Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 69

Indonesia 1st Edition Michelle Denton

Visit to download the full and correct content document:


https://ebookmeta.com/product/indonesia-1st-edition-michelle-denton/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...

Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms


1st Edition Michelle Denton

https://ebookmeta.com/product/genetic-engineering-and-
genetically-modified-organisms-1st-edition-michelle-denton/

MidKnight 1st Edition Ann Denton

https://ebookmeta.com/product/midknight-1st-edition-ann-denton/

Knightfall 1st Edition Ann Denton

https://ebookmeta.com/product/knightfall-1st-edition-ann-denton/

Defiled 1st Edition Ann Denton

https://ebookmeta.com/product/defiled-1st-edition-ann-denton/
Homebodies 1st Edition Tembe Denton Hurst

https://ebookmeta.com/product/homebodies-1st-edition-tembe-
denton-hurst/

Knight s End 1st Edition Ann Denton

https://ebookmeta.com/product/knight-s-end-1st-edition-ann-
denton/

The Fortunate Ones FTO 1 1st Edition Christine Michelle


Michelle Christine

https://ebookmeta.com/product/the-fortunate-ones-fto-1-1st-
edition-christine-michelle-michelle-christine/

The Miracle of the Cell Denton Michael

https://ebookmeta.com/product/the-miracle-of-the-cell-denton-
michael/

Snapdragon 1st Edition Michelle Woody

https://ebookmeta.com/product/snapdragon-1st-edition-michelle-
woody/
Published in 2022 by Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC
29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010
Copyright © 2022 by Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC

Cultures of the World ® is a registered trademark of Times Publishing Limited.

Fourth Edition

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or


transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise— without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
Request for permission should be addressed to Permissions, Cavendish Square
Publishing, 29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010. Tel (877) 980-4450; fax
(877) 980-4454.

Website: cavendishsq.com

This publication represents the opinions and views of the author based on his or
her personal experience, knowledge, and research. The information in this book
serves as a general guide only. The author and publisher have used their best
efforts in preparing this book and disclaim liability rising directly or indirectly from
the use and application of this book.

All websites were available and accurate when this book was sent to press.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Mirpuri, Gouri, 1960- author. | Denton, Michelle, author. | Cooper, Robert,
1945 August 2- author. | Spilling. Michael, author.

Title: Indonesia / Michelle Denton, Gouri Mirpuri, Robert Cooper, Michael Spilling.

Description: Fourth edition. | New York : Cavendish Square Publishing,

[2022] | Series: Cultures of the world | Includes bibliographical references and


index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021055102 | ISBN 9781502666185 (library binding) | ISBN


9781502666192 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Indonesia--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC DS615 .M54 2022 | DDC 959.8--dc23/eng/20211214


LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021055102

Writers: Gouri Mirpuri; Robert Cooper; Michael Spilling; Michelle Denton, fourth
edition Editor, fourth edition: Michelle Denton Designer, fourth edition: Jessica
Nevins

PICTURE CREDITS

The photographs in this book are used with the permission of: Cover (top)
anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock.com; Cover (bottom left), p. 32 Creativa
Images/Shutterstock.com; Cover (bottom right) R.M. Nunes/Shutterstock.com; p.
6 Andreas H/Shutterstock.com; p. 7 AMRUL AZUAR MOKHTAR/Shutterstock.com;
p. 8 Zoe Mongey/Shutterstock.com; p. 10 RethaAretha/Shutterstock.com; p. 12
Gail Palethorpe/Shutterstock.com; p. 13 Anna Kucherova/Shutterstock.com; p. 14
New Media and Films/Shutterstock.com; p. 16 Anna ART/ Shutterstock.com; pp.
18, 46 Edmund Lowe Photography/Shutterstock.com; p. 20 Peter Maas/Wikimedia
Commons/ File:Pithecanthropus erectus-PeterMaas Naturalis.jpg/ CC BY-SA 3.0;
pp. 21, 83 Adel Newman/Shutterstock.com; p. 23 I Ketut Tamba
Budiarsana/Shutterstock.com; pp. 26, 72 Toto Santiko Budi/Shutterstock.com; p.
28 Stephen Kennedy from atlanta, usa/Wikimedia Commons/ File:The tsunami left
this boat.jpg/ CC BY 2.0; p. 30 rima mariana oentoe/Shutterstock.com; p. 34 Iqbal
Akfa/Shutterstock.com; pp. 36, 70 Pieyu Art/Shutterstock.com; p. 38
vicfen/Shutterstock.com; p. 40 Pykodelbi/Shutterstock.com; p. 41 Rich
Carey/Shutterstock.com; p. 42 soft_light/Shutterstock.com; p. 44
Brunohitam/ Shutterstock.com; p. 48 KYTan/Shutterstock.com; p. 50 hilmawan
nurhatmadi/Shutterstock.com; p. 51 Boule/Shutterstock.com; p. 52
Toa55/Shutterstock.com; p. 54 Endro Tri Cahyo/ Shutterstock.com; p. 56
AsiaTravel/Shutterstock.com; p. 58 tri adinugroho/Shutterstock.com; p. 60
Narsiskus Tedy/Shutterstock.com; p. 61 Maulana Image/Shutterstock.com; p.
63 Stografi/Shutterstock.com; p. 64 Yoharsi/Shutterstock.com; p. 65 dani
daniar/Shutterstock.com; pp. 66, 81, 92 Odua Images/Shutterstock.com; p. 68
Munif Rifai/Shutterstock.com; p. 73 Mila Supinskaya
Glashchenko/Shutterstock.com; p. 74 Sony Herdiana/Shutterstock.com; p. 76
antoni halim/Shutterstock.com; p. 77 Anna_plucinska/Shutterstock.com; p. 78
Guitar photographer/Shutterstock.com; p. 82 Oqbas/Shutterstock.com; p. 84
Fakhri Anindita/Shutterstock.com; p. 86 Pande Putu Hadi
Wiguna/Shutterstock.com; p. 88 Yavuz Sariyildiz/Shutterstock.com; p. 90 Nugroho
Imam/Shutterstock.com; p. 94 kravka/Shutterstock.com; p. 96
Ibenk_88/Shutterstock.com; p. 97 Ega purnama/Shutterstock.com; p. 99 Jaya Tri
Hartono/Shutterstock.com; p. 101 raditya/Shutterstock.com; p. 103 Aleksandar
Todorovic/Shutterstock.com; p. 104 Ministry of Education (Kempen)/Wikimedia
Commons/ File:Pramudya Ananta Tur Kesusastraan Modern Indonesia p226.jpg; p.
105 Wuninggar/Shutterstock.com; p. 106 noer cungkring/Shutterstock.com; p. 108
Jon Voni/
Shutterstock.com; p. 109 EYJAN/Shutterstock.com; p. 110
andigultom/Shutterstock.com; p. 112 Hengky Pagipho/Shutterstock.com; p. 114
tofikrozaq/Shutterstock.com; p. 116 Daniel_Ferryanto/Shutterstock.com; p. 117
Mohammadridwan/Shutterstock.com; p. 118 flocu/Shutterstock.com; p. 120 Gatot
Adri/Shutterstock.com; p. 122 Denis Moskvinov/ Shutterstock.com; p. 123
jamaludinyusuppp/Shutterstock.com; p. 124 Safronkin Vasilii/Shutterstock.com; p.
125 Leagam/Shutterstock.com; p. 126 Joko P/Shutterstock.com; p. 128 Andy
Yang98/Shutterstock.com; p. 130 Kravtzov/Shutterstock.com; p. 131 Gina
Pamungkas/Shutterstock.com.

Some of the images in this book illustrate individuals who are models. The
depictions do not imply actual situations or events.

CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CSCSQ23: For further information contact


Cavendish Square Publishing LLC, New York, New York, at 1-877-980-4450.

