WE PICK UP A CHINESE STORY-TELLER, WHO SENDS US TO SLEEP.
When our new acquaintance had exhausted his expressions of gratitude
to Kati, and gratified his spite upon the body of the dead reptile, he
told us that he was a servant of the Chief of Yugyacarta, who had sent
him to the coast with a message to the captain of a Chinese junk. At
this information, Kati’s eyes became lighted up with pleasure.
“Truly,” said he, “this is fortunate; for it is to that great chief
thy servant is now proceeding, on a mission with his captain. Will my
brother,” he added, “cut short his journey, and lead his servant to the
great man, for after quitting the river, the road to the town is long
and intricate?”
“Is it possible, under heaven, that a man who has been saved from the
jaws of a man-eater can deny aught to his preserver?”
“Hilloa, Kati!” asked the curious Martin, “what business can you have
with the Chief of Yugyacarta?”
“My _master’s_ business, oh sahib, and therefore to be disclosed only
at his command,” was the quiet reply.
“You are well answered, Mr. Curious,” said I; “but, Kati, how long will
you be absent? Shall we await your return?”
“Let the sahibs remain until the buffalo returns to his pasture
(sundown), and their servant will be grateful; but let them not wait
after the sun has gone, for the captain will be in fear that misfortune
has overtaken them.”
So saying, Kati and the stranger entered the latter’s boat and pulled
up the stream.
“Bother!” exclaimed Martin, “upon what errand is that fellow going to
the chief? More mystery--I don’t like it.”
“Nonsense, Martin; there is _no_ mystery that Prabu will not explain
when we return on board. As for Kati, you cannot blame him for being
faithful to his master; but now let us beat the jungle for a week’s
rations.”
“Well, old fellow, perhaps, after all, you are right, so let us lose no
more time,” he replied.
Then, having secured the sampan to the stump of a tree, we shouldered
our rifles, and soon entered the forest. For several hours we wandered
stealthily, for fear of tigers, among huge trees, luxuriant palms, and
the teak (the oak of Java, the only island of the Archipelago in which
it abounds).
The teak, like the oak, takes from eighty to a hundred years to reach
maturity, rising then to a height of eighty or a hundred feet, and
having a girth of from five to eight feet. Anent this monarch of
the Indian forest and “the brave old oak,” Crawford writes, “It is
singular, that among the innumerable varieties of woods which exist in
both worlds, from the Arctic Circle to the Equator, two only--the oak
and the teak--should, by their strength, durability, and abundance,
be fit for the higher purposes of the arts, domestic and naval
architecture, and the fabrication of great machinery. The geographical
distribution of the oak has a wider limit than the teak. It exists in
Europe, Asia, and America, to within ten degrees of the Tropics. The
teak exists in Asia only, in the countries lying between China and
Persia, within the Tropics--being found but in the southern peninsula
of India, in India beyond the Ganges to the confines of China, and in
the island of Java.
“In comparing the qualities of the two woods, those of the teak will be
found considerably to preponderate. It is equally strong as the oak,
and somewhat more buoyant; its durability is more uniform and decided;
and to insure that durability, it demands less care and preparation,
for it may be put in use almost green from the forest, without danger
of dry or wet rot. It is fit to endure all climates and alternations
of climate; the oak, on the contrary, cracks and is destroyed by such
alternations, and particularly by exposure to the rays of a tropical
sun. The oak contains an acid, which corrodes and destroys iron; the
teak not only has no such acid, but even contains an essential oil,
which tends to preserve iron. The great superiority of the oak over the
teak consists in its utility in the fabrication of vessels for holding
liquids. The strong odor which the teak imparts to all liquids which
are solvents of the essential oil in which that odor is contained,
makes it unfit to be used for holding them. It makes good water-casks,
but is unfit for wine, or any spirit but arrack, to which it imparts
some of that peculiar flavor which some persons affect to relish.
Another noteworthy forest tree is the _nipah_, or atap palm, whose
leaves afford the natives thatching for their house-roofs and matting
for their floors, and from the sap of which is extracted a drinkable
wine.”
Then we had to beat through bushes of the prickly rattan-cane, so well
known to my readers, but used, in the Archipelago, for ligature and
cordage, and possessing a fruit of the size of a pullet’s egg. Then
through little forests of the bamboo, whose uses are so numerous that
they may be mentioned as commencing with the cradle and ending with the
grave; for it helps to form the first and yields the material for the
last human garment.
Well, near sundown, or, as a Javanese would say, “the hour when the
buffalo is brought back from the pastures,” we returned to the sampan
with a tolerably successful bag of game--namely, a young fawn and a
dozen birds, chiefly partridges and a species of wood-pigeon.
“Not bad sport, Martin,” said I, as we tossed the game into the boat.
“No--and the sooner we reach the prahu now the better; for in another
hour or so, when the beasts of the forest come down to the river to
take their evening draught, the crocodiles will be out in swarms.”
“Shall we wait no longer for Kati?”
“No--it would be useless,” replied Martin. “But, hilloa!” he exclaimed,
“who have we here?”
