member but three examples of persons refraining
from the open use of wine. *
To the prohibition against games of chance
they pay no regard on earth. They are passionately
fond of gaming, and give way to this propensity
without restriction or reserve.
* “ Then putting on the roll upon my hear!, I sat down in
the king’s (of Achin) presence, who drank to me in aqumitæ,
and made me drink of many strange meats.”—Davis’ Voyage
in Purchas, Vol. I. p, 1 2 0 .-« Puis II (the king of Achin) me
fit donner à boire dans un petit gobelet d’or, porté dans un
grand bassin du meme metaii, par un eneuque; par lé moyen
du Sabandar. Je beus à la santé de sa grandeur, luy sou-
haittant meillure, en bref qu’elle n’estoit de present, et pensant
vuîder ce petit gobelet, la force du breuvage me le fit
bien-tost quitter, et pensois avoir beu du feu, en sorte qu’il
me prit une grande sueur: Il me dit qu’il falloit achever pu-
isque j avois beu a sa santé, et qn’il estoit bien marry, de ne
pouvoir boire à celle du Roy de France, et qu’il vuideroit
tout.”—Beaulieu’s Voyage, in the collection of Melchizedec
Theremot, Vol. I. p. 54.—e< This rice drink is made of rice
boiled, and put into a jar, where it remains a longtime steeping
in water. I know not the manner of making it, but it is
a very stroug and pleasant drink. The evening when the general
(brother of the sultan of Majindanao) , designed to be
merry, he caused a jar of this drink to be brought into our
room, and he began to drink first himself, then afterwards his
men, so they took turns till they were all as drunk as swine,
before they suffered us to drink. After they had enough,
then we drank, and they drank no more, for they will not
drink after us. The General leapt about our room fora
little while, but having his load, soon went to sleep,” Dampier,
Vol. I. p, 369.
The inhibition of usury is as little regarded as
the last. The rate of interest for a loan is frequently
inserted in their written contracts, and
the amount sued for as openly and avowedly as any
other debt whatever.
The only negative precept of the Koran by
which the Javanese can be said strictly to abide, is
the prohibition against eating the flesh of hogs,
the one which presents no temptations. How
readily men are led to make such easy sacrifices
may be inferred from a singular relic of
Hinduism in Java, now confined to the royal family,
an abstinence from the flesh of the cow. I
have seen many of the princes in a state of inebriety
from wine at a solemn religious festival,
who most piously abstained from touching beef.