day. Few people have candour or patience enough
to discriminate betwixt truth and its counterpart, when religion is to
be investigated; and nothing is more common among the witlings, than a
sneer at the bullion, because of its being occasionally blended with
dross. But such behaviour has much stronger indications of spite than
claims to the merit of ability or good sense.--E.]

The Bougis, Macassars, and Boetons, are so firmly persuaded that they
have relations of the crocodile species in the rivers of their own
country, that they perform a periodical ceremony in remembrance of them.
Large parties of them go out in a boat, furnished with great plenty of
provisions, and all kinds of music, and row backwards and forwards, in
places where crocodiles and alligators are most common, singing and
weeping by turns, each invoking his kindred, till a crocodile appears,
when the music instantly stops, and provisions, betel, and tobacco are
thrown into the water. By this civility to the species, they hope to
recommend themselves to their relations at home, and that it will be
accepted instead of offerings immediately to themselves, which it is not
in their power to pay.

In the next rank to the Indians stand the Chinese, who in this place are
numerous, but possess very little property; many of then live within the
walls, and keep shops. The fruit-sellers of Passar-Pissang have been
mentioned already; but others have a rich show of European and Chinese
goods: The far greater part, however, live in a quarter by themselves,
without the walls, called Campang China. Many of them are carpenters,
joiners, smiths, tailors, slipper-makers, dyers of cotton, and
embroiderers, maintaining the character of industry that is universally
given of them; and some are scattered about the country, where they
cultivate gardens, sow rice and sugar, and keep cattle and buffaloes,
whose milk they bring daily to town.[155]

[Footnote 155: The Chinese who carry on any trade or profession, _i.e._
almost all of them, pay a monthly tax to the government. In Stavorinus's
time, this was about six shillings sterling a-piece.--E.]

There is nothing clean or dirty, honest or dishonest, provided there is
not too much danger of a halter, that the Chinese will not readily do
for money. But though they work with great diligence, and patiently
undergo any degree of labour, yet no sooner have they laid down their
tools than they begin to game, either at cards or dice