Printed in the United States of America


WELCOME TO INDONESIA

1. GEOGRAPHY

Volcanic isles • A rainy climate • Animal life • Plant life

2. HISTORY

Early migrations • Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms • Importing Islam • Europeans


arrive • Indonesian heroes • Japanese occupation during World War II • The New
Order • After Suharto

3. GOVERNMENT

Branches of government • Regional government • Systematic cooperation • The


Five Principles

4. ECONOMY

Minerals and energy • Industry • Agriculture • Tourism • Fishing and forestry

5. ENVIRONMENT

Deforestation and fire • The price of industry • Wildfires • Making changes

6. INDONESIA

Growing population, limited land • Ethnic diversity

7. LIFESTYLE

Social ties • Javanese influence • Cultural quirks • Selamatan celebration •


Pregnancy and birth • Growing up • Getting married • Funerary traditions

8. RELIGION

Religious areas • Muslims • Hindus • Buddhists • Christians • Animists


9. LANGUAGE

Indonesian • Javanese • Movements and gestures

10. ARTS

Playing music • Dancing • Theater and puppets • Arts and handicrafts • A man of
letters

11. LEISURE

Weekends in the city • Traditional sports and games • Modern sports and games

12. FESTIVALS

Islamic celebrations • Hindu celebrations • Buddhist celebrations • Christian


celebrations • Other celebrations

13. FOOD

Popular foods • Sweet drinks • Plentiful fruit • Eating customs • Cookware •


Regional preferences and taboos • Dining out

MAP OF INDONESIA

ABOUT THE ECONOMY

ABOUT THE CULTURE

TIMELINE

GLOSSARY

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX
W ith its many different landscapes and cultures, Indonesia is
truly one of the most diverse countries in the world. Made up of
more than 17,000 islands that sprawl along the equator from the
Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, modern Indonesia is a human
mosaic of colorful complexity, with around 1,300 different ethnic
groups speaking up to 700 distinct languages and dialects. Situated
on the key trade route between India and China, the world’s largest
archipelagic state straddles a massive area between Asia and
Australia and consequently reflects influences from the great
civilizations of Asia. With a population of around 275 million people,
Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country and is home
to the world’s largest Muslim population. Although Islam is the
dominant religion, Indonesia is not an Islamic country, and people
practice a wide range of religions, including Christianity, Buddhism,
and Hinduism.

Indonesia’s diversity does not just apply to its people, but also to
its physical environment. The archipelago is home to 40,000
species of plants and more than 600 animal species, as well
as 34,000 miles (54,719 kilometers) of coastline and numerous
volcanoes, 120 of which are known to be active today. Many
visitors are awed by the spectacular natural landscapes, including
popular sites such as the lake and volcano at Mount Bromo, the
paddy fields of Bali, the dive sites of Lombok and Maluku, and the
incredible range of wildlife found throughout the Nusa Tenggara
islands.

Indonesians are friendly and helpful people who are keen to


engage with the world beyond their borders. Urban Indonesians
live much like their counterparts elsewhere, working and spending
their leisure time with their friends and family. They might visit
the movie theater, shop at the mall, or go to a night market to eat.
People enjoy both the deliciously spicy local food and Western-style
fast food. Indonesian cities are crowded, and the streets are
often narrow, with heavy traffic jams being commonplace in cities
such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya. Although cars are
common in all urban areas, people often travel by more convenient
forms of public transportation, including the ojek (motorbike taxi),
buses, taxis, and becak, or three-wheeled rickshaws.

Jakarta is located on the island of Java.


Unfortunately, there are massive differences in the lives of the
rich and the poor. Neighborhoods of large houses staffed by many
servants are often just a short drive away from urban slums,
where the poor and homeless scrape together a living. It is not
unusual to find people begging at street junctions in any
of Indonesia’s cities. Many rural areas do not have running water or
electricity, and people often drill wells and pump the water into
their own storage tanks for household use. The drainage system is
also unreliable, and heavy rains often bring flooding in many towns
and cities. However, despite these problems, Indonesians typically
avoid complaining. A common pastime in rural areas is watching
complex shadow puppet shows, which bring communities together
for a night of fun and socializing.

Although Indonesians tend to be upbeat, poverty is a serious problem throughout the country.

Although religious and ethnic tensions have risen to the surface


at times, Indonesians live in relative harmony and have developed
a distinct Indonesian identity since becoming an
independent republic in 1949. With its multiparty system and free
elections, modern Indonesia is a much more politically mature and
tolerant place than it was during what is known as the Suharto era
of the 1960s to the 1990s, when authoritarian, one-party rule held
sway. Today, Indonesia has become a prime example of how a
modernizing country can embrace democracy and celebrate its
diversity.

With this maturity and tolerance comes a more global viewpoint,


and global citizenship has become increasingly important to young
Indonesians as they work to make our world fairer,
more sustainable, and more peaceful.
S tretching over 3,200 miles (5,150 km) between the Indian and
Pacific Oceans, Indonesia is a nation of 17,508 islands. Altogether,
its total land area is 699,450 square miles (1,811,569 sq km),
making it the 16th-largest country in the world.

Only around 6,000 of Indonesia’s islands are inhabited. They vary


in size from rocky outcrops to larger islands, but many are so small
that they do not even have a name. Indonesia’s five main islands
are Java, home to the city of Jakarta; Sumatra, known in the
West for its coffee; Kalimantan, the southern part of the world’s
third-largest island, Borneo; Sulawesi, part of the Greater Sunda
Islands; and West Papua, the western portion of the world’s
second-largest island, New Guinea.

VOLCANIC ISLES

Indonesia is located at the intersection of four tectonic plates—the


continental Eurasian and Indo-Australian Plates, and the oceanic
Philippine Sea and Pacific Plates. Because of this position,
the archipelago forms a mountainous spine of hundreds of
volcanoes, of which at least 120 are still active. It is considered
one of the most volatile areas on Earth. Most of Indonesia’s
volcanoes are part of the Sunda Arc, which is a 3,480-mile-
long (5,600 km) line of volcanoes extending from northern Sumatra
to the Banda Sea. Most of these volcanoes are the result of the
Indo-Australian Plate slipping beneath the Eurasian Plate, in a
process called subduction.

This area is a small part of the “Ring of Fire.” Here, along the
outline of the Pacific Ocean, more than 450 volcanoes account for
75 percent of all active volcanoes on Earth. The Pacific Plate’s
movement also produces around 90 percent of all earthquakes.
Indonesia experiences about three tremors a day and at least one
volcanic eruption a year. The country is also vulnerable to
tsunamis, as earthquakes in the sea create huge, unstoppable
waves.

The ash and debris regularly spewed out by the volcanoes are
washed down and deposited in the plains. This whitish ash deposit
is so rich in minerals that it has produced some of the most fertile
soils in the world. It has been said that one can push a stick in the
ground in Indonesia and it will sprout leaves! Three rice crops can
be produced in a year without the use of fertilizers, providing the
staple food for one of the most populous countries in the world.
Anak Krakatoa, shown here, is only one of the many active volcanoes that make up Indonesia.

OUT WITH A BANG

On August 26 and 27, 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted in one
of the most cataclysmic explosions in history The detonation was heard
more than 3,000 miles (4,828 km) away. It blew up the entire island of
Krakatoa and threw 5 cubic miles (21 cubic km) of rock fragments and
ash nearly 50 miles (80 km) into the air. The lava flows and the resulting
tsunami killed a total of 36,000 people and destroyed hundreds of towns and
villages.

Although Krakatoa was blown apart in the 1883 eruption, continuing


volcanic activity caused a growing cone of volcanic ash to emerge above
sea level by 1927. Anak Krakatoa, or "Child of Krakatoa," had reached a
height of 1,109 feet (338 meters) above sea level by 2018, before another
eruption collapsed much of this new island and caused a devastating
tsunami. Krakatoa's destructive power has prompted seismologists to search
for a better early warning system for tsunamis generated by volcanic activity,
which are difficult to predict before it's too late.

A RAINY CLIMATE

Since Indonesia straddles the equator, it experiences the typical


year-long hot and humid weather pattern of tropical countries.
Indonesia has only two seasons, “dry” and “wet.” The dry
season typically lasts from May to October, and the wet season is
from November to April. Afternoon thunderstorms, however, are
common year-round. During the dry season, the islands
come under the influence of winds from the southeast. The wet
monsoon season brings rain from northeasterly winds, moisture-
laden after traveling over the South China Sea.

“Rain” is sometimes too mild a word. During the monsoon


season, such tremendous walls of water explode from the sky that
it is like standing under a huge waterfall. Rainfall can occur at
any time of the year, and it is even wetter in the mountainous
areas. In these places, it becomes hard to distinguish between the
wet and dry seasons—especially in Sumatra and Kalimantan, where
it almost never stops raining!

Temperatures average about 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26


degrees Celsius) and vary according to altitude. Coastal plains
experience temperatures of a tolerable 82°F (28°C). As you go
higher, the temperature drops by 2°F (1°C) every 295 feet (90 m),
resulting in a very pleasant 73°F (23°C) in the highlands. Many
Indonesians frequently escape to the mountains to spend their
vacations “cooling off” from the heat of the lowlands. Some
unusual contrasts exist. The famous mountain Puncak
Mandala (15,620 ft [4,760 m]) in Papua is snowcapped despite
being on the equator.

To people in Indonesia, heavy rain is a normal part of everyday life. Here, a funeral procession continues
despite the downpour.

