The women-slaves wear a long piece of cotton check wrapped about their loins, which serves instead of petticoats; and, over that, a very short white callico jacket, which buttons at the wrist, and is close before. They have remarkable good hair, which they tie upon the tops of their heads, and stick two or three silver or gold bodkins into it; this, with a silver peenang box which hangs to a girdle, and a handkerchief, with searee, put over their shoulders, makes them appear very gaudy. The free-women, who are called Noonga Cabaia, wear a long chintz banjan, called a Cabai, which reaches down to their heels; and they have square-toed slippers, turned up at the points very high, with which they make shift to hobble along.

The Malays, and many of the white people, bathe in the river at least once in the day, and sometimes twice. The men are much addicted to gaming; and all of them chew the Penang and Searee, which blackens their teeth; but they have an expeditious method of cleaning them with betle: They also chew tobacco, car-damums, and gaimbre. They are reckoned to be an indolent revengeful people; and, when they think themselves injured, they repair to a gaming-house, and smoak opium till they are mad-drunk, and then sally out, with a creess in their hand, to seek their enemy; attempting to kill every person that opposes them; and are often killed themselves, before they are apprehended: This is called an Amock, and is very common in Batavia. The criminal, if taken alive, is broke upon the wheel.

The Malays are Mahometans, and have several mosques about Batavia.

Voyaging Accounts