he country entrusted to his charge without his
knowledge, or that he should be careless or inattentive to the
same, rather thinking how to obtain the favour of his prince
than to secure the safety of the country."

An ambassador is directed to use all means within his power for
obtaining information concerning the country to which he is sent. Then
follow some directions which are specially characteristic of Eastern
life.

"The letter must be carried on the shoulder, and in his gait and
speech he must conduct himself with propriety. In delivering the
letter he must present himself with dignity, approach first, and
then retire from the person to whom the letter is directed,
speak with him at a distance, and not too familiarly."

The "Surya Ngalam" is the most important of a group of legal treatises.
Its author, or rather compiler, from whom it takes its title, was a
Sultan of Demak, the first of the Mohammedan states founded in Java. It
is a compendium of Mohammedan law.

The modern version of the "Surya Ngalam" commences, "There was a certain
raja of the West, named Sang Probu Suria Alem, who, being duly
qualified, did, in the establishment of divine justice, frame a code of
judicial regulations, consisting of one thousand five hundred and seven
articles, which being afterwards digested and reduced to the number of
one hundred and forty-four, were by him made known and explained to all
the people of the countries under his authority, thereby diffusing
knowledge and righteousness where ignorance and wickedness before
prevailed."

I have already mentioned the jaksa,[29] as receiving information of
offences, and sitting in the courts as assessor to the European
judge-president. There are some very drastic punishments provided for
this official in the section of the "Surya Ngalam" which treats of his
duties.

"In the first place, he must possess a sufficient knowledge of
the law, to know how to act in regard to cases which may come
before him.... If the jaksa be found ignorant of these matters,
he shall have his tongue cut out.... In the third place, any
incorrect statement in writing shall be punished by the loss of
both hands."

[Footnote 29: In Chapter III.]

Among the modern Javanese works there appear a number of romances, of
which the "Johar Manikam," which is taken from the Arabic, is an
example. She was a sort of Javan Una, and the poem tells of h