Island of St. Paul--Steering for Java Head--Land ho!--Christmas
Island--Straits of Sunda--A Beautiful Scene--Sentimental
Simile--Come to Anchor--Anger Point--Village of Anger--On Shore
in Java--Perfume of the East--Banyan Tree--The Governor and
Dutch Hotel Keeper--Welcome at an Inn--Attack on Anger Fort--
Dutch Officers' prowess, and French!--The Javanese--Chinaman--
Mosque--Mahomet--Bazaar--Watering Place.
To make the island of Saint Paul in the Indian Ocean, became now our
principal object, but baffling and adverse winds delayed us. At last
during a stormy night the longitude of this island was obtained, and we
steered as well as we were able for Java Head and the Straits of Sunda.
Upon the twenty-fifth day of May at ten minutes past four, P. M., the
welcome cry of "Land ho!" was heard at the mast head, which was found to
be Christmas Island, and which we also passed in the night too late to
make any observations.
We were, however, more certain now of the correctness of our position,
and when, at daylight on the 27th, Trower's and Clapp's islands were
made, felt sure of soon seeing Java Head, and in a short time this long
looked for landmark greeted our eyes. Here we entered the Straits formed
by the approximation of the islands of Java and Sumatra, and called the
Straits of Sunda.
The night of our entrance was one of some anxiety, and between this
feeling and the excitement of making land after a long and boisterous
passage, caused a pretty general watch to be kept by idlers and all.
It was in the morning watch--Prince's Island had been safely passed, and
the principal dangers of the passage overcome, when seated upon the
foreyard a scene of beauty opened upon my eyes, which it may be long
before they are greeted with again. We were heading up the Straits, and
from my position the highlands of both islands were in sight. The
morning air was soft and balmy, and came laden with sweet odors, as if
Aurora had lingered to inhale them upon the "Spice island."
We were being wafted along almost imperceptibly, with but so slight an
undulation as scarcely to be felt. To the eastward rose a high peak on
Sumatra, around which the sky was rosy with the day god's first beams.
The gentle waters around us were still in shadow, with sufficient light,
however, upon their surface to enable the eye to take in their expanse,
and to distinguish objects upon them. In the distance, and approaching,
was a brig looking like a tiny toy, with British colors at her gaff,
beating out of the Straits. As the sun, climbing still higher the side
of the obstructing mountain, diffused his gladdening light over this
magnificent scene, the idea struck me, and call it sentimental if you
will, that it was like the first blush suffusing the face of a fair
young bride, ere the full glad assurance of her happiness comes in all
its power to convert it into a bright, beaming smile. So did these rosy
rays overspread the face of nature, and enliven every feature.
On the twenty-ninth of May, came to anchor at Anger Point off the
village of Anger (pronounced Anjier), a Dutch settlement. Of course the
desire to get on shore was general after being over seventy days on
ship-board, and my feet were among the first of those which touched the
soil of Java.
What struck me first as we approached the shore, was that remarkable
perfume which every one notices as peculiar to the East.
A magnificent banyan tree, which literally spreads itself over the
landing, next became an object of attraction; of its exact spread or
height I was not informed, but the natives muster in numbers under its
branches, and the Dutch Governor uses it to display the signal of his
authority--the flag of his nation.
The governor of this district, whose pardon I must crave for allowing
his name just now to slip from my memory, has, here at Anger, a very
fine house and extensive grounds kept in admirable order, and appeared
to enjoy himself in this out-of-the-way place, but as he possessed a
young, pretty, and interesting companion, in the shape of a little wife,
had a perfect right to do so, especially being
"Monarch of all he surveyed."
Whilst his next door neighbor, Mr. Van-Sy Something or other, having a
house nearly as comfortable, used it as a hotel, if hotel that can be
called, in which you have permission to wait upon yourself, and are
charged extravagantly for the privilege, whilst its proprietor pays his
_devoirs_ (_devours_?) to his bottle of Schnapps, from which his lips
are seldom removed, excepting to receive his pipe, and to sputter out
some delectable Dutch. Thought of Wm. Shenstone's "Warmest Welcome at
an Inn," and wished the poet had been compelled to "put up" with this
same Dutchman as a species of "poetical justice," for placing the
purchased pleasures of a _public house_ before the sacred and free gifts
of home.
There is a fort here in good repair and kept in excellent order, and I
was informed that a short time previous to our arrival it had been
attacked by the natives, who were repulsed with great slaughter. The
attack was fierce and vigorous, but as the Malays were not possessed of
fire-arms, and made the assault with only their naked creeses, they were
easily repulsed. Was told of the tremendous execution done by one gun in
throwing grape amongst them, but I felt a little inclined to doubt its
efficiency upon examining its bore.
