Chapter XX: Composed by Stern

It was evening. Tine was reading in the inner gallery; and Havelaar was drawing an embroidery pattern; little Max was putting together a puzzle picture, and was getting angry because he could not find that red lady’s body.

“Will it be right so, Tine?” asked Havelaar. “See, I have made this palm a little larger ... it is exactly Hogarth’s line of beauty.”

“Yes, Max! but these lace-holes are too near each other.”

“Are they? And the others?”

“Max! do let me see your trousers, ... have you that stripe?”

“Ah! I remember where you embroidered that, Tine!”

“Not I—where then?”

“It was at the Hague, when Max was ill, and we were so frightened because the physician said that he had such an uncommonly shaped head, and that so much care was required to prevent congestion of the brain ... then you were busy with that stripe.”

Tine went and kissed the little one.

“I have found her stomach, I have found her stomach!” cried the little boy gaily; and the red lady was complete.

“Whose bedtime is it?” asked the mother.

“Mine; but I have not yet supped,” said little Max.

“You shall have some supper first of course.”

And she rose up, and gave him his simple supper, which she seemed to have fetched out of a well-secured cupboard in her room; for the noise of many locks had been heard.

“What are you giving him?” asked Havelaar.

“Oh, don’t be uneasy! It is biscuit out of the tin box from Batavia, and the sugar too has been kept under lock and key.”

Havelaar’s thoughts turned again to the point where they had been interrupted.

“Do you know,” he continued, “that we have not yet paid that doctor’s bill?...”

“Oh! that is very hard!”

“Dear Max, we live so economically here, we shall soon be able to pay all; moreover, you will certainly soon be appointed Resident, and then all will be arranged in a little time.”

“That is exactly the thing that makes me sad,” said Havelaar. “I should be so unwilling to leave Lebak.... I will explain that to you. Don’t you believe that we loved our Max more after his illness? Now, it appears to me that I shall love poor Lebak still more, after it has recovered from the cancer from which it has suffered for so many years. The thought of promotion frightens me, and yet on the other side, when I think again that we have debts....”

“All will be right, Max! even if you had to go from here, then you could help Lebak afterwards on being made Governor-General.”

Then came wild lines in Havelaar’s pattern——there was anger in those flowers, ... those strips were sharp, angular, crossing each other.... Tine understood that she had said something wrong.

“Dear Max!” she began kindly.

“A curse on it!... Will you have them starve so long?... Can you live on sand?”

“Dear Max!...”

But he jumped up from his chair, and there was no more drawing that evening.

He went up and down in the inner gallery, and at last he spoke in a tone which would have sounded rough and hard to every stranger, but which was thought of quite differently by Tine.

“A curse on this indifference, this shameful indifference! Here I have waited a month for justice, and meanwhile the poor people are suffering terribly. The Regent seems to calculate upon nobody daring to take it up against him—look....”

He went into his office, and came back with a letter in his hand—a letter which lies before me, reader!

“Look, in this letter, he dares to make me proposals about the kind of labour which he intends to have done by men whom he has summoned unlawfully ... is not that shamelessness going too far? And do you know who these persons are? They are women with little children, with sucklings; women who are pregnant, who have been driven from Parang-Koodjang to the capital, to work for him——there are no more men! And they have nothing to eat, and they sleep on the road, and eat sand.... Can you eat sand? Must they eat sand till I am Governor-General?

“Curse it!...”

Tine knew very well with whom alone Max was angry, when he spoke thus to her whom he loved.

“And,” continued Havelaar, “that is all on my responsibility. If at this moment some of these poor creatures are wandering there outside, and seeing the light of our lamps, will say: ‘There lives the wretch who ought to protect us; there he sits quietly with wife and child, and draws embroidery patterns, while we lie here like dogs on the road, and starve with our children!’ Yes, I hear it, I hear it; that cry for vengeance upon my head! ... here, Max, here!...”

And he kissed the child with a wildness which frightened it.

“My child, if they tell you that I am a wretch, who had no courage to do justice, that so many mothers have died by my fault; if they tell you that the neglect of your father stole away the bliss of your life ... Max, bear witness how I suffered!”

And he burst into tears, which Tine kissed away. Then she put little Max to bed—a mat of straw—and when she returned found Havelaar in conversation with Verbrugge and Duclari, who had just come in. The conversation was about the expected decision of the Government.

“I understand very well that the Resident is in a difficult position,” said Duclari. “He cannot advise the Government to accept your proposals, for then too much would be brought to light. I have been long in Bantam, and know much about it,—more than you, Mr. Havelaar! I was here as sub-lieutenant, and in that position one hears things that the native does not dare to tell the functionaries. But if now, after an open investigation, all this comes to light, the Governor-General will summon the Resident to account for it, and ask him how it is that he has not discovered in two years what was obvious to you immediately? He must, therefore, prevent that investigation.

