when he takes his seat at the back
of the stage. The combatants then come in with long spears, and,
fighting desperately, one party runs away, while the other has to listen
to a long speech on their bravery. The Tartars are known by their short
coats, large trousers, helmets, sabres, and great shields. The roaring
music of gom-goms never stops during the performance.

One day we visited the Chinese quarter, where there are an immense
number of gaming and eating tables. The seats, as well as the tables,
are made of bamboo. The Chinese eat with two little sticks, and use a
spoon of china with a short crooked handle. Each article of food is
served on a little dish like a saucer. The jelly, minced meats, and
soup, are generally cold, while their beverages are hot. The chief is
arrack, sugar, and hot water. The favourite dish is part of a dog, of a
species with a smooth skin, which they carefully fatten. It is eaten
with every kind of sauce. No people eat so much pork as the Chinese.
The hundred thousand Chinese in Batavia are said to feed at least four
hundred thousand pigs, which increase not a little the bad odours of the
place. Whether they do it to keep the Jews at a distance, I do not
know, but the two people do not get on well together.

We used to meet in the Chinese company, or quarter, curious processions
of men, with marked or painted faces, having kettle-drums, gom-goms, and
tambourines. Some, grotesquely dressed, were carried on poles or in
hampers, ornamented with paper, ribbons, and little bells; some were
seated on monsters, like our representations of sea-horses. These
processions are in honour of the spirit of evil. The reason they give
for them is, that as the Divinity is infinitely good, it is not
necessary to implore him; but the devil, on the contrary, must be
feasted and amused, to prevent him from going about and committing
mischief. In every Chinese house, in a sort of shrine, is a picture of
Confucius, represented as a great fat man, with the devil at his side
tempting him. On each side are pots of flowers and tapers of red wax,
gilt, which are lighted on certain days, together with a little lamp in
front, just as is seen in Romish chapels.

Chinese girls are always shut up, and employed in sewing and embroidery;
and parents arrange marriages without the couple having even seen each
other. The poorer sort, however, are allowed to serve in their shops.
We heard the people general