The attacking Malays were not those of the immediate vicinity, whose
prowess, from their appearance, I should be inclined to doubt, but came
from the mountains, an unconquered people, who continually make war upon
the invaders of their soil. I was greatly amused by the recital of his
part in the affair, by a non-commissioned officer, who informed me that
he was born a Belgian, and gave his story in broken French, broken in
words as well as grammar, for he had been imbibing something stronger
than water. It appeared that his valiant self and two others equally
brave--one a Frenchman, the other a Prussian--had been selected to serve
as a picket, or _avante garde_, as he termed it, some distance from the
fort, at a place called the "Barrier." When at midnight they heard the
approach of the enemy. "Je mette mon fusil à mon bras," he said; "et à
le Francais je di, Prenez--garde! A le Prusse"--hesitating--"Prenez
garde! aussi, et nous faissons un grande detour,--et--et, nous
eschappons. Et voila, monsieur," he continued, pointing to the stripes
upon his arm, "Je suis sous officier donc. Je suis caporal de la
garde,--le meme comme Napoleon,--le petit Caporal." With a hearty laugh
we bade "le petit Caporal" bon nuit, and returned to our hotel, asking
ourselves what need there could be for the Philosopher's Stone, whilst
there existed such a talisman as Conceit?
The Javanese are called Malays, whilst the inhabitants of the
neighboring island of Sumatra also claim the same appellation. From
their rules for government, their religion, and other distinctive marks,
I would consider them connected with the Arabian race.
Polygamy is permitted amongst them, and they are allowed to possess
wives according to their means. Ouseman, our compradore, and a rajah,
told me he had three, all living peaceably together at his house. Think
of that, ye of the Caucasian race, who, with more means, find it
difficult to get along with one, and in a colder climate too!
Came upon a Chinaman here, a real Fa-qui, tail, costume and all, and for
aught I know may have seen the individual before, for he informed me
that he had been to the United States--"America" he called them--and had
sojourned in Boston, and this too with as strict regard to the memory of
Lindley Murray, and in as good English as we have heard from many a
denizen of that second Athens. He also proved that he had profited by
his residence abroad, for he cheated us entirely to our satisfaction,
and with such a grace as almost to make us fear he was robbing himself,
and only exchanged his articles for our coin, out of respect for our
country. These Chinese are truly said to be an imitative people.
They have a place of worship here, called a Mosque, where I was told the
Prophet was worshipped. Hearing, one night, a great noise within its
sacred precincts, I ventured in,--not without many mutterings of
dissatisfaction from the Malays assembled at its threshold,--and looked
upon a large room dimly lighted, without any visible presence of the
Prophet, although a large chair was raised in the centre of it for him
to rest upon, and a parcel of half-clad wretches were grovelling around
its feet, with cries piteous enough to have brought him down even from
the lap of the most beautiful of his dark-eyed houris, had he one-half
of that humanity for which his worshippers gave him credit. I was told
that these were sick persons, and their friends, praying for relief:--a
very commendable thing in a place where there were none but commissioned
surgeons, provided Mahomet has as much skill in medicine now, as he
possessed over these gentlemen in his methods of amputation when he
practised here below.
Visited the market-place, called Bazaar. Found all kinds of tropical
fruits in great abundance: cocoanuts, bananas, plantains, mangusteens,
&c. &c., and what proved its general use, at every stall, large
quantities of the betel-nut were exposed for sale. This nut is used for
its exhilarating properties, and is chewed as is tobacco; but whether
its juice is swallowed, I cannot say. It blackens the teeth, and must
prove very efficacious in destroying the enamel. Indeed, from the
practice they have of filing their teeth across, and the use of this
acid, it is a wonder that any thing should remain but blackened stumps.
Watered ship here, from a reservoir, supplied by an aqueduct from the
mountains, a distance of some leagues. The water is good, and the supply
appears sufficient, although I cannot commend the construction of the
channel through which it is brought. It is of stone, and stuccoed,
raised about two feet from the level of the road, and open at the top.
During a short walk along this road, I saw numbers of Malay women using
its waters for the purpose of ablution; and I could not count the number
of the various reptiles of this prolific clime, who, lured by their
deceitful flow, had met a watery death.
To show the economy of its construction, I may state, that it is brought
across a small stream, through bamboo troughs, so loosely attached that
sufficient water is wasted in its passage to turn a small mill in Yankee
land.
The first day of June weighed anchor, and stood up the Straits; and a
busy time, too, we had in getting through. It was "Let go the anchor!"
"Furl sails!" "All hands up anchor!" "Make sail!" for several days. At
last, this channel and the Straits of Gaspar being passed, we entered
safely the China Sea.