to act?" said I. "I
should not be surprised," observed Newman. "What are they but actors?
The people, you see, have taken no part whatever in the matter." The
chief bonze mounted the theatre alone, and having made many violent
gestures and exclamations, again descended, when the performances began.
During these ceremonies the gates of the temples, and both sides of the
theatres, were filled with common Chinese, a large number of whom were
children, playing different games of chance. I never saw people so fond
of gaming as they are.

A part of the roasted poultry was left all night on the tombs, the
common people imagining that at that period the dead assemble and eat it
up. People in misfortune strew amulets over the graves of their
ancestors, to obtain their favour. These amulets are bits of silk
paper, on which are spread pieces of leaf silver, which they fancy
passes current as a paper-money among the dead. I could not ascertain
whether the hog and goat were actually offered up with any ceremony, or
simply left to be devoured by the priests.

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" asked Newman, as we were
on our way back to the ship.

"Yes, I think I have," I answered.

"So have I," he remarked, "in a Roman Catholic church. The priests of
Rome--ancient and modern--and these bonzes are much alike. They have
both copied their ceremonies from the Jews and the heathens of old,
travestying them somewhat, to make them pass for their own. Depend on
it Josi understood human nature, and knew what would suit the taste of
the vulgar."

So numerous are the Chinese in Java, and so inclined to revolt, that the
Dutch government are always careful to provide them with amusements. In
each place there is a chief, with the title of "captain," who is
answerable for their good conduct. He is obliged to maintain, at his
own cost, a troop of female actors, called Bayadeers. They perform,
without exception, every night, from nine o'clock till daybreak, in a
kind of theatre, in the middle of the street. The play, as far as we
could make out, represents the wars of the Tartars against the Chinese.
Various chiefs, in different costumes, with their faces smeared black or
white, or masked, come to announce a new war, in which they anticipate
great success. They harangue the soldiers with violent gestures. Then
comes a general or emperor, and, making another speech, gets up on a
table with a chair on the top of it,