Learn the Language

Hujan is the Indonesian word for "rain" but during a lighter storm, you might call it gerimis, which means
"drizzle"
ANIMAL LIFE

Indonesia boasts an incredible variety of wildlife. It is home to 12


percent of the world’s mammal species, 16 percent of the world’s
amphibian and reptile species, 17 percent of the world’s bird
species, and 25 percent of the world’s species of fish.

BIG ISLAND LIZARDS

Although dinosaurs are extinct, their latter-day relatives, the fierce Komodo
dragons (Varanus komodoensis), have survived for millions of years in
Indonesia. These huge lizards can measure up to 10 feet (3 m) long and
weigh 300 pounds (135 kilograms). They take around three to five years to
mature and may live as long as 50 years. They have long, scaly bodies
supported on short muscular legs, massive tails, and razor-sharp teeth. They
eat smaller members of their own kind and occasionally attack and kill
human beings, but they mainly feed on carrion, or animals that are already
dead.

The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world and is native to Indonesia’s southern islands.
Because of loss of habitat due to climate change, the Komodo dragon was
classified as endangered in 2021. In 1980, the Komodo National Park was
founded to protect the Komodo dragon populations on the islands of
Komodo, Rinca, and Padar from game hunters, and later the Wae Wuul and
Wolo Tado Reserves were established on Flores. Today, there are an
estimated 3,300 Komodo dragons living in Indonesia.

Its animals include the one-horned rhinoceros of Java; the


brilliantly colored bird of paradise, which cannot fly; the tiny lesser
mouse deer, which stands 1 foot (30 centimeters) tall; the
ancient Komodo dragon; the Bali starling with its silky, snow-white
feathers and black wing and tail tips; tigers; tapirs; marsupials such
as bandicoots and cuscuses; peacocks; kuau; anoa; and numerous
other species.

Known for their aggressive behavior, barracuda are plentiful in the ocean surrounding Indonesia.

Many animals can only be found in one region and have become
extremely rare. The remaining single-horned Sumatran
rhinoceroses are confined to the Kulon Peninsula National Park
in Java. Another endangered species is the orangutan from Borneo
and Sumatra. Orangutan rehabilitation centers have been set up at
Mount Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra and in a
game preserve in southern Kalimantan. Other endangered animals
in Indonesia include the siamang (gibbon), Javan
rhinoceros, banteng cattle, Malayan tapir, tiger, sun bear, leopard,
and elephant.

Indonesia’s insect kingdom is just as fascinating, including giant


walking sticks that can grow as long as 8 inches (20 cm), walking
leaves, huge atlas beetles, and lovely Luna moths.

Indonesia has 34,000 miles (54,719 km) of coastline that make


up an extremely diverse and rich environment for coastal plants,
animals, and marine life. Indonesia’s complex coral reefs
and marine ecosystems boast rich sea life, ranging from big game
fish—such as marlins, tuna, barracuda, and wahoo— to whales,
hammerhead sharks, and manta rays.

WALLACE'S LINE

In the 1850s, a British naturalist named Alfred Russel Wallace noticed that
the Indonesian archipelago had zones of different fauna. On the western
islands, the animals were of Asian origin, and on the eastern islands, the
animals were more similar to ones found in Australia. The imaginary
boundary between these two zones became known as the Wallace Line, and
independently of Charles Darwin, Wallace constructed his own theory of
evolution based on these observations.

It was not until many years later that geologists came up with a probable
explanation for the differences among Indonesia's animals. At one point,
Asia and Australia were part of the same large landmass, allowing wildlife
(and early humans) to move freely. However, rising sea levels at the end of
the last ice age separated the two areas with deep water Unable to cross the
divide, both plants and animals on either side evolved in drastically different
ways.

PLANT LIFE

Most of Indonesia is covered in tropical rain forests. However, one


can also find mangrove swamps with their looping aerial roots (in
eastern Sumatra) and large tracts of arid savannah grassland (in
the Lesser Sunda Islands). At higher altitudes, there are alpine
meadows with chestnut, laurel, and oak trees that are more
commonly found in countries with temperate rather than tropical
climates.

The abundant rainfall and high humidity have produced some of


the densest forests in the world. These forests are also self-
fertilizing because the plants decompose and form rich humus, a
kind of fertile organic material, very quickly after they die.

Travel Tip

In 2019, the Kalappia tree was rediscovered in the Indonesian rain forest. Examples of this species
had not been recorded since the 1970s, and it was thought to be extinct.
Rafflesia arnoldii is one of two plant species known as the "corpse flower." Its blooms smell like rotting flesh.

Indonesian flora is not only abundant but also exotic and


incredibly diverse, with more than 40,000 species of flowering
plants recorded to date. Around 6,000 species of plants are known
to be used directly or indirectly by the people. Indonesia has some
of the world’s richest timber resources and the
largest concentration of tropical hardwood. It has more than 3,000
valuable tree species, including durian, teak, ironwood,
rattan, ebony, sandalwood, camphor, clove, and nutmeg.
Kalimantan and Java are centers for the timber industry, where
meranti and teak grow, respectively.
Among its flowers and plants are around 5,000 species of orchids
ranging from the largest of all orchids, the tiger orchid, to the tiny
Taeniophyllum, which is edible and used in medical preparation and
handicrafts. Also found in Indonesia are exotic plants such as the
carnivorous pitcher plant that traps insects in its liquid-filled cup
and extracts their nutrients, and the strange parasitic creepers
that include the strangler fig, with aerial roots that eventually
strangle the tree on which it grows.

Indonesia’s national flower, Rafflesia arnoldii, is the largest flower


in the world. Sometimes called the “monster flower,” R. arnoldii
leads a parasitic existence on the roots and stems of common
vines. The plant has no leaves, but its bud bursts open every
couple of months to reveal five huge dark red petals with white
specks. It can measure more than 1 yard (0.9 m) across and weigh
up to 24 pounds (11 kilograms).

Links to Learn More

volcano.si.edu/search_volcano.cfm

This website describes all the known active volcanoes in Indonesia and
includes photographs of many of them. Search “Indonesia” under "Country"
for a full list and pictures.

www.indonesia.travel/en/destination

Indonesia’s official tourism website includes many photographs of the


country’s wildlife and landscape and links for visitors.
ne of the earliest human ancestors was discovered in
O Indonesia. In 1891, fossils of the famous prehistoric “Java
Man” were found, which date back around 500,000 years.
Indonesian history has been shaped by its role as an important
trading link between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and because of
this, as well as its long fight against colonial rule, it now continues
to forge its own path as an independent state.

EARLY MIGRATIONS

The first modern humans in Indonesia were the Negritos, who


arrived about 60,000 to 45,000 years ago from the Asian mainland.
They were followed by the early ancestors of the
Aboriginal Australians. These two groups were darkskinned and
coarse-haired, with the Negritos generally being much shorter. They
were skilled sailors and fishermen, as well as artists.
Anthropologists have found petroglyphs, or rock art, in caves across
Indonesia, most notably in South Sulawesi, as well as jewelry made
from animal bones and teeth.

Between 4200 and 1900 BCE, both these groups were driven into
the highlands and jungles by the migration of Asian peoples from
Indochina. First came the Austroasiatic people from Vietnam and
Cambodia, and a couple of centuries later came the Austronesian
people from Taiwan. Both groups originated in the Southern China
region and brought their languages and cultures to the Indonesian
islands.

The first wave of Austronesian migrants, the Proto-Malays,


brought with them Neolithic, or New Stone Age, technology.
Settling in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, they lived in village
settlements, domesticated animals, and cultivated crops. Remnants
of their culture can be seen today in the megaliths found in
Sumatra. However, they were superseded by the Deutero-Malays,
a second wave of migrants from the Asian mainland who moved
south around 300 BCE. They brought metal tools with them, as well
as advanced agricultural techniques. Today, the
Austronesian peoples remain the majority of Indonesia’s population.
These are original fossils of Pithecanthropus erectus (now Homo erectus) found in Java in 1891.

HINDU AND BUDDHIST KINGDOMS

Of all the foreign influences at work in Indonesia, the greatest


impact was made by Indian culture and religion. In the first to fifth
centuries CE, the Indonesian ruling class, impressed with
India’s philosophical, religious, and cultural superiority, started to
“Indianize” their own kingdoms. They invited members of the priest
caste in Indian society to their courts; sent students to study
in India; learned about astronomy and navigational techniques,
figure sculpting, and textile dyeing; adopted numerous Sanskrit
words; introduced spices such as cardamom and turmeric into their
food; domesticated horses and elephants; and adopted new
architectural styles.

