During
Our Stay At Batavia, The Weather Was Exceedingly Hot, And Many Of Our
Officers And Men Fell Sick, Among Whom I Was One, The Prevalent Disease
Being The Flux, Of Which The Master Of The Duke And Gunner Of The
Duchess Died, And Several Of Our Men.
A young man belonging to the
Duchess, having ventured into the sea to swim, had both his legs snapped
off by a shark, and while endeavouring to take him on board, the shark
bit off the lower part of his belly.
We were allowed free access to the
town and markets, yet found it difficult to procure salt-meat, so that
we had to kill bullocks for ourselves, and pickled the flesh, taking out
all the bones. Arrack, rice, and fowls were very cheap, and we bought
beef for two stivers, or two-pence a pound.
There are various descriptions of this famous city, yet, as what I have
to say may serve to exhibit a state of things as they were when we were
there, I flatter myself that the following succinct account may neither
be found useless nor disagreeable. The city of Batavia is situated on
the N.W. side of the famous island of Java, in lat. 5 deg. 50' S.[232]
During the whole year the east and west monsoons, or trade-winds, blow
along shore; besides which it is refreshed by the ordinary land and sea
breezes, which greatly cool the air, otherwise it would be intolerably
hot. The summer begins here in May, and continues till the end of
October, or beginning of November, during all which period there is a
constant breeze from the east, with a clear serene sky. The winter
commences in the end of October, or beginning of November, with
excessive rains, which sometimes continue for three or four days without
intermission. In December the west-wind blows with such violence as to
stop all navigation on the coast of Java. In February the weather is
changeable, with frequent sudden thunder-gusts. They begin to sow in
March; June is the pleasantest month; and in September they gather in
their rice, and cut the sugar-canes. In October they have abundance of
fruits and flowers, together with plants and herbs in great variety.
Around the city there is an extensive fenny plain, which has been
greatly improved and cultivated by the Dutch; but to the east it still
remains encumbered by woods and marshes. The city of Batavia is of a
square form, surrounded by a strong wall, on which are twenty-two
bastions, and has a river running through it into the sea. About the
year 1700 there was a great earthquake in Java, which overturned some
part of the mountains in the interior of the island, by which the course
of the river was altered; and since then the canals in Batavia and the
neighbourhood have not been nearly so commodious as formerly, nor has
the entrance of the river been so deep; and for want of a strong current
to keep it open, the Dutch have been obliged to employ a great machine
to preserve the navigation of the mouth of the river, so as to admit
small vessels into the canals which pervade the city. Batavia lies in a
bay in which there are seventeen or eighteen islands, which so
effectually protect it from the sea, that though large, the road is very
safe. The banks of the canals are raced on both sides with stone quays,
as far as the boom, which is shut up every night, and guarded by
soldiers. All the streets are in straight lines, most of them being,
above thirty feet broad on both sides, besides the canals, and they are
all paved with bricks next the houses. All the streets are well-built
and fully inhabited, fifteen of them having canals for small vessels,
communicating with the main river, and shut up by booms, at which they
pay certain tolls for admission; and these canals are crossed by
fifty-six bridges, mostly of stone. There are numerous country-seats
around the city, most of them neat and well contrived, with handsome
fruit and flower gardens, ornamented with fountains and statues; and
vast quantities of cocoa-nut trees planted in numerous groves, every
where afford delightful shade. Batavia has many fine buildings,
particularly the Cross-church, which is handsomely built of stone, and
very neatly fitted up within. There are two or three other churches for
the Dutch presbyterians, and two for the Portuguese catholics, who are a
mixed race, besides one church for the Malay protestants. In the centre
of the city is the town-house, handsomely built of brick in form of a
square, and two stories high. In this all the courts are held, and all
matters respecting the civil government of the city are determined.
There are also hospitals, speir-houses, and rasp-houses, as in
Amsterdam, with many other public buildings, not inferior to those of
most European cities.
[Footnote 232: The latitude of Batavia is 6 deg. 15' S. and its longitude
106 deg. 7' E. from Greenwich. - E.]
The Chinese are very numerous, and carry on the greatest trade here,
farming most of the excise and customs, being allowed to live according
to their own laws, and to exercise their idolatrous worship. They have a
chief of their own nation, who manages their affairs with the company,
by which they are allowed great privileges, having even a representative
in the council, who has a vote when any of their nation is tried for his
life. These high privileges are only allowed to such of the Chinese as
are domicilled here, all others being only permitted to remain six
months in the city, or on the island of Java. The Chinese have also a
large hospital for their sick and aged, and manage its funds so well,
that a destitute person of that nation is never to be seen on the
streets.
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