January 16th. — Sailed for Surabaya in Java.
This morning there is only such a .wind as sailors
would call a fresh, but not a heavy gale. In all
the wide area between Java and the line of islands
east to Timur on the south, and 7 the tenth deOgree of
north latitude, none of those frightful gales known in
the Bay of Bengal as cyclones, and in the China Sea as
“ typhoons,” have ever been experienced. The chief
sources of solicitude to the naviOgator of the Java and
the Banda Seas are the strong currents and many
reefs of coral.
Our large steamer is little else than a great floating
menagerie. We have, as usual, many native soldiers
on board, and each has with him two or three
pet parrots or cockatoos. Several of our passengers
have dozens of large cages, containing crested pigeons
from New Guinea, and representatives of nearly every
species of parrot in that part of the archipelago. We
have also more than a dozen different kinds of odd-
looking monkeys, two or three of which are continually
getting loose and upsetting the parrot-cages,
and, before the sluggish Malays can approach them
with a “ rope’s end ” unawares, they spring up the
shrouds, and escape the punishment which they
know their mischief deserves. These birds and monkeys
are mostly purchased in the Spice Islands; and
if all now on board this ship could be safely transported
to New York or London, they would far excel
the collection on exhibition in the Zoological Gardens
of the latter city.
Besides the Chinese, Arabs, Malays, and other
passengers forward, there is a Buginese woman, a
raving maniac. She is securely shackled by an iron
band around the ankle to a ring-bolt in the deck.
One moment she is swaying to and fro, and moaning
as if in the greatest mental agony and despair, and,
the next moment, stamping and screeching in a per
feet rage, her long hair streaming in the wind, her
eyes bloodshot, and flashing Are like a tigress which
has been robbed of her young. It would be difficult
to fancy a more frightful picture. They are taking
her to the mad-house near Samarang, where all such
unfortunates are kindly cared for by the government.
Her nation, the Bugis or Buginese, are famous for
“ running a muck.” Am/uk, which was written by
the early navigators “ a muck,” is a common term in
all parts of the archipelago for any reckless, bloody
onset, whether made by one or more. It is, however,
generally used by foreigners for those insane
attacks which the Malays sometimes make on any
one, generally to satisfy a feeling of revenge. When
they have decided to commit a murder of this kind,
they usually take opium, and, when partially under
its influence, rush out into the street with a large
knife and try to butcher the first person they
may chance to meet. Many years ago such émeutes
were of frequent occurrence, and even at the present
time most of the natives who stand guard in the
city of Batavia are each armed with a long staff, on
the end of which is a Y-shaped fork, provided on the
inner side with barbs pointing backward. This is
thrust against the neck of the murderer, and he is
thus secured without danger to the policeman.