“A footsore traveler, Martin--_that_ you can easily see by his limp,”
said I; but the next minute the stranger, who was a Chinese, and, from
his broken Dutch, I thought, of the poorer class of the traders of the
Campong, cried:
“For the love of Fo, and their own God, let not the noble youths put
off their sampan, till they have heard the sad story of the wretched
Si-Ling!”
“I don’t like these Chinese fellows. Shall we push off?” said my
brother.
“For shame, Martin! Let us at least hear what he has to say.”
At which the Chinese, taking courage, said:
“Know then, oh noble youth, that thy servant, the miserable and
insignificant Si-Ling, two moons since left Batavia to go to
Yugyacarta, where he has since lived with his wife and two children;
but, alas! the jungle-fever seized and carried his whole family to
the yellow stream (_i. e._, they had died by fever) three days since.
Overcome with grief thy servant started this morning at daybreak in a
sampan to reach the coast, where he hoped to find some junk or prahu,
whose noble captain would take him back to Batavia; but, alas! thy
slave chose an unfortunate day, for when within two leagues of this
spot he was surprised by robbers, who, enticing him ashore, took from
him his worldly goods and sampan--leaving him, as the noble youths may
see, with naught but a bag of fruits.” Then, with a deep groan, he
threw the latter, which had been suspended by a string round his neck,
upon the bank.
“But, Mr. Si-Ling,” said Martin, “you have not told us how you got
your living in Yugyacarta; and we must know that; for if, as an honest
trader or laborer, we will take you with us; if, as a vagabond--and you
look more like that than anything else--well, you will have to sleep
under a palm, and tramp it in the morning.”
“Know then, oh noble youth, that Si-Ling is a great scholar, and the
son of a scholar; for his worthy parent was a mandarin of letters,
and a member of the college of Han-Lin, at Pekin: thus thy servant is
learned in history, and having studied that of Java since he has been
here, relates stories to the nobles who seek amusement.”
“A professional story-teller, then?” said I.
“The noble youth has divined aright: his servant, Si-Ling, is of the
noble profession of story-tellers.”
“More likely of the _ignoble_ profession of rogues, if there be any
truth in physiognomy,” whispered Martin--adding: “Well, Mr. Si-Ling,
get in, and stow yourself away in the stern; and as we float down the
stream--for, as the tide having turned, we don’t want the oars--you
may give us a taste of your quality.”
“May the bones of the noble youths rest with those of their ancestors,
and their descendants ever piously keep their tombs well swept, and
strewn with fresh flowers!” replied the Chinese, getting into the
sampan.
“Much obliged,” replied Martin, laughing. “You are kind, and we are
grateful; nevertheless, we are in no hurry for anything half so good.”
When, however, we had put off, and were floating down the stream, he
said:
“Now, my friend, for a ‘taste of your quality.’ Tell us a story.”
“The noble youths are of the American Republic?” said the Chinese,
interrogatively.
“Oh, yes; so go on, and abuse the Dutch as much as you like.”
“The story thy servant will tell is truth, and shows even how early
the Dutch influence in Java began to change the Javanese princes from
lions into wolves. The great Susunan Mangkorat, having entered into
a treaty with the Dutch, greatly to the injury of his people and
nobles, a certain chief, named Truna Jaya, rose in rebellion against
him, with the hope only of being able to rescue his royal master from
his false friends, the Hollanders; but Truna, being unfortunate, was
defeated, and compelled to fly to the mountains of Antang. There he
remained with a few of his faithful followers, until, reduced by want,
he was glad to make overtures of surrender. These were accepted; but
Truna, doubtful of the Susunan’s good faith while under the influence
of the Dutch, refused to leave his fastness until better assurance of
his safety had been given. Accordingly, his own uncle, the Prince of
Madura, accompanied by a Dutch officer, was sent to beguile him. The
unhappy prince then appeared before the monarch, bound with cords,
and with his wives, who were the Susunan’s own sisters. The Susunan,
pretending to be affected by the agony of his sisters, pardoned his
brother-in-law, and promised to give him preferment; and great was the
joy of the family of Truna, while he went to change his garment for
one in which alone he could receive favors from his sovereign. But
guess, oh, noble youths, the horror of the princesses, when, upon their
husband’s return into the royal presence, the Susunan cried:
“‘My brother, Truna Jaya, when I was at Tagal I made a vow that this,
my creese--Blaba--should never be sheathed until in your breast.’
“On these words the nobles brought the unhappy man to the foot of the
throne, from whence the Susunan, rising, stabbed him to the heart; and
then commanded every noble to strike his creese into his body. The
corpse being thus mangled, the Susunan arose again, crying in a loud
voice:
“‘Let his heart be devoured.’
“The chiefs, obedient, rushed upon the body again, and, tearing out
the heart, divided it into fragments of a nail’s breadth, devouring
it accordingly. The head they laid at the foot of the throne, but it
was afterwards carried in procession before the Susunan; and when he
retired at night to rest, he used it as a mat to wipe his feet upon. To
such a demon,” concluded the Chinese, “had the vile Hollanders changed
a prince of Java!”
