propose persons
for the other employments, and their choice must always be confirmed in
Holland. However, the general has the right of giving away all the
military preferments. One of the most considerable and best places, in
point of emolument after the governments, is that of commissary of the
country. This officer has the inspection over every thing, which forms
the company’s demesnes upon the Isle of Java, even over the possessions
and conduct of the several sovereigns of the island; he has likewise an
absolute jurisdiction over those Javanese, who are the company’s
subjects. The regulations of the police concerning them are very severe,
and every considerable offence is rigorously punished. The constancy of
the Javanese, in suffering the most barbarous torments, is incredible;
but when they are executed, they must have white drawers on, and never
be beheaded. If the company should refuse to have this complaisance for
them, their authority would be in danger, and the Javanese would revolt.
The reason of this is obvious: as, according to their tenets, they
believe that they would meet in the other world with a bad reception, if
they should arrive there without their heads, and without white drawers;
they likewise dare to believe, that despotism has a power over them only
in this world.
Another employment, which is much sought after, of which the functions
are agreeable, and the revenues considerable, is that of Sabandar, or
minister for foreigners. There are two of them, the sabander of the
Christians, and that of the Pagans. The former is charged with every
thing that regards the European foreigners. The latter is vested with
the affairs relative to all the divers nations of India, comprising the
Chinese. [Sidenote: Order of the places in the service of the company.]
These last are the brokers of all the interior commerce of Batavia,
where their numbers at present exceeds a hundred thousand. The abundance
which has reigned for some years past in the markets of this great city,
is likewise owing to their labour and care. In general, the order of
employments in the company’s service is as follows: assistant,
book-keeper, under-merchant, merchant, great-merchant, governor. All
these civil degrees have a uniform, and the military ranks have a kind
of correspondence with them. Thus for example; the major ranks as
great-merchant, the captain as under-merchant, &c., but the military can
never come to any places in the administration, without changing their
condition. It is very natural, that in a trading company, the military
body should have no influence at all; they are there looked upon merely
as a body who are kept in pay; and this idea is here so much the more
applicable, as it consists entirely of strangers.
[Sidenote: Demesnes of the company upon the isle of Java.]
The company possesses, in their own right, a considerable part of the
isle of Java. All the north coast, to the eastward of Batavia, belongs
to them. They have added, several years ago, to their possessions, the
isle of Maduré, of which the sovereign had revolted; and the son is at
present the governor of that isle, where his father had been king. The
company have likewise profited of the revolt of the king of Balimbuan,
in order to appropriate to themselves that fine province, which forms
the eastermost point of Java. That prince, who was the brother of the
emperor, ashamed of being subject to merchants, and by the advice, as it
is said, of the English, (who furnished him with arms and gunpowder, and
even built him a fort) attempted to throw off the yoke. The company
spent two years, and great sums, in conquering him, and had concluded
the war but two months before we came to Batavia. The Dutch had been
worsted in the first battle; but in the second, the Indian prince had
been taken with all his family, and conducted to the citadel of Batavia,
where he died a few days after. His son, and the other persons of that
unhappy family, were to be put aboard the first vessels; and brought to
the Cape of Good Hope, where they will end their days upon the Isle of
Roben.
[Sidenote: Number of principalities into which the isle of Java is
divided.]
The remaining part of the isle of Java is divided into several kingdoms.
The emperor of Java, whose residence lies in the southern part of the
island, has the first rank; next to him is the sultan of Mataran, and
the king of Bantam. Tseribon is governed by three kings, vassals of the
company, whose consent is likewise necessary to all the other sovereigns
on the isle, for mounting their tottering thrones. They place a European
guard round every one of these kings, and oblige them to answer for
their persons. The company have likewise four fortified factories in the
emperor’s dominion; one in the sultan’s, four in Bantam, and two in
Tseribon. These sovereigns are obliged to furnish the company with
provisions, at a certain rate fixed by the latter. The company receives
rice, sugar, coffee, tin, and arrack from them; and again have the
exclusive right of furnishing them with opium, of which the Javanese
consume great quantities, and the sale of which brings in considerable
profits.
[Sidenote: Commerce of Batavia.]
Batavia is the emporium or staple of all the productions of the
Moluccas. The whole crop of spices is carried thither: the ships are
annually laden with as much as is necessary for the consumption in
Europe, and what remains is burnt. This commerce alone forms the riches,
and I may say assures the existence of the Dutch East India Company; it
enables them to bear, not only the immense expences, which they must
incur, but likewise the depredations of the people whom they employ, and
which often come to as much as the expences themselves. They accordingly
direct their principal cares to this exclusive commerce, and that of
Ceylon. I shall say nothing of Ceylon, because I do not know that isle;
the company have just put an end there to an expensive war, with more
success than to another in the Persian gulph, where all their factories
have been destroyed. But as we are almost the only ships of the king
that penetrated into the Moluccas, I must beg leave to give some
particulars concerning the present state of that important part of the
world, which is kept from the knowledge of other nations by the silence
of the Dutch, and its great distance.