The two biggest changes were in the new social status of the
rulers and in religion. The Indonesian aristocracy found that they
could control their kingdoms better once they introduced the Indian
concept of a divine ruler with limitless powers—a descendant of
a mythical figure or a reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu
himself.

India’s twin religions—Hinduism and Buddhism—began a


peaceful coexistence in Java and Sumatra. Over a period of 1,000
years, Indonesia’s history is that of the rise and fall of many Hindu
and Buddhist kingdoms. By about the eighth century, there were
two kingdoms: the Buddhist Srivijaya kingdom in Sumatra, which
ruled the seas and major marine routes for the next 600 years, and
the Hindu-Buddhist Mataram and Sailendra kingdoms of Central
Java, which controlled inland rice production for a shorter period of
time. In fact, Sumatra was called Swarna Dwipa, or “Island of
Gold,” while Java was called Java Dwipa, or “Island of Rice.” The
Srivijaya kingdom was based on foreign trade and controlled the
strategic Strait of Malacca. From there, spices, incense, and
other rare goods were traded between China and India.

Travel Tip

Indonesian culture adopted elements of the Indian caste system and remains hierarchical today.
The Javanese Mataram and Sailendra kingdoms were more
spiritually oriented. The rich soils and wet-rice agriculture
supported a huge population, much of which was later employed
for the building of the magnificent Borobudur and Prambanan
temples. This peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Buddhists did not
last long; after a turbulent 300 years or so, there emerged a
powerful new Hindu kingdom in Java called the
Majapahit. Established in 1290 in an area known for itspahit,
meaning “bitter,” fruit called maja, this empire marked the golden
age of Indonesian history. The Majapahit Empire united the whole
of Indonesia and parts of the Malay Peninsula and ruled for two
centuries. It was then that a unique Javanese art and culture
developed and flourished.

Buddhist temples such as this one can be found all over Indonesia.

IMPORTING ISLAM
When Marco Polo visited Indonesia in 1292, he noted that Islam
was already established in parts of Aceh in the north of Sumatra.
The religion was brought by Indian traders using the India-
China trade route. From Aceh, Islam continued to spread to the
rest of the Indonesian archipelago along trade routes. By the 15 th
and 16th centuries, many Indonesian rulers had made Islam
the state religion, persuaded by the desire to strengthen ties with
the neighboring port of Malacca (modern-day Melaka) on the Malay
Peninsula, which had become a center of Islam and trade. The
growing international Islamic trade network brought yet more
power and wealth. Islam was also a more egalitarian religion than
Hinduism. In calling for the equality of all men before God, it had
great appeal to the common people.

In the 16th century, the Islamic kingdom of Demak attacked


the weakening Hindu Mataram kingdom in Central Java, taking
control of its rich lands and driving the Hindu elite east to Bali. The
fall of this once-great empire was recorded by Javanese
court chroniclers as “the disappearance of the light of the universe.”

EUROPEANS ARRIVE

Attracted by the spices of the Far East, the Portuguese found their
way to the spice islands of the Moluccas (also known as the Maluku
Islands) by 1512 and established trading posts soon after. Their
profits encouraged other European traders to come to the region.
While the Spanish colonized the Philippines, the Dutch competed
for control of the spice trade with the English in the Indonesian
archipelago.
Indonesia's exotic spices first brought Europeans to its shores in the 16th century.

In 1596, four Dutch ships arrived at Banten after a difficult 14-


month voyage during which many crew members died. With
influence from the Portuguese, the Dutch were received coldly at
Banten and along the rest of their expedition. Some crew were held
for ransom, ships were boarded, and fighting broke out at
Sidayu and Madura. Even after these conflicts, the few spices they
took back to Europe caused so much excitement that, over the next
10 years, 65 more Dutch ships came to the region in search of
spices.

The Dutch soon established a strong foothold in Jayakarta


(modern Jakarta), which they renamed Batavia. They
started sinking the ships of any other country found in Indonesian
waters, forcibly took over the spice islands of Banda, and,
after more bitter and bloody fighting, gained control of the clove-
producing Celebes Island, known as Sulawesi today.

By the end of the 17th century, the Dutch controlled not only the
spice trade but also monopolized the cultivation of coffee, sugar,
indigo, pepper, tea, and cotton on several islands. The
powerful Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische
Compagnie, or VOC) was established to manage this trade and
is considered to have grown into the largest company in recorded
history, laying the foundation for future corporations.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch expanded their control
over the entire Indonesian archipelago, which became known as
the Dutch East Indies. On the island of Java, peasants were forced
to grow export crops, making large profits for the VOC. However,
this domination was achieved at great military expense due to the
constant resistance of the local people. This experience
finally proved too costly. By 1799, the VOC was dissolved after
facing a list of problems from outside and within.

For a short time between 1811 and 1815, during the Napoleonic
Wars in Europe, the Dutch East Indies territory came under British
rule, but it then reverted to the Dutch.

INDONESIAN HEROES

Two of Indonesia’s national heroes were Diponegoro and Raden


Adjeng Kartini. Diponegoro, a popular Javanese prince, fought a
guerrilla war against the Dutch between 1825 and 1830. The
conflict cost 200,000 Javanese and 8,000 European lives, mostly
through starvation and cholera. Luring him in with the bait of
negotiations, the Dutch eventually arrested and exiled him in 1830,
thus crushing the resistance.

The Dutch did little to educate the Indonesians. Ninety percent of


the local population was not educated at all. Some Indonesians,
however, were sent to Holland to be educated. When
these scholars returned, they began laying the groundwork for
Indonesian freedom.

Raden Adjeng Kartini did not directly fight against Dutch


colonialism but was admired for progressing education and
reporting on conditions in Indonesia. The daughter of a Javanese
aristocrat, she was given the opportunity to attend a Dutch school,
as well as educate herself. She was concerned by the impact
of colonial rule and the denial of higher education to Indonesians,
as well as by the limited roles available for Indonesian women. In
the early 1900s, she wrote a series of powerful letters to her
Dutch friends in Holland that, when published, caused a stir in the
foreign community.

In 1927, the Indonesia National Party (the Partai Nasional


Indonesia, or PNI) was formed under the leadership of a former
engineer named Sukarno; it demanded independence from
the Dutch. Sukarno was a gifted speaker and charismatic leader. He
became a powerful voice and was arrested and exiled by the Dutch.
Other political parties began to emerge and compete with each
other but were similarly crushed by the current leadership.
Although these parties helped forge a path, it would be many years
until Indonesian independence was achieved.
JAPANESE OCCUPATION DURING WORLD WAR II

Independence still seemed a long way off. When the Japanese


invaded and occupied Indonesia during World War II (1939-1945),
the Indonesians, thinking this signified liberation from
Dutch oppression, welcomed them with open arms. The Japanese
began a ruthless exploitation of the East Indies. During the three
and a half years of Japanese occupation, numerous atrocities
were committed by the occupying Japanese army, from the use of
mass slave labor to starvation in Indonesia when the entire rice
crop of Java was exported to Japan.

In order to increase their power among the local population,


the Japanese sought to stoke anti-colonial sentiments by promoting
the Indonesian language, Bahasa Indonesia, as the national
language. They also tried to unite the scattered islands by
supporting the nationalists. Both these moves backfired. The
confidence this gave the people prompted the nationalist
leaders, Sukarno and Mohammed Hatta, to declare Indonesia’s
independence on August 17, 1945, just one week after an atomic
bomb destroyed Nagasaki in Japan.

At the end of World War II, the Dutch tried to regain control of
Indonesia. However, by December 1949, after a long and bloody
guerrilla war known as the Indonesian National Revolution, in which
as many as 100,000 Indonesians may have died across
spontaneous and planned rebellions, the Indonesians gained
independence from foreign rule.

THE NEW ORDER


The years following independence were not easy, with more than
169 parties struggling for power. In 1959, President Sukarno,
Indonesia’s first postindependence leader, declared martial law and
established his policy of “Guided Democracy.” During this period of
intense nationalism and anti-colonialism, the old colonial powers of
the West were blamed for Indonesia’s hardships.
Although nationalism allowed the country to speak openly about
the tragedies of colonial rule, the years following
independence were marked by almost constant crisis and change of
leadership.

