Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/474

 430 DUTCH HISTORY of conflagration, and nothing was to be seen throughout but fire, murder, and rapine, victims, and executioners. It was not until the twenty-se- cond of the same month that an armistice was jprx>« claimed. Those massacred in the town of Batavia alone, on this occasion, are reckoned, by the Dutch themselves, not to have fallen short of ten thou- sand. The effects of this abominable act of ty- ranny were felt from one extremity of Java to the other. The Chinese who escaped the slaughter marched to the east, leagued with the Susunari, not less willing than themselves to be rid of the common oppressor, and a series of revolts, wars, or rebellions, was the consequence, which conti- nued, for a period of fifteen years, to desolate the fairest portions of the island, and to- exhaust its resources. It would be superfluous here to dwell upon these transactions, which are narrated at sufficient length in the native history of Java. From the termination of these contests, to the year 1810, has been a period of almost profound peace in the Dutch annals of Java. From the mere negative advantages of tranquillity, — though with the privation of foreign commerce, — with the existence of injudicious and harassing monopolies, — and, in other matters, with a system of internal po- mice," is the homely, but strong expression of the Javanese annalist.