“I have considered that,” replied Havelaar, “and put on my guard by his endeavours to move the Regent to say something against me, which seems to show that he will try to remove the question, for instance, by accusing me of ... I know not what; I have covered myself against that by sending copies of my letters direct to the Government. In one of these letters, I beg to be called to account, if perhaps it should be pretended that I had done something wrong. If, now, the Resident of Bantam attacks me, no decision can be made, according to justice, before I have been heard—that is allowed even to a criminal—and I have done nothing wrong....”

“There is the post!” said Verbrugge.

Yes, it was the post!—the post that brought the following letter from the Governor-General of the Dutch Indies to Havelaar, late Assistant Resident of Lebak:—

“Official.—No. 54.

“Buitenzorg, 23d March 1856.

“The manner in which you have acted on the discovery or supposition
of wrong-doing on the part of the chiefs in the district of Lebak,
and your attitude towards your superior, the Resident of Bantam,
have excited, in a high degree, my displeasure. In your acts there
is not only a want of the deliberate judgment, caution, and
prudence so indispensable to a functionary intrusted with power in
the interior of Java (sic), but also notions of insubordination to
your immediate superior. Only a few days after your appointment to
your present office, you made the head of the native Government of
Lebak the subject of irritating examinations, without first
consulting (sic) the Resident. In these examinations you found
cause, without substantiating your accusations against that chief
by facts (sic), much less by proofs, to make proposals which tended
to subject a native functionary of the rank of the Regent of Lebak
(a man of sixty years, but still a zealous servant, related to
neighbouring influential Regents, and of whom favourable testimony
has always been given) to a morally quite annihilating treatment.
Moreover, you have, when the Resident did not feel inclined to give
his consent to your proposals, refused to satisfy the just desire
of your superior, that you should say openly what you knew of the
actions of the native Government of Lebak.

“Such conduct merits all disapprobation, and sanctions belief in
your incapacity to bear office in the interior Government of Java.
I am therefore obliged to dismiss you from your employment as
Assistant Resident of Lebak.

“Yet, in consideration of the favourable reports received formerly
of you, I have not found cause to deprive you of the prospect of
again getting a situation in the Government of the interior. I have
therefore given you the temporary appointment of Assistant Resident
of Ngawie. On your behaviour in this office, it will entirely
depend whether you remain a functionary in the service of the
Government.”

And beneath that stood the name of the man on whose “zeal, capacity, and good faith,” the King said that he could rely, when he signed his appointment as Governor-General of the Dutch Indies.

“We go from here, dear Tine,” said Havelaar; and he gave the letter to Verbrugge, who read the document with Duclari.

Verbrugge had tears in his eyes, but did not speak. Duclari, a very polite and well-bred man, burst out with a wild curse.

“G——, I have seen rogues and thieves in the Government here, ... they have gone from here with honours, and to you they write such a letter!”

“It is nothing,” said Havelaar; “the Governor-General is an honest man, ... he must be deceived; though he could have guarded himself against that deceit, by first hearing me. But I will go to him, and show him how matters stand here ... he will do justice, I am certain of it.”

“But if you go to Ngawie....”

“I know this for certain. The Regent of Ngawie is related to the Regent of Bantam. I should have to do the same at Ngawie that I have done here: that would be a useless journey.

“Moreover, it was impossible for me to serve the trial as if I had behaved ill ... and, finally, I see that to put an end to all this deceit, I can no longer be a functionary. As functionary, there are too many persons between me and the Government who have an interest in denying the misery of the population. There are other reasons that prevent me from going to Ngawie. There was no vacancy there; there has been one made for me——Look here!”

And he showed in the Javanese newspaper, which had come by the same post, that indeed, in the same decree of the Government whereby he was appointed Assistant Resident of Ngawie, the Assistant Resident of that place was appointed to another district where there was a vacancy.

“Do you know why I have to go to Ngawie, and not to the district where there was a vacancy?

“I will tell you——the Resident of Madioen, to which Ngawie belongs, is the brother-in-law of the late Resident of Bantam. I have said that such scandalous things went on here,——that the Regent had had such bad examples....”

“Ah,” cried Verbrugge and Duclari at the same time. They understood why Havelaar was transferred to Ngawie in particular, to be tried if he would perhaps correct himself.

“And there is still another reason why I cannot go there,” said he. “The present Governor-General will soon resign,——I do not know his successor, nor what I may expect of him. [164] In order to do something in time for those poor people, I must speak to the present Governor before his departure, and if I went now to Ngawie, that would be impossible ... Tine!”

“Dear Max!”

“You have courage, have you not?”

“Max! you know I have courage when I am with you.”

“Good!”

He went and wrote the following, in his own opinion an example of eloquence:—

“Rankas-Betong, 29th March 1856.

