This Is A Dutch
Institution In This Part Of The World, And Seems To Work Well.
It
is a great boon to traders, who can do nothing in these thinly-
populated regions without trusting goods to agents and petty
dealers, who frequently squander them away in gambling and
debauchery.
The lower classes are almost all in a chronic state
of debt. The merchant trusts them again and again, till the
amount is something serious, when he brings them to court and has
their services allotted to him for its liquidation. The debtors
seem to think this no disgrace, but rather enjoy their freedom
from responsibility, and the dignity of their position under a
wealthy and well-known merchant. They trade a little on their own
account, and both parties seem to get on very well together. The
plan seems a more sensible one than that which we adopt, of
effectually preventing a man from earning anything towards paying
his debts by shutting him up in a jail.
My own servants were three in number. Ali, the Malay boy whom I
had picked up in Borneo, was my head man. He had already been
with me a year, could turn his hand to anything, and was quite
attentive and trustworthy. He was a good shot, and fond of
shooting, and I had taught him to skin birds very well. The
second, named Baderoon, was a Macassar lad; also a pretty good
boy, but a desperate gambler. Under pretence of buying a house
for his mother, and clothes, for himself, he had received four
months' wages about a week before we sailed, and in a day or two
gambled away every dollar of it. He had come on board with no
clothes, no betel, or tobacco, or salt fish, all which necessary
articles I was obliged to send Ali to buy for him. These two lads
were about sixteen, I should suppose; the third was younger, a
sharp little rascal named Baso, who had been with me a month or
two, and had learnt to cook tolerably. He was to fulfil the
important office of cook and housekeeper, for I could not get any
regular servants to go to such a terribly remote country; one
might as well ask a chef de cuisine to go to Patagonia.
On the fifth day that I had spent on board (Dec. 15th) the rain
ceased, and final preparations were made for starting. Sails were
dried and furled, boats were constantly coming and going, and
stores for the voyage, fruit, vegetables, fish, and palm sugar,
were taken on board. In the afternoon two women arrived with a
large party of friends and relations, and at parting there was a
general noserubbing (the Malay kiss), and some tears shed. These
were promising symptoms for our getting off the next day; and
accordingly, at three in the morning, the owner came on board,
the anchor was immediately weighed, and by four we set sail. Just
as we were fairly off and clear of the other praus, the old
juragan repeated some prayers, all around responding with "Allah
il Allah," and a few strokes on a gong as an accompaniment,
concluding with all wishing each other "Salaamat jalan," a safe
and happy journey.
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