the Calvinists, any more than in
Holland, so that priests and monks must not walk the streets in the
habits of their respective orders. All are however allowed to live
here in peace, and may exercise the rites of their religion within
doors. Jesuits are, however, excluded, for fear of their intrigues;
and the Chinese religion, because of its abominable idolatry, is
obliged to have its pagoda, or idol temple, about a league from the
city, where also they bury their dead.

Every Indian nation settled at Batavia has its chief or head, who
watches over the interests of his nation, but is not allowed to decide
upon any thing of importance, his chief functions being those of
religion, and to decide slight controversies among his countrymen. The
_Japanese_ chiefly addict themselves to agriculture, ship-building,
and fishing. These people, for the most part, only wear a kind of
short petticoat, reaching to their knees, all the rest of their
bodies being naked, having also a sort of scarf or sash across their
shoulders, from which hangs a short sword. On their heads they wear
small bonnets. Their huts or cabins are remarkably neater than those
of the other Indians, built of split bamboos, with large spreading
roofs, under which they sit in the open air.

The _Chinese_ are very numerous, as it is reckoned there are at least
five thousand of them in the city and its suburbs. These people seem
naturally born for trade, and are great enemies to idleness, thinking
nothing too hard or laborious that is attended with a prospect of
gain. They can live on very little, are bold, enterprising, possessed
of much address, and indefatigably industrious. Their sagacity,
penetration, and subtilty, are so extraordinary as to make good their
own saying, "That the Dutch have only one eye, while they have two;"
but they are deceitful beyond measure, taking a pride in imposing on
those who deal with them, and even boast of that cunning of which they
ought to be ashamed. In husbandry and navigation they surpass all the
other nations of India. Most of the sugar-mills around Batavia belong
to them, and the distillery of arrack is entirely in their hands. They
are the carriers of eastern Asia, and even the Dutch often make use
of their vessels. They keep all the shops and most of the inns of
Batavia, and farm all the duties of excise and customs. Generally
speaking, they are well-made men, of an olive complexion, their heads
being peculiarly round, wi