“To the Governor-General of the Dutch Indies.

“I have had the honour to receive the official letter of your
Excellency of the 23d inst., No. 54. In reply to that document, I
feel constrained to beg your Excellency to grant me an honourable
discharge from the service of the Government.

(Signed) “Max Havelaar.”

It needed not so long a time at Buitenzorg to grant the asked-for discharge, as was needed to decide how Havelaar’s accusation could be turned away. For the latter a month was required, and the news of the discharge arrived in a few days at Lebak.

“God be praised,” said Tine, “that you can be your own self at last.”

Havelaar received no instructions to surrender the Government to Verbrugge; he therefore awaited his successor. The latter was a long time in coming, because he had to travel from a remote corner of Java. After waiting three weeks, the ex-officio Assistant Resident of Lebak, who had, however, still acted as such, wrote the following letter to the Controller Verbrugge:—

“No. 153.

“Rankas-Betong, 15th April 1856.

“To the Controller of Lebak.

“You know that I have received at my own request an honourable
discharge from the service of the Government by decree of 4th
inst., No. 4. Perhaps I should have acted rightly, if, on the
receipt of this decree, I had resigned my office of Assistant
Resident immediately; as it seems to be an anomaly to fulfil a
function without being a functionary.

“Yet I received no instructions to surrender my office, and partly
from the idea of the obligation not to leave my post without being
duly relieved, partly from causes of subordinate interest, I waited
for the arrival of my successor, thinking that that functionary
would arrive soon, at least this month.

“Now I hear from you that my successor may not be expected so
soon——you have, as I think, heard this news at Serang,—and at the
same time that the Resident was astonished that I, in the very
peculiar position in which I am, have not yet asked to be allowed
to transfer the Government to you. Nothing could be more agreeable
to me than this news, for I need not assure you, that I, who have
declared myself unable to serve otherwise than I have done, who
have been punished for this way of serving with censure, [165] with
a ruinous and discreditable transfer, with an order to betray the
poor men who confided in my good faith, with the choice also
between dishonour and starvation ... that I had to consider with
pains and care, everything if it was in harmony with my duty, and
that the most simple matter was difficult for me, placed as I was
between my conscience and the principles of the Government, to
which I owe fidelity as long as I am not freed from my functions.
This difficulty showed itself principally in the reply which I had
to give to plaintiffs.

“I had once promised to betray nobody to the rancour of his
chiefs;—once I had, imprudently enough, given my word for the
justice of the Government.

“The poor population could not know that this promise and this bail
had been denied, and that I, poor and impotent, stood alone with my
desire for justice and humanity.

“And people went on complaining. It was painful, after the receipt
of the missive of 23d March, to sit there as a supposed refuge, as
a powerless protector.

“It was heart-rending to hear the complaints of ill-treatment,
extortion, poverty, hunger, whilst I myself had, with a wife and
child, to meet hunger and poverty!

“Neither could I betray the Government. I might not say to these
poor people: ‘Go and suffer, for it is the will of the Government
that you should suffer extortion.’ I might not avow my impotence,
one as it was with the shame and unconscionableness of the
Governor-General’s counsellors.

“Here is what I replied:

“‘I cannot help you immediately, but I will go to Batavia; I will
speak to the Governor about your misery. He is just, and he will
assist you. Go now quietly to your home; do not oppose, do not
remove—wait patiently: I think, ... I hope that justice will be
done!’

“So I thought, ashamed as I was of the violation of my promise of
help, to bring my ideas in harmony with my duty to the Government,
which pays me still this month, and I would have continued thus
till the arrival of my successor, if a particular occurrence had
not obliged me to-day to put an end to this equivocal position.
Seven persons had complained. I gave them the above-mentioned
reply. They returned to their homes. The district chief met them on
the way. He must have forbidden them to leave their village again,
and taken away (as I am told) their clothes, to oblige them to
remain at home. One of them escaped, came to me again and declared
‘that he did not dare to return to his village.’

“What I ought to reply to this man, I did not know.

“I could not protect him;——I might not avow my impotence; I would
not prosecute the accused chief, because this would have appeared
as if the matter had been picked up by me, pour le besoin de ma
cause I did not know what to do....

“I charge you, until further instructions from the Resident of
Bantam, with the Government of the district of Lebak, from
to-morrow morning.—The Assistant Resident of Lebak,

(Signed) “Max Havelaar.”

Then Havelaar departed with wife and child from Rankas-Betong. He refused all escort. Duclari and Verbrugge were deeply touched at the leave-taking. Max was likewise moved; above all, when he found at the first stage a great number of persons who had gone secretly from Rankas-Betong to bid him a last farewell.

At Serang, the family was received into the house of Mr. Slymering, with the ordinary Indian hospitality.

