haye; been the eastern, coast of Sumatra ; but that expression, “ or Little
Java,” is, now applied exclusively to Bali, as, “ Great Java ” is to the,
island we are now describing., It is on the latter onlyn if we except what
has been observed of the names given to. the Archipelago generally by the.
natives of Celebes,, that the islanders themselvesj apply the name of Jaïva,
in any of its forms, to their own.country. It,has there, even a still, more
confined application, being generally limited to,.the. eastern, fiistricts.of the5
island,, which may, be considered as Java proper,, in contra-distinction to the
western districts, which are, for the. most part inhabited by a people, called
Sûnda, from whom the. Straits and Isles of Sunda have [been, named, by
Europeans. •
Whether Sumatra, Java, or any other island of the Archipelago, or the
whole or several' of them collectively, may not have formed the Taprobane
of thg ancients, is.perhapsstillan- undecided,question,, notwithstanding .the
daims.to.this distinction which.have of late years been rather admitted than-
proved'in^favour of- Ceylon. The most- striking fact- detailed in the accounts
which have reached, us of thi£ ancient country, and ‘one’ whi^h,Wëbm.iits
nature, is' Ipast likely to.baye been disfigured or perverted.by the misrepresentations.,
or .prejudices, of travellers,. is, ..that it_was .bjsectediir-nearly qqual
portions by-the Equinoctial line, and that ■ to- the- southward ofjjl'the-'polar
star was not visible. How can this statement be- evaded, drub-any way
applied to Ceylon ? Major Wilford seeinis inclined ‘ to consider, Taproltane,
as derived from the Sanscrit words tapa (penance) and... yapa,: (forest , or
grove),- a derivation equally favorable to »the- claims, of.the J Javans,. tapa
and voana, or -mono, having- the like ■ signification".- in-their dâh'gliagé-;- and
ii§~ as there is reason to.beliève, an extenÜVe intercourse 'subsiéfèdTînhvery
remote times between Western India and; these islands, where yasthere.a
country that could more i.nvit,e.the retreat of holy-men, than tbe-evergreen
islands which, rise in .endless clusters on.-the smooth seas-ofi-the*Malayan
Archipelago, where the elevation and tranquillity of dévotion are fostered
by all that is majestic and ldyely in nature ?
Although in Sumatra no traces of their residence have yet been discovered,
except in the languages and customs of the people; on [Java, .which is. almost
contiguous to it, it is. abundantly attested by- monuments still existingdn
stone rand brass. In few. countries,- with which we. are yet acquainted, are
more, extensive ruins to be found of temples dèdicated to an ancient worship.
If tradition may be trusted, every , mountain had its tapa, or.. recluse, and
the
the, whole, energies, and resources ofi-the country would-appear to .hâve been
applied to.the^cqn^^ru^ion pf/those,npblqAfedifices,t tfie1 ruins rof^which- still
Strike: the.spectator, /with, astonishment and .veneration..
That these splendid.and, magnificent piles were erected under the-superintendence
of a./oreigm people,; more, skilled}cin- the-, arts- than*-the' rude and
sample matiyea, o£ the, islands,;.-can scarcel^bh- doubted- ; and- that- they, were
sacred, to-the riffs-of the. Hindu religion;-,-according^ to.some-persuasion-Or
other,jis^equally -clear,; from.the- numerous imagesiof deitidS’f and-attributes by
which, they are. adorned, many offwhichjare still preserved in- their origin al,
state.,' Further, investigation-may perhaps .pstaJplis.h.Java and Sumatra;- or
rather.the.Malavan.ports ,(in- which,general term yo^may include,alh^Æë- ‘ ‘
islands contaiqipgvthe Malayan,J^oyts^as not^only, épt~Tqproban& or' T,apa--
‘aanaSlçf ithe ancients, but -also the Sacred Islegiofffhe. Hindiis.- . ;
.The map of, Java which-accompanies;f.this;.w,ork-,has..been,dr-aWn-principallyi,Map.
from .actnaLtSUt^vess^many, o f which were made by or^ej>j,of the- British-
Cyoy^fnment. .on thetiÿaç^.i; The.first map of Jaya which.was presented to’»
thel,pjibiiîç4,^japd.â:omlwhichrn^arly:alliïj^qsj^ythich-hayer.subseqmMitly:been
engrayedj.,, aye^cp^iq|^ w,as pubh^d-by^alentyn,^.;and^nsLtB;5q^, sfeyen.'
sheets. - t As, at that-;r,pg’|i(|dj„ little--more was known -of t-he island- by, the
Hutch, than ^ome, parts.-, o f ,t|îe:coast,.,MA country^ in ■ jthe^i,mmedia4e^vjéî--
of (.their .çapitd^with /perhaps .the .province of Bantam, ,the[aufc]ipp had no
materials .fe'tmaking^a map of |hje.,v^ole- island vwhiGh/couldi,pretend,;to much
authority.br-vâhïé!. MostoSf.the.Iand iib/therin^mediateij^ipijq^^of Batavia
haying been sold to. Europeans,, was necessity,.surveyed,^in or-der- to
^ce,rtaimfche';different .boundaries. was oçly* a-sbort -time before-the
arrival .of Marshal Daendels,. in -1*808,* that. any,,, stepgappear ta have, heenî
taken byJbm locaL authorities, .to fprocure ^ Gorrect-f statistical and-topogra-
phical -information! of. the-other, more.^important r districts- of the -island. -
Something- -to-tJÉüUeffect was done .during.,the administrations of >Mr., Engelhard,.,
late-Governor of. the North-east-Coast,,) but it-was only, during,
the,goyei^m^t,qfrthe-Marshal.that th ese>olaeejts«^pprsued -with much -
mepgy.rmvsiic*^^,i^
At the Tpjeriod..bf.tbe arrival -ofp the English^ topographical surveys - of
Semfa-^g^ and several, of.the^egistern^ districtSr had been completed-; - and
although sprnewhat,deficient4n ac,curacy of measurement andjneafnès&qfexe-.
c,ution,'',yfet. ^s;fthey .appeared .sufficiently^ correc]hfi)r many, valuable, purposes,.
and-
Groat bjathd of to Juva Major door F. Valentyjp.—-Amsterdam 1Y26. *