A DESCRIPTION OF TIMOR.
A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND TIMOR.
The island Timor, as I have said in my Voyage round the World, is about
seventy leagues long and fourteen or sixteen broad. It lies nearly
north-east and south-west. The middle of it lies in about 9 degrees south
latitude. It has no navigable rivers nor many harbours; but abundance of
bays for ships to ride in at some seasons of the year. The shore is very
bold, free from rocks, shoals or islands, excepting a few which are
visible and therefore easily avoided. On the south side there is a shoal
laid down in our charts about thirty leagues from the south-west end; I
was fifteen or twenty leagues further to the east than that distance, but
saw nothing of the shoal; neither could I find any harbour. It is a
pretty even shore, with sandy bays and low land for about three or four
miles up; and then it is mountainous. There is no anchoring but with half
a league or a league at farthest from the shore; and the low land that
bounds the sea has nothing but red mangroves, even from the foot of the
mountains till you come within a hundred and fifty or two hundred paces
of the sea; and then you have sandbanks clothed with a sort of pine; so
that there is no getting water on this side because of the mangroves.
THE ISLAND ANABAO. FAULT OF THE CHARTS. THE CHANNEL BETWEEN TIMOR AND ANABAO.
At the south-west end of Timor is a pretty high island called Anabao. It
is about ten or twelve leagues long and about four broad; near which the
Dutch are settled. It lies so near Timor that it is laid down in our
charts as part of that island; yet we found a narrow deep channel fit for
any ships to pass between them. This channel is about ten leagues long
and in some places not above a league wide. It runs north-east and
south-west, so deep that there is no anchoring but very nigh the shore.
There is but little tide; the flood setting north and the ebb to the
southward. At the north-east end of this channel are two points of land
not above a league asunder; one on the south side upon Timor, called
Kupang; the other on the north side, upon the island Anabao. From this
last point the land trends away northerly two or three leagues, opens to
the sea, and then bends in again to the westward.
KUPANG BAY. FORT CONCORDIA.
Being past these points you open a bay of about eight leagues long and
four wide. This bay trends in on the south side north-east by east from
the south point before mentioned; making many small points or little
coves. About a league to the east of the said south point the Dutch have
a small stone fort, situated on a firm rock close by the sea: this fort
they call Concordia. On the east side of the fort there is a small river
of fresh water which has a broad boarded bridge over it, near to the
entry into the fort. Beyond this river is a small sandy bay where the
boats and barks land and convey their traffic in or out of the fort.
About a hundred yards from the seaside, and as many from the fort, and
forty yards from the bridge on the east side, the Company have a fine
garden, surrounded with a good stone wall; in it is plenty of all sorts
of salads, cabbages, roots for the kitchen; in some parts of it are
fruit-trees, as jacas, pumplenose, oranges, sweet lemons, etc. And by the
walls are coconut and toddy-trees in great plenty. Besides these they
have musk and watermelons, pineapples, pomecitrons, pomegranates, and
other sorts of fruits. Between this garden and the river there is a pen
for black cattle, whereof they have plenty. Beyond the Company's ground
the natives have their houses, in number about fifty or sixty. There are
forty or fifty soldiers belonging to this fort, but I know not how many
guns they have; for I had only opportunity to see one bastion, which had
in it four guns. Within the walls there is a neat little church or
chapel.
A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF THE BAY.
Beyond Concordia the land runs about seven leagues to the bottom of the
bay; then it is not above a league and a half from side to side, and the
land trends away northerly to the north shore, then turns about again to
the westward, making the south side of the bay. About three leagues and a
half from the bottom of the bay on this side there is a small island
about a musket-shot from the shore; and a reef of rocks that runs from it
to the eastward about a mile. On the west side of the island is a channel
of three fathom at low-water, of which depth it is also within, where
ships may haul in and careen. West from this island the land rounds away
in a bight or elbow, and at last ends in a low point of land which shoots
forth a ledge of rocks a mile into the sea, which is dry at low water.
Just against the low point of land and to the west of the ledge of rocks
is another pretty high and rocky yet woody island, about half a mile from
the low point; which island has a ledge of corally rocks running from it
all along to the other small island, only leaving one channel between
them. Many of these rocks are to be seen at low-water, and there seldom
is water enough for a boat to go over them till quarter flood or more.
Within this ledge there is two or three fathom water, and without it no
less than ten or twelve fathom close to the rocks. A league without this
last rocky island is another small low sandy island, about four miles
from the low point, three leagues from the Dutch fort Concordia and three
leagues and a half from the south-west point of the bay. Ships that come
in this way must pass between this low isle and the low point, keeping
near the isle.