In the evening many visitors came to the Resident. They said they had come to say farewell to Havelaar, and Havelaar received many an eloquent shake of the hand....

But he had to go to Batavia to speak to the Governor-General.

When they arrived there, he sought for an audience. This was refused him, because his Excellency had a pain in his foot.

Havelaar waited till the foot was cured. Then he again sought an audience.

His Excellency “had so much to do that he had been obliged to refuse an audience even to the Director-General of Finance, and could not see Havelaar.”

Havelaar waited till his Excellency should have struggled through all this; meanwhile he felt something like jealousy for the persons who had to help his Excellency in his labour, for he liked to work quickly and hard, and generally so much business disappeared under his hand. This was, however, out of the question. Havelaar’s labour was heavier than labour.... He waited.

He waited. At last he again sought an audience. He received an answer that his Excellency could not see him, as he had too much to do, being on the point of departure.

Max sought the favour of his Excellency to be heard for half-an-hour as noon as there should be some space between two “businesses.”

At last he heard that his Excellency would depart the next day! That was a thunderbolt for him. Still he believed with spasmodic energy that the resigning Governor was an honest man, and had been deceived. A quarter of an hour would have sufficed to prove the justice of his cause, and it appeared that this quarter of an hour would not be granted him.

I find among Havelaar’s papers the copy of a letter which he seems to have written to the retiring Governor-General, on the last evening before his departure to the mother country. In the corner I find the words written in pencil “not exact,” which gives me to understand that some phrases were changed in copying. I make this observation in order that no doubt may arise regarding the authenticity of the other official documents which I have communicated, and which have all been signed by another hand for exact copy; I mention this, because of the want of literal conformity with this document. Perhaps he to whom this letter was addressed may feel inclined to make public the exact text; then one may see how far Havelaar deviated from this copy.

“Batavia, 23d May 1856.

“Your Excellency,—My official request, by missive of 28th February,
to be heard on the affairs of Lebak, has remained unanswered.

“Neither has your Excellency thought fit to grant my repeated
request for an audience.

“A functionary, who was ‘favourably known to the Government’ (I
quote your Excellency’s own words),—one who has served his country
in these regions for seventeen years,—one who not only never
neglected his duty, but who conceived what was good with unexampled
self-sacrifice, and who chose to sacrifice all for honour and
duty,—such a one your Excellency has placed beneath the criminal,
for the criminal is at least heard.

“That they have deceived your Excellency with regard to me, I
understand,—but that your Excellency did not catch the opportunity
to escape from this deceit, I do not understand. To-morrow your
Excellency goes from here, and I may not let you depart without
having said once more that I did my duty,—only my duty,—with
judgment, with calmness, with humanity, with moderation, and with
courage.

“The grounds on which is based the censure contained in your
Excellency’s missive of 23d March are entirely invented and false.
I can prove this, and it would have been proved already, if your
Excellency had granted me half-an-hour’s interview, if your
Excellency could have found half-an-hour to do justice.

“This you could not; and an honest family has been ruined.

“Yet I do not complain of this.

“But your Excellency has sanctified the system of abuse of power,
of plunder and murder, by which the poor Javanese suffer, and I
complain of that.

“That is what I complain of!

“Your Excellency, blood cleaves to the money saved out of the
Indian salary thus earned! Once more I beg for a moment’s
interview, be it this night, be it early to-morrow! And again I do
not ask this for myself, but for the cause which I defend, the
cause of justice and humanity, which is, at the same time, the
cause of good policy.

“If your Excellency can reconcile it with your conscience, to
depart from here without hearing me, mine will be quiet in the
persuasion that I have endeavoured all that I could to prevent the
sad bloody events, which will soon be the consequence of the
self-willed ignorance in which the Government is left as regards
the population....

(Signed) “Max Havelaar.”

Havelaar waited that evening. He waited the whole night. He had hoped that perhaps anger at the tone of his letter would bring about what he had tried in vain to obtain by moderation and patience.

His hope was vain. The Governor-General departed without having heard Havelaar....

Another Excellency had retired to the mother country to rest!

Havelaar wandered about poor and neglected. He sought * * * * * * *

Enough, my good Stern! I, Multatuli, take up the pen. You are not called upon to write Havelaar’s biography. I created you: I brought you over from Hamburg: I taught you good Dutch in a very short time: I made you kiss Louise Rosemeyer, of the Rosemeyers, who trade in sugar ... it is enough,——Stern! you may go.

“This Shawlman and his wife....”

Stop!! miserable spawn of dirty covetousness and blasphemous hypocrisy! I created you:——you have grown into a monster under my pen:——I am disgusted with my own creation ... choke yourself with coffee and begone!

