Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/595

 JAVA 575 dure overspreads nearly the whole land. The chief variety in the vegetation is caused by dif- ferences of elevation. On the low coast are found cocoanut palms, bananas, aroidea, ama- ranthacea, poisonous euphorbiacea, and legu- minous plants. At the height of 1,000 ft. ferns preponderate and magnificent forests of slender bamboos grow spontaneously. At a greater height are forests of fig trees, with tall trunks, spreading branches, and thick foliage ; and the ferns here increase in number and size, and often grow to the height of several feet. Above the region of fig trees is that of oaks and laurels, with abundant melastomas and orchidaceous plants. At the height of 6,000 ft. the tropical character of the vegetation disappears, and is succeeded by rubiacecs, heaths, conifers, and a vegetation closely allied to that of the temperate zone. Cryptogamous plants are extensively multiplied ; mushrooms are abundant, and moss- es and lichens cover the ground. The animal life of Java is as varied and abundant as its vege- tation. Among the 100 species of mammalia enumerated as inhabiting the island are nine species of quadruinana, the Bengal tiger, leop- ards, a peculiar species of rhinoceros (B. Son- daicus), the wild ox (bos Sondaiciii), the wild hog, several species of deer, and 22 species of bats. Among the domestic animals are the ox, the buffalo, the horse, the goat, and a few sheep. Of birds there are known to be upward of 170 distinct species, among which are the peacock, the green jungle cock, partridges, quail, and many species of pigeons and herons. There are but two species of Javan parrots. Birds of prey are numerous, including falcons, owls, and carrion crows. Serpents are frequently met with, and more than 20 species are re- garded as venomous. Other reptiles of com- mon occurrence are crocodiles, lizards, the green frog, the toad, and the land tortoise. Sea turtles are found in the waters adjacent to the island. Fish are plentiful along the coast, but those of the rivers are of inferior quality as food. Though in reality Java is wholly possessed by the Dutch, two native kingdoms, comprising together not more than -fa of the island, have been suffered to retain a nominal existence, under the control of the Dutch offi- cials. These are the dominions of the senaan or emperor of Surakerta, and the sultan of Jokjokerta. The rest of the island, with Ma- dura, is divided into 23 provinces, called resi- dencies. ,The principal cities are Batavia, the capital, Bantam, Buitenzorg, Cheribon, Sanaa- rang, Surabaya, Surakerta, and Jokjokerta. The native population of Java comprises two distinct nations, the Sundese and the Javanese. The Sundese occupy the western end of the island, and are greatly inferior in number to the Javanese, as well as less advanced in civili- zation. They speak a distinct language, the Sundese, while nine tenths of the entire na- tive population speak Javanese. Both classes are of the Malayan race. They are generally about two inches shorter than the men of the 450 VOL. ix. 37 Mongolian and Caucasian races, with round faces, wide mouths, high cheek bones, short and small noses, and small, black, deep-seated eyes. The complexion is brown wifli a shade of yellow, and is never black. The hair of the head is thick, black, lank, and harsh, and is either scanty or altogether wanting on other parts of the body. A few short, straggling hairs compose the beard. The natives are not active, and make but poor runners or wrestlers. They are described as peaceable, docile, so- ber, simple, industrious, straightforward, and truthful. Java is one of the most densely peo-. pled countries of the world, the population, inclusive of Madura, amounting, according to a census taken at the end of 1872, to 17,298,- 200, being 337 persons to the square mile. Of these, 28,926 were Europeans, 185,758 Chinese, and 22,032 Arabs and other foreign orientals. The Javanese are almost entirely occupied in agriculture. There is a small class of fishermen on the N. coast, and a few artisans in the towns, but the great bulk of the people live directly or indirectly by the cultivation of the land, in which they have made greater pro- gress than any other Asiatic nation except the Chinese and Japanese. The chief cereal is rice, of which with the aid of irrigation, in- dustriously and almost universally applied, two crops are raised in a year. Java is one of the principal coffee-growing countries of the world. The coffee plantations are situated at an eleva- tion of 2,000 ft. and upward, and are conduct- ed under the supervision of the colonial gov- ernment. The cultivation of sugar is next in importance ; indigo, cotton, pepper, tea, and tobacco are also raised. The mechanic arts among the Javanese are not so far advanced as their agriculture. About 30 crafts are prac- tised among them, of which the principal are those of the blacksmith or cutler, the carpen- ter, the sheath maker, the coppersmith, the goldsmith, and the potter. Bricks and tiles are largely made. The carpenters are skilful in house and boat building. They make boats of all sizes, from fishing canoes up to vessels of 50 tons, and under European superinten- dence build large ships. The ordinary dwellings of the people are built of a rough frame of timber, thatched with grass or palm leaves, and with walls and partitions of split bamboo. The Javanese excel all other nations of the Indian archipelago in the working of metals. They are especially skilful in the manufacture of the national weapon, the kris or dagger, which is worn by every man and boy above 14 years as part of his ordinary costume, and by many ladies of high rank. They make also ex- cellent gongs of brass, and these with other musical instruments of the same metal have long been exported to the neighboring countries. The only native textile material woven by the Javanese is cotton, of which they make a stout durable calico, and this is purely a domes- tic manufacture, carried on exclusively by the women. From raw silk imported from China,