People of rank allow their finger nails to grow to a great length. Both sexes file their teeth, and blacken them with the empyretunatic oil of the cocoanut shell. The Lampong women have their teeth rubbed down even with their gums. Others have them formed into points, or have the ends rubbed off and the stumps blackened. Their chiefs sometimes set their teeth in gold, by casing the gums with a sheathing of that metal.
Java is supposed to have had early intercourse with races trading down the Red Sea. From the 12th to the close of • the 15th century, it was ruled by sovereigns professing the Hindu religion, and many architectural remains are to be seen throughout the island. In 1478, the Majo Pala dynasty was overthrown by the Arabs. Subse quently, in 1511, the Portuguese reached Java, followed a century later, 1605, by the Dutch, who since 1609 have partially occupied it, except for the years 1811 to 1816, when the British captured it. In 1880, Java and Madura had an area of 23801 geographical square miles, with a popula tion of 19,797,077 inhabitants, viz.— Javanese, . 19,542,835 Europeans, . . . 3.3,703 Chinese, . . . 206,915 Others, . . . 3,092 Arabs, . . . . 10,528 The Javanese are a Mongoloid race, with mild, placid, prepossessing features, and lank hair. They are taller than the Bugis. Their limbs are slender, and wrists and ankles small, and the colour of their skin is yellow. They are enthusiast ically fond of poetry, and have a delicate ear for music.
Until the middle of the 19th century there was a remnant of an aboriginal race in the Tengger mountains following Hinduism, and the Kalang and Bedui are hill and forest tribes. The Arabs are religidus teachers, the Bngis are settled ou the sea-coasts. In the western part of the island, the Malays speak the Sunda language, but the bulk of the people speak Javanese, which has a high and low dialect, with many Sanskrit words.
Madura is separated from Java Island by a strait not more than a mile wide. Many of the Madurese have settled on Java. The people are of martial tendencies, but victims of cruel and degrading superstitions. Its population is 810,135, of whom 3932 are Chinese, 1516 Arabs, and 509 Europeans.
Bali Island is immediately to the east of Java, of which it looks like a continuation. In parts of Java, in Lombok, in parts of Sumatra, amongst the Dyak of Borneo, and the Philippine islanders, there are remains and customs indicative of a Hindu origin ; but in Bali, since A.D. 1478,
the entire population, amounting to about one million, profess the Hindu religion, and the burning of widows amongst them is carried to an extent never known even in continental India. The slaves of a great man are also consumed upon his funeral pile ; and when the immense annual loss of life produced by these frightful practices is considered, it is surprising that the island. possesses so large a population. They are fairer in complexion, stouter in frame, and more energetic in their dispositions, than the Javanese, and in appearance and dress bear a great resem blance to the natives of Siam. The Balinese entertain a great aversion to a maritime life, and are more rarely to be met with at the European ports than the natives of the other islands to the eastward. Bali women, like the Burmese, attend to the selling of goods and merchandise.
1Vomen take precedence, not only by custom, but by law ; if unmarried, according to the rank of their fathers, and if married, according to the rank of their husbands. The men are indolent, and abstain from labour, and men of all ranks receive great assistance in their households, and in conducting their public duties, from the skill, activity, and zealous intelligence of their wives. The Balinese abduct their intended partners, running away with them into the woods, where they remain concealed until the friends of the young man are able to compensate the family of the girl, when they return and live together as man and wife. The amount paid ranges from Rs. 100 to 200, 20 per cent. of which falls to the king. The language of Bali is of the same family as the Javanese, from which, however, it differs in its terminations. The court language (Bhasha Dalam), the ancient Kawi, is spoken by the king. There is an active volcano in the island, and earthquakes occur from time to time.
Banca Island in its interior has a hill race or Orang Gunong, but its, littoral is occupied by cultivators, and around the coasts a maritime people, the Orang Laut, dwell in their prahu boats. These are similar in their habits to the Baju Laut of Borneo and Celebes. They subsist entirely by fishing. This island abounds in tin, and many Chinese have been working the mines.