THE ANCHORING-PLACE, CALLED BABAO.
In this bay there is any depth of water from thirty to three fathom, very
good oazy holding ground. This affords the best shelter against all winds
of any place about the island Timor. But from March to October, while
either the southerly winds or only land and seabreezes hold, the
Concordia side is best to ride in; but when the more violent northerly
winds come then the best riding is between the two rocky islands in
nineteen or twenty fathom. If you bring the westernmost island to bear
south-west by west about a league distance, and the low point west by
south; then the body of the sandy island will bear south-west half west,
distance two leagues; and the ledges of rocks shooting from each make
such a bar that no sea can come in. Then you have the land from west by
south to east-north-east to defend you on that side: and other winds do
not here blow violently. But if they did yet you are so land-locked that
there can be no sea to hurt you. This anchoring-place is called Babao,
about five leagues from Concordia. The greatest inconveniency in it is
the multitude of worms. Here is fresh water enough to be had in the wet
season; every little gulley discharging fresh water into the sea.
THE MALAYANS HERE KILL ALL THE EUROPEANS THEY CAN.
In the dry season you must search for it in standing ponds or gulleys,
where the wild buffaloes, hogs, etc. resort every morning and evening to
drink; where you may lie and shoot them, taking care that you go strong
enough and well-armed against the natives upon all occasions. For though
there are no inhabitants near this place yet the Malayans come in great
companies when ships are here; and if they meet with any Europeans they
kill them, of what nation soever they be, not excepting the Portuguese
themselves. It is but two years since a Portuguese ship riding here had
all the boat's crew cut off as they were watering; as I was informed by
the Dutch. Here likewise is plenty of fish of several sorts, which may be
caught with a seine; also tortoise and oysters.
From the north-east point of this bay, on the north side of the island,
the land trends away north-north-east for four or five leagues; afterward
north-east or more easterly; and when you are fourteen or fifteen leagues
to the eastward of Babao you come up with a point that makes like
Flamborough Head, if you are pretty nigh the land; but if at a distance
from it on either side it appears like an island. This point is very
remarkable, there being none other like it in all this island. When you
are abreast of this point you will see another point about four leagues
to the eastward; and when you are abreast of this latter point you will
see a small island bearing east or east by north (according to your
distance from the land) just rising out of the water: when you see it
plain you will be abreast of a pretty deep sandy bay, which has a point
in the middle that comes sloping from the mountains with a curious valley
on each side: the sandy bay runs from one valley to the other. You may
sail into this bay, and anchor a little to the eastward of the point in
twenty fathom water, half a mile from the shore, soft oaze. Then you will
be about two leagues from the west point of the bay, and about eight
leagues from the small island before mentioned, which you can see pretty
plain bearing east-north-east a little northwardly. Some other marks are
set down in the foregoing chapter. In this sandy bay you will find fresh
water in two or three places. At spring tides you will see many
ripplings, like shoals; but they are only eddies caused by the two points
of the bay.
We saw smokes all day up in the mountains, and fires by night, at certain
places where we supposed the natives lived, but saw none of them.
The tides ran between the two points of the bay, very strong and
uncertain: yet it did not rise and fall above nine foot upon a spring
tide: but it made great ripplings and a roaring noise, whirling about
like whirlpools. We had constantly eddy tides under the shore, made by
the points on each side of the bay.
LAPHAO, A PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENT, DESCRIBED.
When you go hence to the eastward you may pass between the small island
and Timor; and when you are five or six leagues to the eastward of the
small island you will see a large valley to the eastward of you; then,
running a little further, you may see houses on the bay: you may luff in,
but anchor not till you go about the next point. Then you will see more
houses where you may run in to twenty or thirty fathom, and anchor right
against the houses, nearest the west end of them. This place is called
Laphao. It is a Portuguese settlement, about sixteen leagues from the
watering-bay.
There are in it about forty or fifty houses and one church. The houses
are mean and low, the walls generally made of mud or wattled, and their
sides made up with boards: they are all thatched with palm or palmetto
leaves. The church also is very small: the east end of it is boarded up
to the top; but the sides and the west end are only boarded three or four
foot high; the rest is all open: there is a small altar in it, with two
steps to go up to it, and an image or two; but all very mean. It is also
thatched with palm or palmetto leaves. Each house has a yard belonging to
it, fenced about with wild canes nine or ten foot high. There is a well
in each yard, and a little bucket with a string to it to draw water
withal. There is a trunk of a tree made hollow, placed in each well, to
keep the earth from falling in. Round the yards there are many
fruit-trees planted; as coconuts, tamarinds and toddy-trees.
