These matchans often kill many people near Bantam; and often the
king and all the people go out to hunt them, sometimes even in the
night. This matchan was in a great cage of wood, placed on the trucks
of old gun carriages, and being drawn by buffaloes, seemed like a
traitor drawn on a hurdle.[131] There were several other curious
articles in this shew, with many maskers, vaulters, and tumblers,
strangely and savagely attired. Last of all came the youngest son of the
king of Jackatra, riding in a chariot drawn by buffaloes, which had to
me an unseemly appearance. They have indeed few horses in this island,
which are mostly small nags, none of which I ever saw draw; being only
used for riding and running tilt, after the Barbary fashion, which
exercise they ordinarily use every Saturday towards evening, except in
their time of Lent or ramadan.
[Footnote 131: This matchan of Java is obviously the tiger. - E.]
The second day after this shew, the king was carried on his pageant to
the mosque, where he was circumcised; his pageant being carried aloft by
many men, four hundred, as the king's nurse told me, but I think she
lied, as in my opinion so many could not stand under it.
* * * * *
Sec. 6. Account of Quarrels between the English and Dutch at Bantam, and
other Occurrences.