Yes, I, Multatuli, “who have suffered much,”——I take the pen. I do not make any excuses for the form of my book,——that form was thought proper to obtain my object. That object has a double end——

In the first place, I would bring forward something which may be preserved as a holy poosaka by “little Max” and his sister, when their parents have died of sheer want.——I would give to these children a testimonial from my own hand.

And in the second place, I will be read! Yes, I will be read! I will be read by statesmen, who are obliged to pay attention to the signs of the times; by men of letters, who must also peep into the book of which so many bad things are said; by merchants, who have an interest in the coffee-auctions; by lady’s-maids, who read me for a few farthings; by Governors-General in retirement; by Ministers who have something to do; by the lackeys of these Excellencies; by mutes, who, “more majorum,” will say that I attack God Almighty, where I attack only the god which they made according to their own image; by the members of the Representative Chambers, who must know what happens in the extensive possessions over the sea, which belong to Holland....

Ay, I shall be read!

When I obtain this I shall be content. For I did not intend to write well.... I wished to write so as to be heard, and, as one who cries “Stop thief!” does not care about the style of his impromptu address to the public, I too am indifferent to criticism of the manner in which I cried my “Stop thief!”——

“The book is a medley; there is no order, nothing but a desire to make a sensation. The style is bad; the author is inexperienced; no talent, no method.”...

Good! good!... all very well!... but the Javanese are ill-treated!

For, the merit of my book is this:—that refutation of its main features is impossible. And the greater the disapprobation of my book, the better I shall be pleased, for the chance of being heard will be so much the greater;—and that is what I desire.

But you, whom I dare to interrupt in your business, or in your retirement, ye Ministers and Governors-General—do not calculate too much upon the inexperience of my pen. I could exercise it, and perhaps, by dint of some exertions, attain to that skill which would make the truth heard by the people. Then I should ask of that people a place in the Representative Chambers, were it only to protest against the certificates which are given vice versa by Indian functionaries.

To protest against the endless expeditions sent, and heroic deeds performed against poor, miserable creatures, whose ill-treatment has driven them to revolt.

To protest against the cowardice of general orders, that brand the honour of the nation, by invoking public charity on behalf of the victims of inveterate piracy.

It is true those rebels were reduced by starvation to skeletons, while those pirates could defend themselves.

And if that place were refused me, ... if I were still disbelieved....

Then I should translate my book into the few languages that I know, and the many that I yet can learn, to put that question to Europe, which I have in vain put to Holland.

And in every capital such a refrain as this would be heard: “There is a band of robbers between Germany and the Scheldt!”

And if this were of no avail?...

Then I should translate my book into Malay, Javanese, Soondanese, Alfoer, Boegi, and Battah.

And I should sharpen Klewangs, the scimitars and the sabres, by rousing with warlike songs the minds of those martyrs whom I have promised to help——I Multatuli would do this!

Yes! delivery and help, lawfully if possible;—lawfully with violence, if need be.

And that would be very pernicious to the coffee auctions of the Dutch Trading Company!

For I am no fly-rescuing poet, no soft dreamer, like the down-trodden Havelaar, who did his duty with the courage of a lion, and endured starvation with the patience of a marmot in winter.

This book is an introduction....

I shall increase in strength and sharpness of weapons, according as it may be necessary.

Heaven grant that it may not be necessary!...

No, it will not be necessary! For it is to thee I dedicate my book: William the Third, King, Grand Duke, Prince, ... more than Prince, Grand Duke and King, ... Emperor of the magnificent empire of Insulind, which winds about the equator like a garland of emeralds!...

I ask Thee if it be thine Imperial will that the Havelaars should be bespattered with the mud of Slymerings and Drystubbles; and that thy more than thirty millions of Subjects far away should be ill-treated and should suffer extortion in THY name?

NOTES

[1] Mr. Veth, the well-known learned Orientalist at Leyden, who made a special study of Indian matters, declared that Multatuli understated the truth, and quoted many authors, such as Mr. Vitalis and others, who had published accounts of scenes and facts much more shocking than he had depicted. Mr. Veth complimented Multatuli upon his moderation, saying that he displayed a mastership of art in not exhausting the subject.

[2] Hieronymus Van Alphen, author of Little Poems for Children, etc., was born in 1746, died in 1803.

[3] See the History of Holland.

[4] A club at the Zoological Gardens, whose motto is “Artis Natura magistra.”

[5] Kapelsteeg = Butterfly Lane.

[6] Steeg = Lane.

[7] See page 3.

[8] A club in Amsterdam.

[9] Five shillings.

[10] £30 to £40.

[11] £58 odds.

[12] “The Aglaja”—a Magazine for Ladies, published at Amsterdam.

[13] £18, 15s.

[14] “Gaafzuiger,” a very characteristic name: Gaaf = talent, gift of nature, endowment; zuiger = sucker.

[15] See page 1.

[16] See note, page 4.

[17] A Residency (province).