On September 6, 1965, six of the most senior army generals


were killed in an attempted coup. The insurgents backed another
rival faction in the army and tried to take control, claiming that they
were acting against another coup to overthrow Sukarno. However,
the uprising was soon put down by Major General
Suharto, commander of the army reserve in Jakarta. In official
accounts, the coup was blamed on the communist Partai Komunis
Indonesia (PKI). The effects of the coup were devastating
throughout Indonesia, where the military and conservative and
right-wing groups used it as a justification to settle scores
with communists and left-wing sympathizers throughout the
country. The violence was especially bad in Java and Bali.
Estimates vary, but somewhere between 80,000 and more than 1
million people were killed from 1965 to 1966.
Major General Suharto kept the country from succumbing to civil war by crushing the PKI rebellion, as
illustrated on the Pancasila Sakti Monument in Jakarta.

Faith in Sukarno’s leadership soon evaporated, and Suharto, now


head of the armed forces, was made acting president in March
1967 and formally appointed in 1968. Suharto soon stabilized
the country. Upon his appointment, Suharto quickly imposed
martial law: The PKI was outlawed, and up to a million people were
imprisoned. Suharto also broke ties with Communist China and the
Soviet Union and revised Indonesia’s foreign policy to be friendly to
Western interests, attracting aid through a group of donor
countries.
Point of Interest

The National Monument in Merdeka Square in Central Jarkarta is a 433-foot-tall (132 m) marble obelisk
built to commemorate Indonesian independence.

Within Indonesia, the entire civil service was reorganized and


the army became closely involved in the administration of local
government and the economy. The economy gradually set out on a
path of high growth through policies aimed at controlling
foreign investments, boosting oil exports, slowing population
growth, and increasing food production. The inflation rate
was reduced, and the rupiah (the Indonesian monetary unit)
stabilized. Suharto’s economic “New Order” (Order Baru) had
begun and he became known as the Development President.
Aligning with the interests of the West (the United States and Great
Britain), Suharto allowed multinational corporations, the World
Bank, and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to enter
Indonesia, bringing with this new alignment positive and negative
effects. This era benefited many with a rising standard of living
and increase in educational opportunities, but it also brought the
negatives often associated with authoritarian regimes, such as lack
of open discussion, one-way communication (top-down),
increasing censorship, and a bloodied history.

AFTER SUHARTO

In July 1997, an economic crisis swept across East and Southeast


Asia. Rising prices led to riots and looting. Suharto was re-elected
in February 1998 in the face of open opposition. Street
demonstrations were met by tanks and bullets. In three days, more
than 6,000 buildings in Jakarta were damaged and around
1,000 people died. The Chinese minority bore the brunt of the
violence. Suharto’s ministers called for his resignation, and the
presidency was vacated on May 21, 1998, ending more than 30
years of Suharto’s rule.

A period of interim rule by Vice President Habibie did not stop the
violence, which spread to the outer islands and took on a Muslim-
Christian aspect, which was rare in usually tolerant Indonesia. On
August 30, 1999, the East Timorese voted for independence in a
referendum. Timor finally became independent in 2002. In an
attempt to find a new head of state who would appeal to the
diverse elements emerging in Indonesia, Abdurrahman
Wahid (known as Gus Dur) was elected the fourth president of
Indonesia on October 20, 1999. Wahid, a respected Muslim
moderate and chairman of the biggest Muslim
organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), accepted nationalist Megawati
Sukarnoputri (Sukarno’s daughter) as vice president. This
compromise did not please the conservative Muslims in separatist-
minded Aceh, where violence continued.

While secessionist groups in Aceh, Maluku, and Papua


campaigned for independence, changes to Indonesia’s political
landscape led to a breakdown in central control by the military.
Embattled president Wahid was implicated in two financial
scandals. After challenges in parliament and demonstrations on the
streets following accusations of corruption, Wahid resigned in
2001 and was replaced by his vice president, Megawati
Sukarnoputri. In 2004, Sukarnoputri was unseated in free elections
after a successful challenge from former general Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono. SBY, as he is popularly known, was re-
elected for a second term in 2009. In the meantime, the
country had to deal with the destruction caused by the worst
natural disaster in modern times, the Indian Ocean earthquake
and tsunami that killed more than 160,000 people in Sumatra
alone.

THE BOXING DAY TSUNAMI


On December 26, 2004, the deadliest tsunami in modern times occurred.
Following an undersea earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, a massive
tsunami was unleashed around the Indian Ocean that killed an estimated
230,000 people in 14 countries. Waves of up to 100 feet (30 m) high
devastated coastal communities in Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka,
and were even felt as far away as East Africa. With a magnitude between
9.1 and 9.3 on the Richter scale, it is the third-largest earthquake recorded
on a seismograph (an instrument used to measure movement in the Earth).
This megathrust earthquake caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as
a quarter of an inch (0.6 cm) and triggered smaller earthquakes as far away
as Alaska.

Some of the ships destroyed by the tsunami were swept inland by the massive wave.

More than 160,000 people are thought to have died in Sumatra alone, and
numerous villages and towns were completely destroyed, swept away by the
flooding waters. The United Nations (UN) estimated that more than 600,000
Indonesians were left homeless by the catastrophe.

The Indonesian authorities were initially ill-prepared to deal with a


humanitarian crisis on such a massive scale. Troops in the region were
dispatched to offer help on the ground. Three days of national mourning
were declared. The Indonesian government declared that the
provincial Acehnese government was totally crippled and shifted all
administrative control to Jakarta.

Fortunately, international help soon poured in. Because the disaster


happened during what is a holiday period for much of the world, the
extensive television coverage helped prompt a huge humanitarian response,
with people and governments around the world eventually donating $7 billion
in aid to the relief effort across the region. The U.S. government quickly
pledged $350 million and also sent ships and aircraft to help with the aid
effort.

By 2014, Yudhoyono’s government had lost favor with the public.


Natural disasters plagued his second term as president, and his
presidency was marred by corruption scandals. The
presidential election of July 2014 was won by Joko Widodo, who
was then the governor of Jakarta. His presidency would go on
to inherit the same problems as the previous leadership.
Regardless, Widodo would go on to win his next election in 2019 to
remain Indonesia’s president—the same year, an unprecedented
192 million Indonesians registered to vote. His party has come into
criticism for unsafe environmental practices, as well as for the
devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indonesia, since
the beginning of his second term.
Links to Learn More
www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15114517

This article provides a detailed timeline of Indonesian history from the colonial
era to the present.

www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Dutch_East_India_Compan
y

This site provides a detailed account of the Dutch East India Company, with
photographs and links.
n 1945, the Indonesian Constitution established the country as a
I democratic republic with a presidential system of government. By
definition, a republic is based on the sovereignty of the
people, meaning that the government only exists because the
people consent to being governed. Political power belongs to the
citizens of Indonesia, and they vote representatives into office to
speak for their interests.

Although elections have been held in Indonesia for many


decades, even under the New Order regime, it is only recently that
they have been judged fair and open by outside observers. In July
2019, Joko Widodo became the second Indonesian president to be
reelected. More than 150 million people cast ballots, and Widodo
captured 56 percent of the vote, winning in 21 of Indonesia’s 33
provinces.

BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

The Indonesian parliament, Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat (MPR,


or People’s Consultative Assembly), is made up of two houses. The
Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR, or People’s Representative Council)
and the Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (DPD, or Regional
Representative Council) decide on policies and issue decrees that
have the effect of law. The DPR consists of at least 550
members who are directly elected by the populace every five years.
Currently, there are 575 elected officials in the DPR. The DPD
is made up of 136 senators; these legislators are elected by their
provinces. The DPD is in charge of regional governments, but it
cannot change policy or make laws. By comparison, the DPR has
much more power; it can pass laws, approve budgets, and make
decisions with the president.

The Indonesian parliament building is also known as the MPR/DPR/DPD building.

DPR members belong to the main political parties, which, since


the 2019 general election, consist of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDIP), the Functional Groups Party (Golkar), the
Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Nasdem, the
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
"Where is my father, Dorothy?" she asked, feeling as if she
must say something.

"Your father has gone out with the old priest who was here
last night, Mistress Anne," was the short reply.

And Dorothy, who was usually disposed for a gossip at the


smallest encouragement, retired and shut the door without
another word.

Wicked and base as was the action she had committed, in


itself, Anne was very much to be pitied. Her mind had for
weeks been utterly unsettled.

As Jack had said, she was, in her heart, almost entirely


convinced that her brother was right, and that she was
wrong. In spite of herself, as it were, she could not help
recalling all that she had heard and read with Agnes
Harland, which was a great deal more than she had told
Jack. In spite of herself, when she was listening to the
harangues of the preaching friars against heresy, her mind
would persist in bringing up and arranging arguments on
the other side. When she repeated, as she did daily, her
long litany of invocations to the saints and the Virgin Mary,
something kept constantly telling her that it was a useless
labor, and making such suggestions as these:

"How do you know that these saints can hear you? They
were, and are, but finite beings like yourself, and cannot
possibly be present in all places and at all times at once."

