ACCOUNT OF JAVA AND BATAVIA. 1 83

meets him, and happens to be in a carriage, mult flop, and ftep out of it, till he hasrode by*.

A company of dragoons always mount guard at Weltevreeden. He has befides fomehalberdiers, who are employed in carrying meffages and commands, and who alwaysare attendant on the governor’s perfon, wherever he goes. They are dreffed in Ihortcoats of fcarlet cloth, richly laced with gold, and follow in rank upon the junior en-fign in the Company’s fervice.

When his excellency enters the church, all perfons, both men and women, thecounfellors of India not excepted, Hand up, in token of refpe&f. His lady receivesthe fame honours, and is equally efcorted by a party of horfe-guards, when fhe ridesout.

The governor-general, who was in office at that time, was Mr. Peter Albert Van derParra, a native of Colombo, the chief fettlement of the Dutch in Ceylon . He was aman inimical to all pomp, and in this refpect very different from mod of his predeceffors.He was remarkably temperate, generally drinking pure water, and feldom taking anywine or beer. He was commonly occupied the whole day ; and when he did notaflift at the council-table, he was clofeted with his fecretary and clerks.

The diredtor-general, who is the eldeft counfellor of India , is the next in rank. Thedire£tion and controul over the trade of the Company, throughout all India and to Eu-rope , together with every thing that relates to it, is exclufively entrufted to him. Thegovernor-general does not in the lead meddle in thefe matters, if the director have butthe needful ability.

Next in order follow the ordinary and extraordinary counfellors of India . Thofewho refide at Batavia are alfo ufually prefidents of different boards or courts. Everycounfellor of India has likewife the correfpondence with one of the out-factories allottedto him ; the general hinffelf has that of one or two fettlements, and no one is excufed,in this refpeft, but the director, on account of his multifarious other avocations.

Although every member of the council lies under this obligation, there are but fewof them who take the trouble of the charge upon themfelves ; moll of them caufe itto be effected by perfons of a lower rank; and the belt inftitutions are thus pervertedby felfiffinefs and doth.

When a counfellor of India , or his lady, enters a church, all the men ftand up, inthe fame manner as for the governor general, but the women remain fitting.. On

* This humiliating homage, as well as that paid to the Edele heeren, or counfellors of India , a3 will beprefently noticed, are equally required from foreigners. Thefe ceremonies are generally complied with°y the captains of Indiamen, and other trading fhips; “ but,” fays Captain Carteret, who was at Ba-tavia, in 1768, “ having the honour to bear His Majefty’s commiffion, I did not think myfelf at liberty topay to a Dutch governor any homage which is not paid to my own Sovereign : it is, however, conllantlyRequired of the King’s officers; and two or three days after my arrival, the landlord of the hotel where-t lodged told me, he had been ordered by the ffiebandar to let me know that my carriage, as well as others,Bjuft ftop if I fhould meet the governor, or any of the council; but I defired him to acquaint the ffiebandarthat I could not confent to perform any fuch ceremony ; and upon his intimating fomething about the“«ck men with fticks, who precede the approach of thefe great men, I told him that if any infult ffiould.offered me > I knew how to defend myfelf, and would take care to he upon my guard ; at the fame time,pointing to my piflols, which happened to lie upon the table: upon this he went away and about threeouis afterwards returned, and told me he had orders from the governor to acquaint me that I might0 as I pleafed.” Since that time, the Engliffi officers have never been required to comply with this,egrading cuftom; yet when they have been in an hired carriage, nptbing has deterred the coachmantom flopping and alighting in honour of the. Dutch grandee, but the moll peremptory menace of imme-utate death. Tr.

• t Vhis etiquette was abolifhed upon the acceffion of R. de Klerk to the government in 1777, as appears.ln the fequel. Tr.

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