[18] Herman Willem Daendels was born at Hattem (province of Gelderland), October 21, 1762. His father was Burgomaster of Hattem. In 1787 he went to France, and in 1793 he took part in the expedition into Flanders under General Dumouriez. Afterwards he entered the service of the Dutch Republic, and in 1799 distinguished himself in the campaign against the Anglo-Russian army in North Holland. He tendered his resignation in 1801. In 1808 he was appointed Governor-General of the Dutch possessions in the East Indies. He was appointed Maréchal de l’Empire in 1807. From 1808–1811 he governed those colonies. In 1811 he was recalled by Napoleon I., who had incorporated Holland. He took part in the campaign of 1812 in Russia. In 1815 he was appointed Governor of the Dutch possessions on the coast of New Guinea, where he abolished the slave-trade, and died in 1818.

[19] “Radeen Adhipatti” is his title, and “Karta Natta Negara” his name.

[20] Titles of nobility.

[21] Castle, palace, etc.

[22] From £16,600 to £25,000.

[23] Rice-fields. The difference between sawahs, and gagahs, and tipars is in the mode of cultivation.

[24] Javanese village.

[25] Aloon-aloon—a square in front of a chief’s residence, ornamented with beautiful trees,—called waringi.

[26] Mantrie = upper servant—properly an overseer of the building department, and of agriculture.

[27] A piece of linen. The Javanese women draw figures on such Sarongs wherewith they express some thoughts or emotion.—Sarong, a sort of petticoat.

[28] A handkerchief tied round the head; a sort of turban. The Javanese never appears with uncovered head.

[29] Betel.

[30] Pinang, gambier,—different spices.

[31] A broad-brimmed straw hat, affording protection from rain and sun.

[32] The rainy season.

[33] This is, when rightly spelt: “Ga gaauw naar de groote gracht,” = Go quickly to the great Canal. “Grietje gooit geen gare groete graag weg,” = Gertrude does not like to throw away any cooked vegetables.

[34] Literally translated = convulsive motion.

[35] Dress.

[36] Melati = a beautiful and fragrant flower.

[37] Kondek = chignon.

[38] Payong = umbrella. A mark of distinction in the East,—a gold one being the highest.

[39] Sedan-chair (palanquin).

[40] Mosques.

[41] On Dutch maps of Java it is spelt “Parang-Koodjang.”

[42] On Dutch maps of Java, “Lampongs,” but on the English maps of Java, “Lampoons.”

[43] Plantain. In the West Indies they are called bananas. Pisang is the fruit of the pisang or banana-tree.

[44] The nickname in India for the child of a European and a native—an allusion to the protruding lips: liplap = raglip.

[45] Where ‘capital’ or ‘metropolis’ is used, it means the chief town of the district.

[46] The factotum of the Regent. Kliwon, Djaksa,—native officials.

[47] Willem, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the United Provinces, was obliged to leave his country in the year 1795, because of the revolution; he died at Fulda in 1806.

[48] Flowers.

[49] Titles—impossible to translate them into European languages.—Radeen or Radhen almost = the French Chevalier.

[50] Bantam-Kidool = South Bantam = Lebak.

[51] Paddy = rice in the field.

[52] Gamlang = musical instrument.

[53] Patjol = spade.

[54] Banjers = inundations.

[55] Kris = Indian weapon.

[56] Klewang = Indian weapon. “To wander in foreign countries with Kris, and Klewang, and gun,” means here, that those persons go into other Residencies, where rebels are in arms against the Government.

[57] Administrator of Justice.

[58] Governor of the Capital, or chief town.

[59] The Residence of the Governor-General near Batavia.

[60] Oeser-oeseran = as the hairs are on the head. It means the place where the hairs of an animal meet (also said of the hair of the head). It is rather difficult to explain this peculiar hair vertebra—the oeser-oeseran, a peculiar one—a peculiar whirl in the hair. The Djaksa saw such a peculiar meeting of hairs on the head of little Max, just as some people in Europe look at the lines on your right hand.

[61] One of the characters of a Dutch novel much in vogue some fifty years ago.

[62] “Dominé”—title of Dutch clergymen.

[63] Literally, “day of prayers.”

[64] Driebergen,—a village of country-seats; the summum bonum of a successful Amsterdam trader’s aspirations.

[65] Dominé Wawelaar and the Holy Willie of the Scottish poet Burns appear to have been brought up in the same school of theology.

[66] The opium trade is a monopoly of the Dutch Government!!

[67] Suite is an Amsterdamism, and means a front room divided from a back parlour by folding-doors: to possess such a “suite” is considered in Amsterdam as the ne plus ultra of respectability.

[68] “On song’s exulting pinion
I’ll bear thee, my sweetheart fair.”

[69] “Where Ganges holds his dominion,—
The sweetest of spots know I there.”

