The Chinefe have four pagodas, or places of worihip, in Batavia j but they do not
feem to be a religious people, and are very carelefs and inattentive in the time of
worihip. I went into one of their pagodas, where I faw a company of them playing
at cards in the principal part of it, that had an alcove, with feveral images in it, and
lamps burning before them; fome little boxes full of afhes, on which they burnt
paper before their idols ; and, on the wall, a number of Chinefe characters; in other
parts of the edifice there were lamps, images, and feveral fmall ftoves. I faw
a ceremony performed in one of the ftreets, on the deceafe of a perfon, which, for
its Angularity, may be worth relating. —~ Having made a large fire, with flips of
paper, they brought out, one after another, a great number of paper pageants, gilt
and coloured, with feveral human figures compofed of the fame materials, and
kept feeding the fire with' them, till they were all confumed j then they threw
a parcel of cups and bottles into the fire, that had fomething in them, but I could
.not learn what, went into the houfe, and the ceremony ended. Their mourning
for- the deceafed is a white turban.
There is, it feems, but one Chinefe woman in Batavia, and lhe is but feldom
feen : It is deemed a crime to bring them from China j fuch of the Chinefe, who
defign to continue here, and incline to marry, take to wife one of the Malay
women.
The Malays of both fexes, who are moftly flaves, are Very numerous: Every
white man keeps a number of them j and they are the only fervants employed
within-doors and without. Under this name are comprehended many forts of people,
who come from Sumatra, Amboyna, Banda, and Ceram. Thofe that come from
the coafl of Malabar, are diftinguifhed by their flimnefs and complexion, which is
jet black. The Orang Bougees, or fuch as come from the ifland of Celebes, are
remarkable for their fine black hair j and thofe from Timor are pretty black : Thef?,
with all others from the eaftern ifles, are, in general, called Malays j and all fpeak
the low Malay, though their languages are different in their refpedtive countries.
Moft of them have flattiih nofes, and are, in general, Chort ; the women, efpecially,
are very fmall.
The
The drefs of the male Malays, who are flaves, is very Ample ; confifting of a
pair of fhort drawers, and a long fhirt, or frock, above, made of ftriped or plain cotton,
which buttons about the wrift with fix fmall buttons; and thofe who can afford it
have two or three gold buttons at the neck. They are accuftomed to hold one hand
on their heads, placed in a particular manner. The free.-men are better clad, and
affedt, in fome refpedts, the European drefs and cuftotns, having black fattin
breeches, and waiftcoats with fleeves, and carry their hats under their arms; but
they wear neither fhoes nor ftockings.
The women-flaves wear a long piece of cotton check wrapped about their loins,
which ferves inftead of petticoats; and, over that, a very fhort white callico jacket,
w h i c h , buttons at the wrift, and is clofe before. They have remarkable good hair,
which they tie upon the tops of their heads, and ftick two or three .fiiver or gold
bodkins into it; this, with a fiiver peenang-box which hangs to a girdle, and a
handkerchief, with fearee, put over their fhoulders, makes them appear very gaudy.-
The free-women, who are called Noonga Cabaia, wear a long chintz banjan, called-
a Gabai, which reaches down to their heels ; and they have fquare-toed flippers,
turned up at the points very high, with which they make fhift to hobble along.
The"Malays, and many of the white peopfe, bathe in the river at leaft once in.
the day, and fometimes twice. The men are much addidted to gaming ; and all
of them chew the Penang and Searee, which blaekens their teeth ; but they have
an expeditious method of cleaning them with betle: They alfo chew tobacco, car-
damums, and gaimbre. They are reckoned to be an indolent revengeful people;
and, when they think themfelv,es injured, they repair to a gaming-houfe, andfmoak:
opium till they are mad-drunk, and then fally out, with a creefs in their hand, to-
feek their enemy ; attempting to kill every perfon that oppofes them; and are
often killed themfelves, before they are apprehended: This is called an Amock,
and is very common in Batavia. The criminal, if taken alive, is broke upon the
wheel.
The Malays are Mahometans, and have feveral mofques about Batavia.
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