They have a small hovel by the sea side where there are six small old
iron guns standing on a decayed platform, in rotten carriages. Their
vents are so big that when they are fired, the strength of the powder
flying out there, they give but a small report like that of a musket.
This is their court of guard; and here were a few armed men watching all
the time we lay here.
The inhabitants of the town are chiefly a sort of Indians of a
copper-colour, with black lank hair: they speak Portuguese and are of the
Romish religion; but they take the liberty to eat flesh when they please.
They value themselves on the account of their religion and descent from
the Portuguese; and would be very angry if a man should say they are not
Portuguese; yet I saw but three white men here, two of which were padres.
There are also a few Chinese living here. It is a place of pretty good
trade and strength, the best on this island, Porta Nova excepted. They
have three or four small barks belonging to the place; with which they
trade chiefly about the island with the natives for wax, gold, and
sandalwood. Sometimes they go to Batavia and fetch European commodities,
rice, etc.
The Chinese trade hither from Macao; and I was informed that about twenty
sail of small vessels come from thence hither every year. They bring
coarse rice, adulterated gold, tea, iron, and iron tools, porcelain,
silks, etc. They take in exchange pure gold, as it is gathered in the
mountains, beeswax, sandalwood, slaves, etc. Sometimes also here comes a
ship from Goa. Ships that trade here began to come hither the latter end
of March; and none stay here longer than the latter end of August. For
should they be here while the north-north-west monsoon blows no cables
nor anchors would hold them; but they would be driven ashore and dashed
in pieces presently. But from March till September, while the
south-south-east monsoon blows, ships ride here very secure; for then,
though the wind often blows hard, yet it is offshore; so that there is
very smooth water, and no fear of being driven ashore; and yet even then
they moor with three cables; two towards the land, eastward and westward;
and the third right off to seaward.
As this is the second place of traffic so it is in strength the second
place the Portuguese have here, though not capable of resisting a hundred
men: for the pirates that were at the Dutch fort came hither also; and
after they had filled their water and cut firewood and refreshed
themselves, they plundered the houses, set them on fire, and went away.
Yet I was told that the Portuguese can draw together five or six hundred
men in twenty-four hours time, all armed with hand-guns, swords and
pistols; but powder and bullets are scarce and dear. The chief person
they have on the island is named Antonio Henriquez; they call him usually
by the title of Captain More or Maior. They say he is a white man, and
that he was sent hither by the viceroy of Goa. I did not see him; for he
lives, as I was informed, a great way from hence, at a place called Porta
Nova, which is at the east end of the island, and by report is a good
harbour; but they say that this Captain More goes frequently to wars in
company with the Indians that are his neighbours and friends, against
other Indians that are their enemies. The next man to him is Alexis
Mendosa; he is a lieutenant, and lives six or seven miles from hence, and
rules this part of the country. He is a little man of the Indian race,
copper-coloured, with black lank hair. He speaks both the Indian and
Portuguese languages; is a Roman Catholic, and seems to be a civil brisk
man. There is another lieutenant at Laphao; who is also an Indian; speaks
both his own and the Portuguese language very well; is old and infirm,
but was very courteous to me.
They boast very much of their strength here, and say they are able at any
time to drive the Dutch away from the island, had they permission from
the king of Portugal so to do. But though they boast thus of their
strength yet really they are very weak; for they have but a few small
arms and but little powder: they have no fort, nor magazine of arms; nor
does the viceroy of Goa send them any now: for though they pretend to be
under the king of Portugal they are a sort of lawless people, and are
under no government. It was not long since the viceroy of Goa sent a ship
hither, and a land-officer to remain here: but Captain More put him in
irons, and sent him aboard the ship again; telling the commander that he
had no occasion for any officers; and that he could make better officers
here than any that could be sent him from Goa: and I know not whether
there has been any other ship sent from Goa since: so that they have no
supplies from thence: yet they need not want arms and ammunition, seeing
they trade to Batavia. However they have swords and lances as other
Indians have; and though they are ambitious to be called Portuguese, and
value themselves on their religion, yet most of the men and all the women
that live here are Indians; and there are very few right Portuguese in
any part of the island. However of those that call themselves Portuguese
I was told there are some thousands; and I think their strength consists
more in their numbers than in good arms or discipline.