[70] “There a red blooming garden is lying
In the moonlight silent and clear;
The lotos-flowers are sighing
For their sister so pretty and dear.

“The violets prattle and titter,
And gaze on the stars high above;
The roses mysteriously twitter
Their fragrant stories of love.”

[71] “The gazelles so gentle (pious) and clever
Skip lightly in frolicsome mood;
And in the distance roars ever
The holy river’s loud flood.

“And there, while joyously sinking
Beneath the palm by the stream,
And love and repose while drinking,
Of blissful visions we’ll dream.”

—From Bowring’s Heine’s Poems. Lond. 1866.

[72] As Arles is renowned for its beautiful remains of Roman origin, the tower in question is probably also of Roman construction. True, the Saracens conquered this city in 730, yet soon afterwards they were beaten by Charles Martel, who took the city again. We are strengthened in our supposition by the communication of M. De Caumont, the celebrated French archæologist, that the Roman monuments are known by the French peasants of the different départements under the name of Sarrazin. Even M. Leroy de la Brière says that the workmen call the Roman coins pièces de Mahomet,—See Annales de la Société Française d’archéologie pour la description et la conservation des monuments, 1865 (Congrès Archéologique de France, XXXI. session à Fontenoy 1864) pag. 6 F.—Translator.

[73] Headsman’s axe.

[74] This appears to refer to the confident looks of the Carthaginians, who knew their own strength.

[75] Datoo = a petty chief in Sumatra.

[76] Natal in Sumatra—not to be confounded with Natal in Africa.

[77] Pirogue = piragua, a canoe formed of two trees united.

[78] Baleh-baleh = couch.

[79] Klamboo = curtains.

[80] Pajong = umbrella—distinctive of rank—a golden one being the highest.

[81] Three Dutch settlements on the west coast of North Sumatra. Singkel is the most northern of the Dutch possessions in that island, and is separated by a river of the same name from the still independent little states of Troomon and Analaboo. Still further north commences the Sultanat of Atchin. The whole coast from Ayer-Bangie to the northern point is known to sailors by name of Pepper Coast.

[82] Such a fore-gallery is open on three sides and supported by pillars. The reader will find a description of an Indian house infra, p. 231.

[83] Eigen Haard veel Waard = “One’s own hearth is worth much.” (There’s no place like home.) The lady’s name was Everdine Huberte van Wijnbergen.

[84] Johannes Henricus Van der Palm, a celebrated Dutch author and orator, born 1763, died 1840; best known by his Bible for children and his Bible translations.

[85] “Het wand’lend schorsbesluit, dat schorsend ons regeert,
Jan Schorsäl, Gouverneur, de weerwolf onzer dagen,
Had zijn geweten zelf met vreugd gesuspendeerd,—
Als ’t niet voor langen tijd finaal reeds ware ontslagen.”

[86] 1000 guilders = £83, 6s. 8d. The English reader will bear in mind that when ‘thousands’ are spoken of, guilders are referred to.

[87] This is a literal rendering of the word used by the author.

[88] Nos. 7 and 10, 10 and 13, 13 and 16, are connected by doors with each other; 9 and 12, 12 and 15, 15 and 18 are connected by doors with each other. Between 5 and 8 a door; between 17 and 20 a door; between 7 and 8, 10 and 11, 13 and 14, 16 and 17 doors; between 8 and 9, 11 and 12, 14 and 15, 17 and 18 doors.

[89] Independent petty princes.

[90] Allusion to Le Meunier de Sans-souci, by Andriena, in which he says of Frederick the Great of Prussia, “On respecte un moulin, on vole une province.”

[91] Literally: He who reigns—the highest title in Sumatra.

[92] The residence of the Governor-General.

[93] Mohammedan Priests.

[94] Toeankoe—title of rank only used in Sumatra.

[95] Sewah = Indian weapon.

[96] The French Ambassador.

[97] The General de Grammont was the proposer of this law. It was accepted in the Corps Législatif in the year 1850.

[98] “Tranquillity has remained tranquil,”—this is a literal rendering of the phrase used by many Residents.

[99] “Max Havelaar” has never been refuted. The laws and regulations are good. They even look so philanthropic on paper!

[100] The English reader will bear in mind that this was written subsequent to the great Indian mutiny of 1857.

[101] A sends more to B than B receives from A; B sends more to C than C receives from B, etc.

[102] The European and native functionaries are paid a certain percentage on products raised by the Dutch Government for the European marts. The Dutch government has its coffee-plantations, sugar-fields, etc. The European and native officials have to encourage labour in those government gardens, or fields, or plantations.

[103] Max Havelaar was published in 1860. Since 1860 the Dutch Chambers have done nothing, but declare themselves horror-struck.

[104] Tikar, a straw-mat.

[105] Klapper (Malay, Klappa)—cocoa-nut.

