kampong, which is fenced in, is governed by its kapella or
head man, has its constable or police officer, and is guarded at night
by one or two sentinels, armed with spears, stationed at the gate. All
the land is the property of the government; no native, whatever his
rank, being allowed to have land of his own.

The Dutch have not, as far as I could learn, attempted to convert the
Javanese to Christianity, nor do they take any interest in educating
them in any way. Their policy seems simply so to govern them that their
productions may be increased, and, consequently, as large an amount as
possible of revenue raised. Their rule being paramount, they have left
the natives in their original condition, to enjoy their own manners and
customs, and to be governed by their own chiefs in almost the same
despotic manner as formerly. The Javanese are Mohammedans, but are not
strict in their religious duties; and their priests can often only just
manage to read the Koran, while their mosques are distinguished only
from their houses by having a roof with a double gable at each end. The
native population amounts to nearly nine millions.

The Javanese are a very docile, amiable, and intelligent people; they
are faithful and honest servants, and are brave and trustworthy in
danger, when they can trust to their leaders. Domestic slavery still
exists, though the slave trade is prohibited. No European or native can
acquire property in land, nor can any foreigner reside in the country
without leave of the governor, or acquire the right of citizenship in it
till after a residence of ten years. The governor has the power of
banishing any troublesome subject from the island: all political
discussion in society seems carefully avoided, and the freedom of the
press is strictly prohibited. They do not now tax the people to such an
intolerable degree as formerly, when they created an outbreak of the
whole population, which was not put down till after much fighting in
1830. To prevent a similar occurrence, they have erected a chain of
strong fortresses about fifty miles apart, from one end of the island to
the other.

As I dare say some of my young readers will one of these days become
governors of provinces, or hold other offices in our possessions abroad,
I wish to impress strongly on their minds that the only just or lawful
way of governing a people--the only sure way, indeed, of maintaining
authority over them--is to improve, to