The land from hence trends away east by north about 14 leagues, making
many points and sandy bays, where vessels may anchor.
PORT CICCALE.
Fourteen leagues east from Laphao there is a small harbour called Ciccale
by the Portuguese, and commended by them for an excellent port; but it is
very small, has a narrow entrance, and lies open to northerly winds:
though indeed there are two ledges of rocks, one shooting out from the
west point and the other from the east point, which break off the sea;
for the rocks are dry at low water. This place is about 60 leagues from
the south-west end of the island.
THE HILLS, WATER, LOWLANDS, SOIL, WOODS, METALS, IN THE ISLAND TIMOR.
The whole of this island Timor is a very uneven rough country, full of
hills and small valleys. In the middle of it there runs a chain of high
mountains, almost from one end to the other. It is indifferently well
watered (even in the dry times) with small brooks and springs, but no
great rivers; the island being but narrow, and such a chain of mountains
in the middle that no water can run far; but, as the springs break out on
one side or other of the hills, they make their nearest course to the
sea. In the wet season the valleys and low lands by the sea are overflown
with water; and then the small drills that run into the sea are great
rivers; and the gullies, which are dry for 3 or 4 months before, now
discharge an impetuous torrent. The low land by the seaside is for the
most part friable, loose, sandy soil; yet indifferently fertile and
clothed with woods. The mountains are chequered with woods and some spots
of savannahs: some of the hills are wholly covered with tall, flourishing
trees; others but thinly; and these few trees that are on them, look very
small, rusty and withered; and the spots of savannahs among them appear
rocky and barren. Many of the mountains are rich in gold, copper, or
both: the rains wash the gold out of mountains, which the natives pick up
in the adjacent brooks, as the Spaniards do in America: how they get the
copper I know not.
ITS TREES.
The trees that grow naturally here are of divers sorts; many of them
wholly unknown to me; but such as I have seen in America or other places,
and grow here likewise, are these, namely mangrove, white, red and black;
maho, calabash, several sorts of the palm kind: the cotton-trees are not
large, but tougher than those in America: here are also locust-trees of 2
or 3 sorts, bearing fruit, but not like those I have formerly seen; these
bear a large white blossom, and yield much fruit but, it is not sweet.
CANA-FISTULA-TREE DESCRIBED.
Cana-fistula-trees are very common here; the tree is about the bigness of
our ordinary apple-trees; their branches not thick, nor full of leaves.
These and the before-mentioned blossom in October and November; the
blossoms are much like our apple-tree blossoms, and about that bigness:
at first they are red; but before they fall off, when spread abroad, they
are white; so that these trees in their season appear extraordinarily
pleasant, and yield a very fragrant smell. When the fruit is ripe it is
round, and about the bigness of a man's thumb; of a dark brown colour,
inclining to red, and about 2 foot or 2 foot and a half long. We found
many of them under the trees, but they had no pulp in them. The
partitions in the middle are much at the same distance with those brought
to England, of the same substance, and such small flat seed in them: but
whether they be the true cana-fistula or no I cannot tell, because I
found no black pulp in them.
The calabashes here are very prickly: the trees grow tall and tapering;
whereas in the West Indies they are low and spread much abroad.
Here are also wild tamarind-trees, not as large as the true; though much
resembling them both in the bark and leaf.
WILD FIGTREES DESCRIBED.
Wild fig trees here are many, but not so large as those in America. The
fruit grows not on the branches singly like those in America, but in
strings and clusters, 40 or 50 in a cluster, about the body and great
branches of the tree, from the very root up to the top. These figs are
about the bigness of a crab-apple, of a greenish colour, and full of
small white seeds; they smell pretty well, but have no juice or taste;
they are ripe in November.
Here likewise grows sandalwood, and many more sorts of trees fit for any
uses. The tallest among them resemble our pines; they are straight and
clear-bodied, but not very thick; the inside is reddish near the heart
and hard and ponderous.
TWO NEW SORTS OF PALMTREES DESCRIBED.
Of the palm kind there are 3 or 4 sorts; two of which kinds I have not
seen anywhere but here. Both sorts are very large and tall. The first
sort had trunks of about 7 or eight foot in circumference and about 80 or
90 foot high. These had branches at the top like coconut-trees, and their
fruit like coconuts, but smaller: the nut was of an oval form, and about
the bigness of a duck's egg: the shell black and very hard. It was almost
full of kernel, having only a small empty space in the middle, but no
water as coconuts have. The kernel is too hard to be eaten. The fruit
somewhat resembles that in Brazil formerly mentioned. The husk or outside
of the fruit was very yellow, soft and pulpy when ripe; and full of small
fibres; and when it fell down from the trees would mash and smell
unsavoury.