[106] Pukul ampat—literally, four o’clock; also, a flower which opens at four o’clock in the afternoon.

[107] Saoedien—the child’s guardian; pron. Sudin.

[108] A person in service of the Regent.

[109] The Dutch Government has its coffee-gardens. If a Regent encourages labour in those gardens, or better still, compels men and women to work for nothing in the government gardens,—these government gardens will produce much coffee, and the Regent receives a certain percentage, so much for every pical.

[110] Right Honourable is by no means a good translation of the Dutch “WelEdelGestrenge.” It is impossible to translate this into English, just as “Right Worshipful” could hardly be translated into Dutch without becoming ridiculous.

[111] Duymaer van Twist.

[112] He would BEGIN the campaign as the weakest, and yet at last be the strongest.

[113] This statement the author published in 1861 at Amsterdam. (Minnebrieven, by Multatuli.)

[114] Soondah or Sundah.

[115] Because usually the Governors-General have never before been in India. The late Governor-General, for instance, when he was appointed by the king, had never been in India, or connected in anything with Indian matters.

[116] Rice-field.

[117] Kris = a poniard.

[118] Poosaka = inheritance—such a poosaka is kept as a holy keepsake (family heirloom).

[119] Karbo = buffalo.

[120] Klamboo = curtain.

[121] Patjol = spade.

[122] Oeser-oeseran, see p. 143.

[123] Penghooloo = village priest.

[124] Ontong = gain, good luck.

[125] Galangan = a trench for irrigating the rice-fields.

[126] Allang-allang = Imperata cylindrica.

[127] Adinda had already learned to express thoughts on her tissue; she drew sad pictures on her tissue. (See page 77.)

[128] Run amuck.—A man who runs amuck kills everybody whom he meets, till he is at last killed himself like a mad dog.

[129] Mata-glap—literally = darkened eye—darkness, frenzy. This is the name one gives to the peculiar state wherein a Javanese is, when, because of jealousy, or oppression, he soon becomes so mad as to run amuck.

[130] A sort of cane.

[131] A sort of carriage.

[132] Sarong, see page 77.

[133] a is fastened to b, then it is a sarong. If it is open unfastened, then it is called a slendang.

[134] Djati = Quercus indicus, Indian Oak.

[135] Ketapan—An Indian tree.

[136] Melatti—A beautiful flower.

[137] See p. 83.

[138] Lalayang = kite,—a game wherein they try to cut each other’s cord. Often matches take place between different villages. This is a national game in Java, like cricket in England.

[139] Pagger,—an enclosure constructed of bamboo canes.

[140] Making salt. This means to do something against the law. Salt is a monopoly of the Government. The Javanese is obliged to buy from the magazines of the Government. Saïdjah in his simplicity is saying something—which the police ought not to hear!

[141] Klappa = cocoa-nut.

[142] Dessah = Javanese village.

[143] Soondanese.

[144] Le Juif Errant.

[145] 64 guilders.

[146] The Javanese is never without his poniard; it belongs to his dress.

[147] Kahin = a piece of linen.

[148] Ikat-pendieng—pendieng is a girdle of small plates of silver or gold, and ikat-pendieng—the clasp of it (agrafe).

[149] Baadjoe = clothes.

[150] A superstition of the Javanese.

[151] Indian dress.

[152] An implement used by farmers in cutting grass and wood.

[153] Evil spirit.

[154] Kenari, a beautiful tree. The kenari produces a nut, of which very good oil is made.

[155] Waringi, one of the most beautiful trees in Java.

[156] Bojajas = crocodiles. “To bring a sacrifice to the crocodiles.” Such sacrifices are much in vogue. Some fruits and some pastry, or a few hen’s eggs, are placed on a saucer of bamboo, one or more burning wax-lights are added, all this is placed on the river, and the floating down of many such sacrifices is a beautiful sight.

[157] Baleh-baleh = couch.

[158] Enclosure.

[159] Read the address of the Lieutenant-General Van Swieten to his soldiers. See Ideen (Ideas) of Multatuli, first bundle, and the speech of Mr. Douwes Dekker in the Annales of the International Congress for the Promotion of Social Science (Amsterdam, 1864).

[160 “But God in high displeasure turned away,
And honoured not the offerings of that day.”

[161] Poondootan is the obtaining of provisions and goods under the pretext of Government service. In the journeys of important personages invited by the Regent or district chiefs, all necessaries are supplied by the population, and that as often as required.

[162] Followers and serving-people summoned to increase the pomp, and attend upon the chief or other personage.

[163] Long Leiden Cross-street.

[164] In the original MS, the author wrote: “I know his successor, I know what I may expect of him.” This was changed against the will and without the knowledge of the author. We give this note with the authorization of the author.

[165] Literally—“For the manner in which I served.”