Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/311

 IN THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 267 dian islanders, commonly speaking, are very rigid. The lower orders know little, and care less, about these matters. * Such is the ignorance or careless- ness of some of them in Java, of which I can per- sonally speak, that they do not even know the name of the Prophet whose religion they profess to follow. Once when presiding in the Resident's court at Samarang, a peasant was about to give evidence on oath, when I directed him to be in- terrogated on the nature and obligations of the oath he was about to take. It came out that he had never heard the name of Mahomed, and. is their Sabbath, but I did never sec any dift'cu'cnce that they make between this day and any other day, cnly the Sultan himself goes then to the mosque twice. Laja Laut never goes to the mosque, but prays at certain hours, eight or ten times in a day; wherever he is, he is very punctual to his canonical hours, and if he be on board, will go ashore on purpose to pray, for no business or company hinders him from this duty. Whether he is at home, or abroad, — in the house, or in a field, he leaves all his company, and goes about 100 yards off, and then kneels down to his devotion. He first kisses the ground, then prays aloud, and divers times in his prayers he kisses the ground, and does the same .when he leaves oif. His servants and xjoives and his children talk and sing, or play hoto they, please all the timej but himsell'is very serious. The meaner sort of people have little devotion ; I did never see any of them at their prayers, or go into a mosque,** — Dampier's Voyages, Vol. I. p. 338.
 * " The religion of these people is Mahomcflanism, Friday