These were but a few of the distractions which beset her


night and day, destroying her peace of mind, humbling her
pride, and undermining her faith in those things wherein
she had made her boast.
But Anne would not listen. She said to herself that they
were but temptations of the enemy, such as had beset all
eminent saints, and were to be banished by the proper
means. So she fasted and scourged herself, and lay on the
bare floor, and repeated ten times more prayers than ever.
She had been fed upon "Lives of the Saints" from the time
she could read, and for years, her cherished ambition had
been to become a saint, on the model of Elizabeth of
Hungary, or St. Bridget: to be looked up to as a pattern of
holiness and austerity; to found a new order of nuns, more
self-denying even than the "poor Clares," more
contemplative than the Carmelites; to rule them while she
lived, to be made a saint, and have miracles worked at her
grave, when she was dead and buried.

Father Barnaby had cultivated these notions, seeing in the


girl material which might encouraged her to believe made
useful, and had believe that in the course of a few years she
might be placed at the head of a sisterhood of her own
founding. Anne had plenty of imagination, and hundreds of
times she had gone over the whole matter in her own mind,
arranging the rules and services of her house, and the very
dress of the sisters. She fancied herself like St. Hilda, giving
counsel and advice to abbots and priests, even to bishops
and heads of the Church; as helping to stay the tide of
heresy by her prayers and writings; as educating girls to
perpetuate the doctrines and ways of her new order.

And was all this to be given up? Was she to abandon all her
cherished ambitions and be content with the life of a
daughter at home or a mere commonplace mother of a
family? Or, still worse, was she to run the risk of open
shame and disgrace and punishment, of being despised and
held up as a warning, instead of an example, by those over
whom she had hoped and expected to rule? Was she to
confess that all her righteousness, her prayers and
penances and sufferings, were worse than worthless in
God's sight, and receive the gift of salvation as a free,
wholly undeserved alms? Was her only title to heaven to
consist in the fact, not that she was a saint, but a sinner? It
could not be true—it should not be true! It was a work of
the devil tempting her to abandon her vocation and all the
great things she had planned.

And then came the thought—was it not her own fault after
all? Had she not by weakly yielding to family affection—
those fleshly ties from which she had been told again and
again she must tear herself loose—had she not given the
Tempter a handle against her? Ought she not to do all in
her power to prevent the spread of heresy, and had she not,
by yielding to her regard for her only brother, and
concealing his fault, made herself a partaker therein? Would
not her peace of mind return, if she were once to make the
sacrifice? Would not that sacrifice be an additional and most
precious jewel in the crown of martyrdom she coveted?

Yes, it must be so, and the sacrifice must be made. Once


done, the deed could never be recalled. She would be held
up as a bright example of piety, and she should again find
her former peace, and satisfaction in prayer and penance
and saintly reveries, and the doubts which disturbed her
would depart forever.

Then there was Sister Barbara—Sister Barbara whose


coming she had expected and prepared for, with so much
pleasure, who had been one of the elders of the order, and
a pattern of sanctity. There had long existed not even the
semblance of confidence between them, but Anne had no
doubt she was as bad as Jack, every whit. She had seen a
book in her hands which was no prayer-book—she was sure
of that—and she was always reading it while her "Hours"
and her rosary lay neglected day after day. Sister Barbara
and Jack were always talking quietly together and
exchanging smiles and glances. Besides, did she not go to
hear Father William preach even after he had refused to
celebrate masses for the dead, and declared his opinion
that it was lawful for priests to marry if they saw fit?

These and other indications convinced Anne that Sister


Barbara was as bad as Jack—nay, worse, for was she not a
nun, and had she not been a person in authority? Then
there was her school! Was she to be allowed to pervert the
children under her charge?

The morning that Sister Barbara went away, Anne went to


the Priory church, determined, as she said, to decide the
matter one way or the other before she came home. The
first person she met was Father Barnaby. In her excited
state of mind, this encounter seemed a supernatural sign
sent for the confirmation of her wavering resolution, and
she did not rest till she had told him all. She could not
indeed tell the place where Sister Barbara had taken refuge,
for she did not know it, but she told all she did know about
the matter.

Father Barnaby was well pleased. He had come down, as


Father John said, armed with a special commission for the
searching out and destruction of heretical books and the
suppression of heresy, and he was determined to carry
through his work with an unsparing hand. It was a good
omen to be thus met at the beginning, and served in some
degree to counterbalance the chagrin he had felt at
discovering that his chief prey had escaped him.

Father William had set out only the day before his return,
on a visit to London, and there was too much reason to fear
that by the connivance of friends, he might escape to
Germany. But here was a notable prey to be taken at once,
and he was not the man to let the grass grow under his
feet. He commended Anne for her faithfulness, though he
gave her less praise and paid less attention to the rest of
her confession than she thought she deserved. However, he
told her she had taken the best means to get rid of her
trouble of mind, and confirmed her in the idea that it had all
been owing to her having wickedly concealed her brother's
errors. A watch was at once set upon Jack's movements,
and he was apprehended, as we have seen.

Anne returned to her home with a strange feeling of


exultation. She had done the deed. She had sacrificed what
was nearest to her, and shown plainly that nothing was so
dear to her as the cause of the Church and true religion.
Surely, surely all must now be right with her. There would
be an end forever of these haunting doubts, these wild
temptations to go to Jack, own herself convinced, and beg
for instruction. This feeling lasted her all day and till she
saw her brother finally carried away to a fate which she
knew too well, and heard her father's voice commanding
her to her chamber. Thus she went to her room.

Lo! Her enemy was there awaiting her, armed with tenfold
power.

She had done the deed. She had betrayed her brother to
shame and death, she had incurred her father's hatred and
curse, which was withheld only for the sake of his son; and
all for what? Was she any nearer to the quiet of mind she
had so ardently desired? She did not find it so. Instead
thereof, her doubts returned with tenfold power. They were
no longer doubts, they were certainties—demonstrated
truths. She did not reason upon them; she could not.

She felt, rather than knew, that it was Jack who was the
martyr for the truth, and she was the Judas who had
betrayed him. She had denied her Lord, belied her own
conscience, and sacrificed her family to a monstrous lie.
What would she not have given to recall the events of the
last few hours? But it was too late—forever too late; and
the thought filled her with inexpressible anguish and
despair.

Anne rose at last from the floor, where she had thrown
herself at the foot of the crucifix, and in the sheer
restlessness of misery wandered into Jack's room. There
were all his treasures; his strings of birds' eggs, his shells
and other foreign curiosities derived from traders and
sailors, his Latin books and exercises. The blackbird and
squirrel he had brought from the country were hopping
about their cages, and seemed to wonder why they were
neglected. Anne took down the cages and ministered to the
wants of the occupants. The action, simple as it was,
seemed to bring her some relief, and as the blackbird tuned
up its mellow whistle, she leaned her head beside the cage,
and wept long and bitterly.

The little cupboard where Jack had hidden his precious


books stood open. Anne bent down, and looking into it she
saw something in a far dark corner, for the recess extended
deep into the wall beside the chimney. She drew it out, and
looked at it. It was a small copy of the New Testament.
Arthur had received from London a number of these new
books, and had given one to Jack. Jack had put it away with
the rest, but it had been overlooked by the searchers in
their haste and triumph at finding their great prize. Anne
stood looking at it for a few minutes, and then returning to
her room and once more fastening her door, she sat herself
down to read, nor did she move from her place till it was
too dark for her to see.

At dark, Cicely herself brought her a light.


"Where is my father?" Anne ventured to ask.

"He is below, poor dear man!" returned Cicely sobbing. "He


has been to the prison to see—" here her voice was lost in
tears. "Your brother is better lodged than we had hoped,"
she continued presently, "along with old Thomas Sprat and
some of the townspeople, and we are permitted to send him
bedding and refreshment. Your father says you are to use
your pleasure as to staying in your room or coming down to
supper. He does not desire to make a prisoner of you!"
added Cicely, with emphasis.

"Return my thanks to my father," said Anne sorrowfully but


calmly, "and say to him that, with his good leave, I will
remain here. Tell him I thank him for his goodness, and if
he will but add this much, to pray for me, I can ask nothing
more."

Cicely repeated the message, adding that she hoped Anne


was not going out of her mind, or meditating anything
desperate, for she looked as if she had seen a ghost.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE TRIAL.

When Jack arrived at the jail where he was to be confined,


he found a great crowd gathered round the door, and was
greeted from the midst of it with more than one cry of,
"God speed thee, dear lad!" "Be of good courage, brother,
and God bless thee! Our prayers are with thee!" And he
read in most of the faces surrounding him only pity and
sympathy.

