Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/283

 EUROPEAN NATIONS. 267 tra, Palembang, a colony of the Javanese of the in- terior of Java^ with Baiijarmassin, a colony of the same people. The effects of the influence of Asiatic strangers, more civilized than the natives, is exemplified wherever the Arabs, the most enterprising of all Asiatic people, have attained political influence. The remarkable prosperity of Bantam, Achin, Macassar, and Pontianak, occur to us as signal examples. To insure a large share of success in such cases, it seems that no more was necessary than the bare establishment of such a degree of regular government, however arbitrary in itself, as would insure a moderate share of security to person and property. If such prosperity accompanied the rude institu- tions of Asiatic nations, what a degree of it might not be looked for under the auspices of those of Europe ? From the nature of the policy pursued by the European nations, we are deprived, in- deed, of any flattering examples of it j but the partial success which has attended several Eu- ropean establishments, amidst all the vices of their administration, will be sufficient for our purpose. Malacca, where the Portuguese traded freely, and colonized without restriction, was pro- bably, during their dominion, though surrounded by enemies and the almost perpetual scene of warfare and anarchy, the most flourishing city which ever existed in the Archipelago, liatavia, the only set-