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Description of Batavia
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The Chinese have four pagodas, or places of worship, in Batavia; but they do not seem to be a religious people, and are very careless and inattentive in the time of worship. I went into one of their pagodas, where I saw a company of them playing at cards in the principal part of it, that had an alcove, with several images in it, and lamps burning before them; some little boxes full of ashes, on which they burnt paper before their idols; and, on the wall, a number of Chinese characters; in other parts of the edifice there were lamps, images, and several small stoves. I saw a ceremony performed in one of the streets, on the decease of a person, which, for its singularity, may be worth relating. ——— Having made a large fire, with slips of paper, they brought out, one after another, a great number of paper pageants, gilt and coloured, with several human figures composed of the same materials, and kept feeding the fire with them, till they were all consumed; then they threw a parcel of cups and bottles into the fire, that had something in them, but I could not learn what, went into the house, and the ceremony ended. Their mourning for the deceased is a white turban.
There is, it seems, but one Chinese woman in Batavia, and she is but seldom seen: It is deemed a crime to bring them from China; such of the Chinese, who design to continue here, and incline to marry, take to wife one of the Malay women.
The Malays of both sexes, who are mostly slaves, are very numerous: Every white man keeps a number of them; and they are the only servants employed within-doors and without. Under this name are comprehended many forts of people, who come from Sumatra, Amboyna, Banda, and Ceram. Those that come from the coast of Malabar, are distinguished by their slimness and complexion, which is jet black. The Orang Bougees, or such as come from the island of Celebes, are remarkable for their fine black hair; and those from Timor are pretty black: These, with all others from the eastern isles, are, in general, called Malays; and all speak the low Malay, though their languages are different in their respective countries. Most of them have flattish noses, and are, in general, short; the women, especially, are very small.
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© Derived from the London 1773 edition printed for Stanfield Parkinson, page 178, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
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