Father Barnaby frowned ominously on the assemblage, and


hurried his prisoner as soon as possible into the jail.

"Let this young man be shut up by himself," said he to the


jailer.

"Your reverence must needs build him a cell, then,"


returned the jailer, who seemed to have no special pleasure
in his task. "Every place is full and overflowing, except the
dungeon, where there are only two. Shall I put him therein?
I think he were best out of sight of this crowd."

"Do so, then," replied the father. "Youth, I advise thee to


take the time of thy imprisonment to consider and repent of
thine errors. Thou art but young, and thou hast been misled
by more crafty heads than thine own. Thou hast also good
parts, and I would fain serve thee, and make thee an
instrument of good in the Church."

"I thank your reverence," replied Jack, in a steady tone, and


then raising his voice he said, "Good people, pray for me
and mine, and be steadfast in the truth, you who own it."

"We will! We will!" shouted several voices in return; and one


man added, "Let the Jack Priest look to it. If old Harry
quarrels with the Pope, we will pull down their crow's nest
about their ears ere long."

Jack was hurried into the jail and the doors shut upon him,
so he heard no more, but he noted even then the look of
furious wrath mingled with confusion on Father Barnaby's
face. He had no time for further observations before he
found himself pushed into the cell of which the jailer had
spoken, and the door locked upon him.

It was some minutes before his dazzled eyes could


distinguish anything in the dim dungeon, which was lighted
only by a small grated aperture near the ceiling. As he grew
more accustomed to the place, however, he saw that it was
a small room about twelve feet square, with stone walls and
floor. The furniture consisted of a stool or two, a rude table,
and two pallet beds, on one of which lay stretched a
sleeping man. Another man, apparently just aroused from
slumber, rose to his feet and advanced a step to meet him.

"I cannot say thou art welcome, friend, to this dungeon,"


said a voice Jack knew right well; "but to such slight
entertainment as we have, I do bid thee welcome."

"Dear uncle," exclaimed Jack, recovering his dazed senses


and springing forward, "dearest uncle, do you not know
me?"

"My son, my son!" cried the old man. "Is it indeed my son?
I feared this, but hoped you might have timely warning.
And is it to this I have brought thy youth?"

"Nay, dearest uncle," returned Jack; "not you, but the


malice of our enemies, and the enemies of the truth of God.
You brought me to the knowledge of that truth and
goodness, which shall make all their wrath to praise Him.
But who is our companion?"

"It is Master James Dennett, a ship-owner and merchant


here in Bridgewater. Disturb him not, for he hath been
sorely tried in spirit, and unable to sleep the whole night.
Truly, I am glad to be eased of his lamentations. But sit you
down here on the bedside, and tell me how all this has
chanced. I had hoped you would have had timely warning."

Jack told the story of his betrayal and arrest.

"Alas! Poor maid, was she so far left to herself?" said the
shepherd, when he heard of Anne's part in the transaction.
"We must put up many prayers for her. And how is your
father disposed?"

"He gave me his blessing ere I left him, and do not think he
is angry with me. I left him with old Father John, who rode
all the way from Holford to give me warning, but he was too
late. But how were you taken, dear uncle?"

"Even as I would have desired—on my knees," replied the


old man smiling. "I was in the little thicket whither I have
long resorted for prayer and reading, as my father did
before me, when a band of men, headed by Brother Joseph
the sacristan, broke in on me. I told them it was paying a
fair compliment to an old man-at-arms, that at nearly
ninety, he should need six men to secure him."

"But surely Sir John Brydges will take your part?" said Jack.

"I believe he can do nothing," replied Thomas Sprat. "They


have raked up the old matter of Lollardie, and Father
Barnaby assures me that as a relapsed heretic, I have no
chance of being admitted to mercy, though if I will recant
my errors I may perhaps, in time, be delivered from
purgatory."

"Many thanks to him," said Jack. "He hath been profuse in


his promises to me if I will recant, even to promising me
church advancement. But do you know aught of Arthur?"
"They have not apprehended him, but more than that I do
not know," replied the shepherd.

"But here comes the jailer with our bread and water."

"Methinks on a feast day they might offer us better fare,"


said Jack. "It is scarce canonical to fast upon St. Michael's
day."

"Don't cry out before you are hurt, young sir," said the
jailer, depositing a jug of broth on the table. "I have so far
stretched my orders as to bring you the same breakfast as
the other prisoners who are only confined for highway
robbery, murder, and the like."

"Many thanks for your courtesy, Master Davis," said Jack.


"When I am again at liberty, I will do as much for you."

"I would you were at liberty to do it," said the jailer bluntly.
"This turning the key on old friends and neighbors is no
pleasure to me, I can tell you. What then? A man must do
his duty, be he jailer or mayor; but he need not have a
heart as hard as the nether millstone. I judged you and the
old man would like to be together, so I clapped you in here;
but do not you tell yonder monk so."

"Never fear," said Jack. "I do not love him so well as all
that. Again I thank you, Master Davis, and so will my father.
Be assured you shall be no loser. Come, we are better than
we might be," said he after the man had closed the door. "I
am heartily glad we have fallen into such good hands. Shall
we awaken our companion? He sleeps soundly."

"He has not slept all night," said Thomas Sprat. "I fear
much he will not stand the trial. The goods and ties of this
world are over-near his heart, poor man. What, brother!
Will you awake and break your fast?"
"Where am I?" said Master Dennett, sitting up and gazing
round him with a bewildered expression. "What has
happened? Alas, I know too well!" he added, sinking back
again. "That I should ever live to find myself here in
Bridgewater jail! And who is this new companion in misery?
Surely, it is Master Lucas's son. Alas, young man, what has
brought you hither?"

"The fear of God and the love of His Word," said Jack. "But
come, sir, arise and eat, that you may be strengthened for
the day's trial."

"And what will strength avail?" asked the ship-owner


somewhat peevishly. "Can we break out of the dungeon by
dint of strength? Or can we bend the hard hearts of our
enemies?"

"The God we serve can do both, brother," said the old


shepherd; "or, failing that, He can give us strength to
confess that truth which shall minister to us an entrance
into His Eternal Kingdom. But come, arise, and eat at all
events. There is no use in refusing such good things as we
have."

Master Dennett essayed to eat, but desisted after a few


mouthfuls, and threw himself upon his pallet again.

Jack made a tolerable meal, and then bestirred himself to


render the place as comfortable as might be. The rest of the
day passed quietly enough.

Master Dennett lay on his pallet and wept over his hard
fate.

Jack and his uncle talked quietly together, recalling many


passages of Scripture, and encouraging each other to
steadfastness in the trial which they knew was awaiting
them. Towards night, the jailer brought in their evening
meal, and a large bundle.

"Here are some matters sent you from home," said he to


Jack, "bedding and such like, as I guess. Your father hath
been here, and has begged me to be kind to you, as why
should I not? You never harmed me, I trow."

Jack warmly thanked the jailer, who, surly as he was,


seemed disposed, indeed, to be as kind as his duty allowed.

The bundle contained bedding and linen, and artfully


concealed in the centre of a great loaf, some paper, a
pencil, and the means of striking a light, together with two
wax tapers. There was also a Psalter, in which Jack
perceived a leaf doubled down. He opened the book, and
found underlined the passage, "Be of good courage;" "Fear
not," and others of similar import, and doubly underscored
the word "Wait." He turned to the first page and read the
name of Father John. There were glad tears in the boy's
eyes as he showed the book to his uncle.

"The good, kind, old man!" said Thomas Sprat. "I know not
what he can do, and yet I thank him with all my heart. I
would not have believed anything would lead him to make
such an exertion. For myself, I hope nothing in this world
save a speedy passage out of it, and that my age gives me
warrant to expect: but I would gladly have you, my son,
saved from the fiery trial, if it might be done without your
denying the faith."

"Better death an hundred times than that!" said Jack.

"Be not confident, young man," said Master Dennett,


apparently somewhat displeased. "Better bethink yourself
how you will answer when you are brought before the
council."
"I am not over-confident, I trust," replied Jack; "but I trust
in Him who says, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,'
and therefore I am bold to say, 'The Lord is my helper: I will
not fear what man may do unto me.' As to meditating how I
shall answer, I make bold to refer you to the words of our
Lord: 'When they take you up, take no thought how or what
ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour
what ye shall say. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit
of your Father which speaketh in you.'"

"Ay, but those words were not spoken to men like us," said
Master Dennett. "They were spoken to apostles and saints."

