Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/337

CHAPTER II. ANCIENT HISTORY OF JAVA. No Ancient Historical Composition hnoiun to the Javanese.---^ Attempts at Histori/si?icethe Introduction of Mahomedanism, — Character of these attempts. — No great permanent empire ever established in Java, and xuhy.'—The latter part of the twelfth Century, the earliest authentic date ascertained*-^ Lists of ancient Kings mostly Jabrications, — Ancient /«- scriptions referred to. — Hindu States, viz. Doho, Bram- banan, Madang-kamolan, Janggolo, Singhasari, Pojjaja-' ran, Mojopdhit* JN o one, aware of the weakness of the human mind, and of the universal prevalence of supersti- tion and credulity, in so rude a state of society as that which exists in Java, will reasonably expect to find the Javanese possessed of any remote records deserving the name of history. If the accounts of their ancient story be less monstrously extrava- gant and impudent than those of the Hindus, they are fully more childish and incongruous. We find the niythological legends of ancient India na- turalized in Java, and blended with the wild tales of the country, while the whole, mixed up with Jewish and Mahomedan story, forms a mass of ab.*