ion.

CHAPTER II.

JAVA.

SAMARANG--A TIGER FIGHT--JAVA PONEYS--EXCURSION
TO SOLO--WILD SPORTS--DJOCKDJOCARTA--REMAINS OF
THE ANCIENT PALACE--IMPERIAL ELEPHANTS--EXPERIMENT
IN INDIGO-PLANTING--JAVANESE EXECUTION--A PET
BOA--ALLIGATORS--FOREST LABOUR--SLAVERY IN
JAVA--OPIUM-SMOKING--TEA--THE UPAS-TREE.

Between three and four hundred miles eastward of Batavia, on the north
coast of Java, is the small, neat, old-fashioned town of Samarang,
which, when I visited it in 1824, was the residence of several English
merchants: now, there is only a single one remaining, so completely has
monopoly destroyed mercantile enterprise! The harbour is a safe one in
the south-east monsoon, but the reverse when the north-west winds
prevail. It is, however, constantly visited by European shipping, which
take cargoes of coffee, sugar, rice, &c. &c., to all parts of Europe,
Australia, Singapore, and China.

The circumstance at this distance of time most clear and distinct in my
memory, in connection with my first visit to Samarang, is a
tiger-fight, which I will attempt to describe. The exhibition took place
on an extensive plain near the town, just after daybreak. A square of
men, armed with the native spear, was formed three deep, and one hundred
yards across. Inside this square was placed a box resembling in shape a
coffin, but much larger, containing a royal tiger fresh from his native
forests, which had been brought to town the day previously for this
express purpose. Imagine every thing ready, the square formed, the box
in its centre, and a silent multitude looking on,--some perched on
trees, some on the coach-boxes of the numerous carriages, others on
horseback, and thousands on foot; whilst the native chief of the
district, with his friends, and the European officials of the place,
occupied a gay pavilion, placed in an advantageous situation for viewing
the coming strife. A native Javan, in full dress, is now seen advancing
into the square, followed by two coolies or porters, one carrying a
bundle of straw, the other a lighted torch. The straw is thrown over the
box, and the torch-bearer stands ready to set fire to it at the end
where the tiger's head is, the box being too narrow to permit his
turning round in it. The leading native then lifts a sliding door at the
other extremity of the box, carefully covering the opening thus made
with mats, to prevent the light from penetrating, and inducing his royal
hi