"And what were the apostles and saints but common simple
men like to us?" asked Thomas Sprat. "Are not all God's
children called to be saints, and does He not promise the
same grace freely to all if we are but faithful?"

"Alas, my faith is not like yours," said Master Dennett. "You


are, besides, an old man, and must soon die at any rate;
but I cannot but bethink me of my young wife and her
babes, and the happy fireside I left but yesterday, with my
old mother sitting in the chimney corner with my youngest-
born on her knees. Little did I think as I bade them farewell
and went out to my business, that the evening would find
me here."

And the poor man threw himself on the pallet again in an


agony of grief.

"It is indeed hard for flesh and blood," said the old man.
"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We will pray for
and with you, brother, that you may have strength in the
evil day."

The night passed without disturbance, and in the morning


came another basket of provisions from home.
"Your father has sent meat and alms to all the prisoners—
debtors and all," said the jailer; "and a handsome present
to my wife as well. He might have spared that, but he is a
kind and liberal man. Truly, you have no cause to thank
them who brought you into this scrape."

"Nobody led me into it, good Master Davis," said Jack. "I
thank you heartily for bringing me these things. Have you
heard whether we are to be brought to trial this day?"

"Nay, I am in none of their secrets," growled the jailer, and


withdrew.

Jack made haste to examine the provisions. In one loaf, he


found a short letter from his father, full of affection. In the
other, he discovered what astonished him beyond measure.
It was a small book carefully wrapped up, which, on being
opened, proved to be the Testament lately given him by
Arthur Brydges. In the envelope was written in Anne's hand,
"Forgive and pray for me! A. L."

Master Dennett had also received a missive from his wife,


and while he was reading it, Jack took the opportunity to
show Anne's gift and note to his uncle. "I know not what to
think," said he. "It is Anne's hand, I am sure. I cannot
wonder so much at what she hath written, but that she
should send me the Testament passes my comprehension."

"It is indeed strange," said Thomas. "Can she have


repented of what she has done?"

"I cannot but hope so," replied Jack, "if only for her own
sake. I have all the time thought she was fighting against
her inward convictions. Poor maiden! I forgive her with all
my heart. I suppose I had better destroy this writing,
though I should love to keep it."
"Destroy it by all means," said the shepherd hastily, "lest it
bring the poor girl into trouble."

With the next morning came Brother Joseph and a


summons to the prisoners.

"Nay, not so fast, my young scholar," said the sacristan,


with a sneering laugh, as Jack rose to accompany his uncle.
"Your time will come soon enough."

"Am I not then to go with my uncle?" asked Jack. "You are


to stay where you are till you are called, when, mayhap,
you may wish yourself back again."

"Farewell, then, dearest son of my love!" said the old


shepherd, embracing and kissing Jack. "Fear nothing, but
remain in prayer and meditation of that goodness and
faithfulness which will fail neither of us. Master Dennett, let
us this day play the man for our Master. Once more,
farewell, my dear lad. Pray earnestly for me, but have no
fears. I am not alone in this matter, but One goes hence
with me who will not suffer me to fall."

"Enough of these blasphemies!" said Brother Joseph


harshly. "And spare your breath for your own porridge. It
will be hot enough to need it all. As for you, young sir,
bethink you well, for I tell you unless you wholly recant and
confess who were your movers in this thing, not all your
Greek and Latin can save you from the fire, here or
hereafter."

"You do but throw away your words," returned Jack. "I


would rather be in my place than yours."

The whole of that day Jack was left alone. It was the
longest day of his life. The little book which Anne had so
strangely sent him was his greatest comfort, and he read till
his eyes ached with the dim light, striving to impress on his
memory the words of the sacred text, lest the book should
be found and taken from him.

When he could see no more, he found a bit of wood which


had once formed a part of a rude bench, and busied himself
in carving some crosses to be sent as farewell gifts to his
father, sister, and other friends. He was still so engaged
when the jailer came to pay his evening visit.

"Where are my uncle and Master Dennett?" was Jack's first


question.

"Ask me no questions; you will know soon enough," was the


gruff answer.

"I pray you, Master Davis," said Jack, in some agitation,


"tell me how it has fared with mine uncle! Hath he been
condemned?"

"Yes, then, if you must know," returned the jailer. "There


was no chance for him. They said he had been respited
once before—that his father was burned for a Lollard, while
he was pardoned for his youth, and by the intercession of
the old knight. Brother Joseph, as they call him, testified
that he had overheard the old man instructing you in
matters of heresy, and that you had both read from the
Lutheran books. He was especially bitter against yourself.
Then they went about with the old man to learn who had
purveyed him the Testament, but they could get no
satisfaction from him. I promise you he answered them
roundly. Well, the end of it all is, the poor old father is to be
burned tomorrow, and you are to be carried to see the
show. So there! It is a shame. I care not who hears me say
it, and he like a father to you."
"So said one of the priests. ''Tis like seething the kid in its
mother's milk,' said he, and old Thomas, who disdained to
say a word for himself, plead earnestly for you that you
might be spared the sight, but they said it was for your
soul's sake, and they would not hear him. What now! Keep
up like a man! I have more for you to hear. See, drink this,"
said the jailer, with rough kindness, holding a cup to Jack's
lips. "I have a message for you, and I promised to deliver
it."

Jack made an effort to overcome the faintness which was


stealing over him, and roused himself to hear the rest.

"The old man bade me tell you to be of good courage and


care not for what was to happen to him; 'for,' says he, 'my
pain will be but short and my happiness eternal, and so will
yours be, so you be but faithful.' There, I had no business
to tell it you, but I am not one to refuse a request to a
dying man."

"Master Dennett?" asked Jack.

"Oh, he hath recanted and confessed all," answered the


jailer, with a touch of scorn. "He was a cock of another sort,
I promise you. He is to do penance tomorrow in face of the
people, and suffer some fine. But I pray you consider well
what you are about, for this monk is in fiery earnest, and it
were pity of your father's son to suffer such a death."

"And will you not let me see my uncle again?" Jack asked.

"I could not, if I would," replied the jailer.

"The old man is not here, but confined in the room in the
church tower yonder. Fare you well."
When Jack was left alone, he sat down on his bedside like
one stunned. Burned! That good, innocent old man! That
one whom he loved like a father—who had been truly, and
not in mere name, a spiritual father to him. Burned alive!
And he was to see it! There was no escape. He was in hands
which knew not how to show mercy, and which would never
spare him one pang.

He said to himself that he had expected this—that he had


known all along that it would come at last; but none the
less did it come on him with the suddenness of a hard blow.
There are certain things for which no amount of preparation
will prepare us. Then would come the old horrible thought—
was it worth while after all? Was he not sacrificing life and
reputation for a mere dream—a figment of the imagination?
Was not one religious belief as good as another—were they
not alike the inventions of men? Then, how many good men
had believed that which he was about to die for denying!
His father believed it still—so did Father John and my lady.
Might it not be true, after all? And if it were not strictly so,
was it not at any rate as true as the rest? Might he not
profess his own belief, and so escape till better times—those
times which Master Fleming believed would surely come,
when the storm should have spent itself and passed away?

He might keep his Bible and read it in secret, or he might


slip away and go abroad to Wittenburg, where he could
confess the truth without fear.

But Jack had learned already that the devil is never to be


conquered by listening to and arguing with him, but by
taking refuge from his malice and sophistry in the presence
of God.

He threw himself on his knees, and then on his face, and


there poured out the bitterness of his soul. At first, he could
say little more than "Lord help me! Lord deliver me!" over
and over again, but by degrees he grew calmer, and the
quieting and comforting influence of the Holy Spirit made
itself felt in his soul.

Promise after promise came thronging to his mind, full of


beauty and force as he had never known them before, and
at last the full crowning work of Divine grace was wrought
in his soul, and he was able to say for his friend as well as
for himself, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
He had never felt any fear for his uncle's steadfastness, and
he no longer had any as regarded his own. He felt sure that
the Lord was faithful who had promised; and that strength
would be given him according to the work he had to do.

He rose at last, and, lighting his candle, he took out the


precious little book which had so strangely come to him, but
he had read barely one chapter before he heard footsteps
approaching, and hastily extinguishing his light, he thrust
that and his book far into the straw of his bed. He had
hardly done so before his door was unlocked and Father
Barnaby entered his cell.

"You watch late, my son," was his first greeting; "methinks


you should be glad to sleep."

Jack simply inclined his head.

The priest put down the lantern he carried, and sat himself
down on the pallet opposite to Jack, as if prepared to enter
into conversation. Jack quietly waited for him to begin.

"You have heard the result of the trial to-day, I suppose,"


said Father Barnaby, after some minutes silence.

Jack assented.

You might also like