286 THE KING OF JAPARA book iii
away,
after which I filled a canteen of six bottles, and sent them as a
present to the General, knowing well that it would be the first he had
to drink that year, and with the rest I regaled my friends.
I
had designed, as I have said, to spend at Batavia the three months
which remained till the departure of the vessels for Christendom, but
the life led in that place being one of idleness is tiresome, and as I
had no other amusement than gambling and drinking, I resolved to employ
a part of the time in going to see the King of Japara,1 who
is otherwise called the Emperor of Java. He was formerly King of all
the island, before the King of Bantam, who was only governor of a
province, rebelled against him, the Dutch being maintained in this
country by the division of these two powers. For whenever the King of
Japara .wished to besiege Batavia, the King of Bantam immediately aided
the Dutch and when they have been attacked by the King of Bantam, which
has happened many times, the King of Japara has come to their aid. In
the same way, when these two Kings make war upon one another, the Dutch
assist whichever of them is the weaker.
The
King of Japara resides in a town of that name, about 30 leagues
distance from Batavia, and accessible only by sea along the coast,
though nearly 8 leagues inland. From the town you pass down a fine
river to the sea, where there is a good port and finer houses than
those in the town. The King would prefer to make his ordinary residence
at the port, but thinks he would not be safe there.
On
the eve of the day I had intended to start, I went to take leave of one
of the Councillors of India, and mentioning to him that I was going to
the King of Japara, he was much astonished, because the King and the
Dutch were then mortal enemies. He explained the matter to me in this
way. The
1
Japar in the original. Japara is the name of a province of Java,
comprehending Juwana, situated in the country of the proper Javanese.
Its area is 672 square miles, and the population amounts to 671 per
square mile, it being the most thickly inhabited region of Java.
(Craw-furd, Dictionary, 165; Milburn, Oriental Commerce, ii. 364 ; Ency. Brit., xv. 290.)