[Sidenote: Particulars concerning the Moluccas.]
Formerly they only comprised under the name of Moluccas, the little
isles situated almost under the line between 15′ S. lat. and 50′ N. lat.
along the western coast of Gilolo; of which the most considerable were
Ternate, Tidor, Mothier or Mothir, Machian, and Bachian. By degrees that
name became common to all the isles which produced spices. Banda,
Amboina, Ceram, Boero, and all the adjacent isles are ranged under the
same denomination, under which some have unsuccessfully attempted to
bring Bouton and Celebes. The Dutch now divide these countries, which
they call the _Countries of the East_, into four principal governments,
from which the other factories depend, and which again stand under the
high regency of Batavia. These four governments are Amboina, Banda,
Ternate, and Macassar.
[Sidenote: Government of Amboina.]
Amboina, of which an Edel-heer is governor, has six factories dependent
upon it, viz. on Amboina itself, Hila, and Larique; of which the chiefs
rank, the one as merchant, and the other as under-merchant; to the
westward of Amboina, the isles of Manipa and Boero, on the former of
which is only a book-keeper, on the latter our benefactor Hendrick
Ouman, under-merchant; Haroeko, a little isle, nearly to the E. S. E. of
Amboina, where an under-merchant resides; and, lastly, Saparoea, an isle
likewise to the S. E. and about 15 leagues off Amboina. There resides a
merchant, in whose dependency is the little isle of Neeslaw, whither he
sends a serjeant and fifteen men: there is a little fort built upon a
rock at Saparoea, and a good anchorage in a fine bay. This isle, and
that of Neeslaw, could furnish a whole ship’s lading of cloves. All the
forces of the government of Amboina actually consist of no more than 150
men, under the command of a captain, a lieutenant, and five ensigns:
they have likewise two artillery officers, and an engineer.
[Sidenote: Government of Banda.]
The government of Banda is more considerable, as to its fortifications,
and its garrison is likewise more numerous; it consists of three hundred
men, commanded by a captain, captain-lieutenant, two lieutenants, four
ensigns, and one artillery officer. This garrison, the same as that of
Amboina, and of the other chief places, supplies all the detached
stations. The entrance to Banda is very difficult to those who are
unacquainted with it. It is necessary to range close along the mountain
of Gunongapi, on which there is a fort, taking care to avoid a bank of
rocks, which must be left on the larboard side. The pass is only a mile
broad, and there are no soundings in it. You must then range along the
bank, in order to get to the anchorage in eight or ten fathom under the
fort London, where five or six ships can ly at anchor.
Three stations depend upon the government of Banda; Ouriën, where a
book-keeper resides; Wayer, where an under-merchant is stationed; and
the isle of Pulo Ry en Rhun, which is nearer Banda, and covered with
nutmegs. A great-merchant commands upon this isle, where the Dutch have
a fort; none but sloops can anchor in the harbour; and they must ly upon
a bank, which prevents their approaching the fort. It would even be
necessary (in case of an attack) to canonade it under sail; for close to
the bank there is no bottom to be found. There is no fresh-water upon
the isle; the garrison is obliged to get it from Banda. I believe that
the Isle of Arrow is likewise in the district of this government. There
is a factory on it, with a serjeant and fifteen men, and the company get
pearls from thence. Timor and Solor, though they are pretty near it,
depend immediately upon Batavia. These isles furnish sandal-wood. It is
singular enough, that the Portuguese should keep a station upon Timor;
and still more singular, that they make but little advantage of it.
[Sidenote: Government of Ternate.]
Ternate has four principal factories in its dependency, viz. Gorontalo,
Manado, Limbotto, and Xullabessie. The chiefs of the two first rank as
under-merchants; the latter are only book-keepers; several little
stations, commanded by serjeants, likewise depend upon it. Two hundred
and fifty men are garrisoned in the government of Ternate, under the
command of a captain, a lieutenant, nine ensigns, and one artillery
officer.
[Sidenote: Government of
Macassar.]
The government of Macassar, upon the isle of Celebes, which is occupied
by an Edel-heer, has four factories in its department; Boelacomba en
Bonthain, and Bima, where two under-merchants reside; Saleyer and Maros,
of which the chiefs are only book-keepers. Macassar, or Jonpandam, is
the strongest place in the Moluccas; however, the natives are careful to
confine the Dutch there within the limits of their station. The garrison
there consists of three hundred men, commanded by a captain,
captain-lieutenant, two lieutenants, and seven ensigns; there is
likewise an artillery officer.
There are no spices to be found within the district of this government,
unless it is true that Button produces some, which I have not been able
to ascertain. The intention in establishing it, was to make sure of a
passage, which is one of the keys to the Moluccas, and to open an
advantageous trade with Celebes and Borneo. These two great isles
furnish the Dutch with gold, silk, cotton, precious sorts of wood, and
even diamonds, in return for iron, cloths, and other European or Indian
merchandizes.
[Sidenote: Dutch politics in the Moluccas.]