*.* .conceived, that they'find means- tovirecóver thé amount of their place-
-.tnoney.*
, “ These Regents, although, very proud, arej with very few-exceptions,
^higmoraiit and idle.ipérsöhs,, who give themselves little concern!about
“ theirdands and. their ' people ; :of whom,.indeed, they frequently know
“ nothing,-but only endeavour:to squeeze and extort from them as mjïch
“ as possible, • both for- their •" own subsistence: and pleasure, and to-'"satisfy
“ the cupidity; of ? government and of their immediate superiors. • They
■“ leave, the administration of affairs .entirely to their Pâtehs, who ate Mso
“ .appointed by the Dutch, and are hëld accountable for .every thing.f :-
îsaga-Td
* This payment Is regularly terméddiy the Dutch, ampt-geld, oi^lace-Tnôxiey, heli^înOBey
paid for thepurchaâe of sin office. By the Javans itT ;is- termed serohj whiShy in its hèiïfelgë-
neral acceptation, mean# a bribe. -
. . j- With whatever fidelity this character of. the Javan regents may have been drawn byt.-Mr.
Hogendorp, in ‘the year 1800,:it most certainly did not apply to them in the year 1811, nçr in
the subsequent years of‘the British government on Java ; for,' hq^evejr^gB^at and corrupt
many of them may have been rendered, by the system of government whiêh prevailed' under
the Dutch East India Company, the -changes effected during the administration =of Marshal
Daendals soon induced a character for energy and activity, llis govCrnment-was mrljtetry
and despotism the extreme, and the regents were considered to • hol’d a*mifitgxy rank, r, and
required to exert.themselves^ in proportion to its importance. They did so, and works of the
greatest’ magnitude were constructed by “their exertions. The chiefs were found" active and
intelligent, the common people willing and obedient. With regard’tör-their character* duller
the'British government, it would be an act .of injustice, if: not ingratitude,‘_were I
this opportunity of stating, that, as public officers, the Regents of Javqjweréialpmspimi versitily
distinguished by an anxiety .to act in conformity with, the wishes qfithe. government, byjbonesty,.
correctness, and good faith ; and as noblemen, by gentlemanly manners,'good breeding, cheerfulness,
and hospitality. In 'the observations - made upon the JaVan 'cHàractôitrme"text, I
have spoken of the Javans as a nation generally ; but I might select instances wliere thé Character
of the individual would rise very fer above the general standard which I have- assumed.
I might, for instance, notice-the intellectual endowments and moral character of the present
P a n am b a h a n of S ûm e n a p , N o ta Ka swm a . This chief is well read, not only in" thé,' aboient
history of his own country, but has a, general knowledge of' Arabic literature,"is - ccmyërsant
with the Arabic treatises on astronomy, and is well acquainted with geography. . He is curious
in mechanics, attentive to the. powers'of mechanism, and possesses a fund of knowledge which
has surprised and delighted all .who have had an opportunity of conversing with Km -and of appreciating
his talents. Ofhis’moral characterl have given an instance, in, the manner in which
né liberated his slaves. He is revered, not only for his superior qualifications and talents, but
alstf for the considération and attention he pays to the happiness and comfort of iflhè people
committed to his charge.
Of
yr*‘ To their brothers, wives, children,, aiidj other near .relations, they assign
“ villages- ov-Xdésas, sufficient for theif maintenance, - for all; these consider
(«^th.emselyes bp.rn.51p t , ta yvork,' and. lp.ok.upon' the peasantry as only made
“ for the purpose of pruvidiijg; for‘itheir support.
“ Ijporder to colleet-; ^he rice | and other kinds of produce, which they
“ are by "contract .obliged, to deliver to the, Company as contingents, they
Wpofnpel the inhabitants of--theydjistript'ftn furnish as much of "it, as is at all
-‘.‘[up.ossible, swithot^ any.fixed; ratip^P1",' .calculation, and, without any kind of
“ payment,t leaving (them scarcely, what..^Absolutely,.necessary ,fqr tlieif
^'joWrif support and" that, , of their families, Laöd; even spmetimes not nearly
so -much," especially, in the, event - pj^feilure^in- the crops j{; on which
V ójccaaions, the miserable inhabitants .dp^êsfcjby hundreds to, other districts*
“ tyhpre, -ajt least in the* ;first inst$n.e,ei. t^py^may.■ expect a less rigorous
1 .treatment. Spver^-t jEeg'entsoaispj ,w-he,n distEess.ed.fpy (money, are' com-
5jj^)elled by want,,tQ let,out manyf.ofptheir ?bèst désastio the"iPhinese: these
“yMood-suckers then extort ifi'onHSUsh ^villages .as much as,-they can pos*
'f)% sjbly contrive,, while the inhabitants p f fhp other désas are-alone obliged
■ 2 N> ■ ■ ■ .- ~: "■]; - . . “ to
Of the capacity of the Javans «»'improve,' of their anxretyio: advance in civilization, and of
the rapidity with which*: they rqééive kn.owledge;,an,4l4,ri&$!dPJ,j; an instancq.ndght.be given
in the case of the, two,sons of thpiRegent of 'Semiftang, Kiai.AdipSii Sura Adimangala. .This
Regent, Who, next to the Panambahan o f Sumenap, is-the first in rank as well as character,
shortly'dfter the establishment of thé'British government on' Java, sent his sbns to Bengal,
m-order that they might there receive an iBh<?aOThfisupertor"-rto twhat' théy-'c&iM'd'liave at
home.' .They remained there,.fot-r.aboufc:two years, .under..theriimmediateiprotectionland1
patronage of the late-Esul-of jMinto," and onjthgir rqtoptf nqfc only. copj?^ed;.and wrote in
the Jinglish language, with facility and correctness, but -evinced, condderablg-profipiency in
every branch of knowledge to which their attention had fjeen* directed. The eldest,^ m' particular,
-had rnadhimcb progress in mathematics before' ho quitted CMcutfck'/'as' to obtain a
prize at a public examinatioBi and^ had acquired a genóral,:kriówledge of tlifëtancient and:
modern ybistory of Europe, particularly in that of Greece ajnd- Rome." -He is remarked for
his'graceful and polite manners, for the .propriety, of his. conduct, and fox the^ quickness
and correctness of his observation and judgment. As this^is tike first instance that has been
afforded of the capacity of the Javan character to improve hinder"an European education, it
may enable 'thé reader to form* some estimate of what that character was formerly in more
propitious times, and of what it may attain to hereafter: under a: more.beneficent government.’
Amopg-^aRjth^English on Java, who have had an opportunity pf conversing • with this young
nobleman, there has not been one who has hesitated to admit, that his mind, his qualifications,
and conduct, Would be conspicuous among their own countrymen at the same age, and
that, as an accomplished gentleman, he was fitted for the first societies'of Europe. This-young
man, Raden Sdlehl is now'about' sixteen years of age, and when the British left Java was an
assistant'to his father as Regent of SemSrang.