The last class of people of which I am to take notice is that
of the slaves. I f at any one place this unhappy race of men
has been more unnecessarily introduced than at another, that
place is certainly Batavia, where thousands of free Chinese,
the best and most handy servants perhaps in the whole world,
presented themselves. in readiness to serve on the most moderate
terms. I confine the observation to those slaves who
are in servitude ter the D u tch ; as the Javanese, though in
fact little better than slaves to the Princes, are not, however,
disposable by sale, nor in any way transferable from hand to
hand, like other property. The slaves of the Dutch are employed
chiefly as artificers, or for domestic purposes. By
the number that are kept, the wealth and importance of the
owner are in some degree indicated. Like a stud of horses
in England, the slaves of Batavia are kept more for parade
than for real use. While in this condition, as I before observed,
they are not allowed to wear shoes and stockings, in
order that they may be known in the streets; for a freeman,
however poor, will take care to supply himself with at least
a covering for his legs and feet, in preference even to a coat,
to avoid carrying about with him the odious badge of slavery.
Few as the Dutch are, when compared with their slaves,
they are less cautious than the Roman people were, who
would not suffer a proposition to be carried, which was made
in the Senate, to distinguish the slaves by a particular dress
from the citizens, lest the number of the former, being
thus easily ascertainable, might become dangerous to- the
state.
The slaves of both sexes are lightly worked and well fed ;
and though they are occasionally punished with great severity,
their punishment is rarely inflicted by the hands, or
under the direction, of their owners. The usual way is to
send them to the Fiscal, who is paid some trifling sum for
each correction ; but when a man possesses a considerable
number of slaves, he generally bargains with the Fiscal to
flog them in the lump by the year. The members of the
Council and of the Court of Justice have the privilege of demanding
the exercise of this magistrate’s authority, free of
expence.- The usual punishment consists of a certain, number
of stripes, according to the nature of the offence, with
laths of bamboo; and the wounds are generally pickled
with a preparation of pepper and salt, to prevent mortification.
The number of slaves annually imported into Batavia
alone, for the use of the Dutch and half-cast burghers, is
computed at one thousand. However extraordinary it may
appear, it is not the less certain, that, in order to keep up the
establishment of slaves in this declining settlement, it is
found to be absolutely necessary to continue this large importation.
I f any explanation were required for a fact,
which unfortunately is established in all countries where
slavery exists, it may perhaps be here attributed to the excess
of females above the males, and the little care that^is taken
of children where there is no connubial tie, and a, restrained
intercourse between the parents.