“The savage beast!” exclaimed my brother; “but where were the civilized
Dutch all this time?”[B]
“Standing with arms folded, looking upon the scene; and that, too, oh,
noble youth, although their generals had pledged their knightly honor
for Truna’s safety.”
“It is a horrible tale, and almost impossible to believe,” said I;
nevertheless, it was gospel truth.
“It is but one of many, many incidents in the history of this land,
that has sown hatred in the hearts of its people to the Dutch,” replied
the Chinese; “but,” he added, “before thy servant relates another
story, he prays of the noble youths to partake of this fruit--it is
fresh-gathered.”
And, oh! how our eyes sparkled, as he brought from his bag some slices
of that most delicious of all known fruits, a mangosteen. This fruit,
it is said, meets the approbation of persons of the greatest diversity
of tastes in other matters--whether that diversity arises from
peculiarity of constitution or from national habits and antipathies. It
is mildly acid, and has an extreme delicacy of flavor, without being
luscious or cloying. In external appearance it has the look of a ripe
pomegranate, but is smaller and more completely globular. A thick rind,
hard on the outside, but soft and succulent within, incloses large
seeds or kernels, surrounded by a soft, semi-transparent, snow-white
pulp, now and then having a very slight crimson blush. This pulp is the
edible part of the fruit, and persons in robust health may, without
prejudice, eat a much larger quantity of it than of any other.
And as we had been some time without refreshment, we partook of this
mangosteen to an extent that would have been injurious with any other
fruit.
“Well,” said Martin, “this is refreshing after that horrible story; but
proceed, Mr. Si-Ling--let us have another; of course, it will not be to
the advantage of the Dutch.”
“It will not,” replied the Chinese; “but the noble youth shall judge
for himself:--
“Since the earliest coming of the Dutch into Java, it has been their
policy to set the native princes by the ears, and then take advantage
of the internecine quarrels to increase their own power. Sometimes
they would dethrone one sovereign and place a rival in his seat. One
of the princes so raised to the throne was the Pangeran of Pugar. Now,
the Prince of Sourabaya, Jayeng Rono, was his dearest friend and most
confidential adviser, as also was the Prince of Madura. Unfortunately,
Jayeng Rono fell under the displeasure of the Dutch--either, it is
supposed, because he had thwarted some of their ambitious designs, or
was wanting in subserviency. However, be that as it may, the Dutch
general one day sent to the Susunan, demanding his life might be taken.
“The poor sovereign, who had not long before lost his friend, the
Prince of Madura, almost paralyzed with astonishment and terror,
exclaimed:
“‘What! I have already lost my right hand; would these Hollanders also
take my left? No--it shall not be.’
“Then, without giving an answer to the Dutch--for he feared to offend
them--he dispatched a messenger at once to his friend, who was absent
from the capital, Cartasura, informing him that the Dutch demanded his
life, but that, if he chose to resist, he should be secretly aided and
abetted. The noble-minded Jayeng Rono, however, clearly foreseeing
that resistance would involve the ruin, not only of himself, but of
his whole family, came to the disinterested resolution of sacrificing
his own life to secure the safety of his friends and relations, and
therefore at once repaired to Cartasura to meet his fate. Here he
had many sad audiences with the Susunan. The latter, finding Jayeng
would not fly, promised to protect his family, and complied with his
request to appoint his brother to the place left vacant by his death.
At length, the warrant for the prince’s execution came from Batavia.
The Susunan summoned him to the palace, and as, without a retainer,
the old man (for Jayeng Rono _was_ very old) entered the courtyard, he
was met by the public executioner, who dispatched him upon the spot.
So terrible, oh, noble youths, has been the tyranny and oppression of
the Dutch in Java!” concluded the Chinese, but, as I thought, with a
curious leer in his eyes.
“Horrible!” said I; “but, Martin, I feel unaccountably sleepy.”
“So do I,” replied my brother, with a yawn; “the--the mangosteen hasn’t
agreed with us.”
As for me, I could barely keep my ears open to listen to the concluding
part, or rather epilogue to the _historiette_, which ran thus:--
“But, oh, noble youths, the wicked are always punished, in this world
or the next; so the murder of Jayeng Rono was fearfully avenged. The
most formidable and destructive rebellion which has ever been known
in the East broke out. Joyopuspito, brother to the deceased chief,
accepted of his office, but only to use the influence which it afforded
him for revenge. He subdued all the districts in his vicinity--called
to his assistance the people of Bali--was joined by the Madurese,
and by several rebel princes of the House of Martaram; so that this
formidable insurrection only terminated by his death, in the succeeding
reign, after desolating the country for a great many years. The Chief
of Sourabaya, in the many actions which he fought with the Dutch, and
in all his proceedings, displayed so much enterprise, spirit, and
conduct, that, but for the superior equipments and military science of
the Europeans, he must have acquired the sovereignty of the island.”