Page:Life in Java Volume 1.djvu/214

196 horses themselves, the rees-wagen would not stir. Several men, seeing our difficulty, came in a short time from the neighbouring fields and huts to render us assistance. Putting their shoulders to the wheels, they eased the horses of the weight that dragged them back, and thus facilitated our progress. When they had helped the carriage up the crest of a steep hill, I felt for my purse to reward them; but Drahman, seeing my intention, begged me by no means to offer any recompense, as the Dutch, he said, never did so, and it would, therefore, only be a bad precedent. The land which they cultivated was given to them by Government, with the express understanding that they should gratuitously help all travellers in difficulties, a service for which they were exempted from the usual tax of one-tenth of their produce.

Close to Klaka our horses stopped again, and we once more owed our progress to the assistance of