an always is indulged
with an opportunity of escaping before he is brought to a trial,
whatever may have been his offence; and if he is brought to a trial and
convicted, he is seldom punished with death; while the poor Indians, on
the contrary, are hanged, and broken upon the wheel, and even impaled
alive without mercy.[162]

[Footnote 162: Impalement, as practised at Batavia, is one of the most
shocking punishments ever invented. An iron spike, about six feet long,
is forcibly passed between the back-bone and the skin from the lower
part of the body, where a cross cut is made for its insertion, till it
come out betwixt the shoulders and neck, the executioner guiding the
point of it so that none of the vitals or large blood vessels may be
wounded. The under end of the spike is afterwards made fast to a wooden
post, which is then stuck into the ground, so that the miserable wretch
is raised aloft, where he is supported partly by the iron spike in his
skin, and partly by a little bench, projecting about ten feet from the
ground. He may remain alive in this most cruel situation for several
days, during which period he is tortured besides with hunger and thirst,
for no victuals, of any kind, are allowed him; and numerous insects also
continually torment him in the fervent heat of the sun. His misery is
the greater and longer, as the weather is clear and dry. Should a shower
of rain fall, he is soon relieved from torment, as it is noticed that
any water getting into the wounds speedily induces gangrene and death.
Stavorinus saw an execution of this sort, and relates some very
affecting particulars. The fortitude of the wretched sufferer was
astonishing. He uttered no complaint, unless when the spike was fastened
to the post, when the agitation occasioned by hammering, &c. appeared to
give him intolerable pain, so that he roared out. He did so again when
the post was lifted up and put into the ground. In this dreadful
situation he continued till death ended his torment, which happened next
day. This was owing to a light shower of rain, of about an hour's
continuance, half an hour after which he breathed his last. He
continually complained of thirst, which no one was allowed to relieve by
a single drop of water.--E.]

The Malays and Chinese have judicial officers of their own, under the
denominations of captains and lieutenants, who determine in civil cases,
subject to an appeal to the Dutch court.

The taxes paid by these