bladdei of which is sometimes found a stone, called by
the Portuguese the Pedra da Porco. To this stone the
Dutch ascribe many wonderful properties. When put into'
a glass of wine for about an hour it communicates its virtues
to the liquor, which then becomes an infallible remedy for all
kinds ot poison, for obstructions, fevers, agues, and a variety
ot diseases. Like the Antimonial Cup, the Pedra da Porco is
a standing family medicine.
Another species of wild hog', the Sus Babyroussa, is also
common m the woods of Java. Philosophers had long
puzzled themselves m conjecturing what the design of nature
could be (as she does nothing without design) in giving to
this animal a pair of large curved tusks, pointing inwards to
the face in such a manner, as made it sufficiently clear they
could not be used either for attack or defence, for procuring
food, or for assisting the mastication of it when procured.
But as nature has made nothing in vain, it was necessary to
assign some purpose for the tusks of the Babyroussa. At
length it occurred, or was discovered, but by whom I do not
recollect, that the animal is fond of sleeping in a standing
posture and that, having a large ponderous head, it finds a
convenienc.y in hanging it upon the branch of a tree or shrub
within the reach of its tusks, which serve .on such occasions
for hooks. This is at least an ingenious discovery, and may
be tru e ; but if so, the habits of the animal must vary according
to local circumstances. The same species, or one so
like it that the difference is not distinguishable by any description
or drawing that I have seen, is common among the
rocks on the deserts of Southern Africa, where, within the
7
distance of a hundred miles, there is neither tree nor shrub,
except a few stunted heaths or shrivelled Everlastings thinly
scattered over the barren surface; In such situations where
I have hunted and taken them, it would certainly be no easy
matter for the Babyroussa to find a peg to hang its head upon.
I t would be endless, to attempt an enumeration of the wild
animals with which this island abounds ; of the leopards, and
wild cats, and squirrels-, and monkies innumerable from the
Ourang-Outang to. the little flying Lemur. For one species
of the monkey genus, called the Wow-Wow, the Javanese
pretend to have a kind of fellow, feeling ; there being a
tradition among them, that their ancestors originally sprung
from this species of ape..
The insect tribes, as in all warm climates, are here very
numerous, and the . multitude ■ of snakes, centipedes, scolo-
pendras, scorpions, and spiders, with white ants, mosquitoes,
fire flies, and- a thousand other dangerous, disgusting, and
troublesome vermin, swarm in the streets and in the houses,
infesting even the sleeping rooms. The sting of the scorpion
is . considered; to be very dangerous, and sometimes fatal g but
the Javanese, are persuaded, like the Hottentots in Africa
and the Romans of old, .that the topical application of the
same animal which . gave th e . wound will heal it. A
venomous spider is very common in the thickets of Java.-
The diameter of the body is near two inches,, and the length
of the fore legs 'on claws near four inches, covered with hair,
the colour black, and the mouth red. The webs spun by
this animal gave us considerable trouble, as we traversed the
woods about Anjerie point. Birds are said to be frequently