The other sort was as big and tall as the former; the body growing
straight up without limbs, as all trees of the palm kind do: but, instead
of a great many long green branches growing from the head of the tree,
these had short branches about the bigness of a man's arm, and about a
foot long; each of which spread itself into a great many small tough
twigs, that hung full of fruit like so many ropes of onions. The fruit
was as big as a large plum; and every tree had several bushels of fruit.
The branches that bore this fruit sprouted out at about 50 or 60 foot
height from the ground. The trunk of the tree was all of one bigness from
the ground to that height; but from thence it went tapering smaller and
smaller to the top, where it was no bigger than a man's leg, ending in a
stump: and there was no green about the tree but the fruit; so that it
appeared like a dead trunk.
Besides fruit trees here were many sorts of tall straight-bodied
timber-trees; one sort of which was like pine. These grow plentifully all
round the island by the seaside, but not far within land. It is hard
wood, of a reddish colour, and very ponderous.
THE FRUITS OF THE ISLAND.
The fruits of this island are guavas, mangoes, jacas, coconuts,
plantains, bananas, pineapples, citrons, pomegranates, oranges, lemons,
limes, musk-melons, watermelons, pumpkins, etc. Many of these have been
brought hither by the Dutch and Portuguese; and most of them are ripe in
September and October. There were many other excellent fruits, but not
now in season; as I was informed both by the Dutch and Portuguese.
THE HERBS.
Here I met with an herb which in the West Indies we call calalaloo. It
grows wild here. I ate of it several times and found it as pleasant and
wholesome as spinach. Here are also parsley, samphire, etc. Indian corn
thrives very well here, and is the common food of the islanders; though
the Portuguese and their friends sow some rice, but not half enough for
their subsistence.
ITS LAND ANIMALS.
The land animals are buffaloes, beeves, horses, hogs, goats, sheep,
monkeys, iguanas, lizards, snakes, scorpions, centumpees, etc. Beside the
tame hogs and buffaloes, there are many wild all over the country, which
any may freely kill. As for the beeves, horses, goats, and sheep, it is
probable they were brought in by the Portuguese or Dutch; especially the
beeves; for I saw none but at the Dutch fort Concordia.
We also saw monkeys and some snakes. One sort yellow, and as big as a
man's arm, and about 4 foot long: another sort no bigger than the stem of
a tobacco pipe, about 5 foot long, green all over his body, and with a
flat red head as big as a man's thumb.
FOWLS. THE RINGING-BIRD.
The fowls are wild cocks and hens, eagles, hawks, crows, 2 sorts of
pigeons, turtledoves, 3 or 4 sorts of parrots, parakeets, cockatoos,
blackbirds; besides a multitude of smaller birds of divers colours, whose
charming music makes the woods very pleasant. One sort of these pretty
little birds my men called the ringing-bird; because it had 6 notes, and
always repeated all his notes twice one after another; beginning high and
shrill and ending low. This bird was about the bigness of a lark, having
a small sharp black bill and blue wings; the head and breast were of a
pale red, and there was a blue streak about its neck. Here are also
sea- or waterfowls, as men-of-war-birds, boobies, fishing-hawks, herons,
galdens, crab-catchers, etc. The tame fowl are cocks, hens, ducks, geese;
the 2 last sorts I only saw at the Dutch fort, of the other sort there
are not many but among the Portuguese: the woods abound with bees, which
make much honey and wax.
ITS FISH. COCKLE MERCHANTS AND OYSTERS. COCKLES AS BIG AS A MAN'S HEAD.
The sea is very well stocked with fish of divers sorts, namely mullet,
bass, bream, snook, mackerel, parracoots, garfish, ten-pounders,
scuttle-fish, stingrays, whiprays, rasperages, cockle-merchants, or
oyster-crackers, cavallies, conger-eels, rock-fish, dog-fish, etc. The
rays are so plentiful that I never drew the seine but I caught some of
them; which we salted and dried. I caught one whose tail was 13 foot
long. The cockle-merchants are shaped like cavallies, and about their
bigness. They feed on shellfish, having 2 very hard, thick, flat bones in
their throat, with which they break in pieces the shells of the fish they
swallow. We always find a great many shells in their maws, crushed in
pieces. The shellfish are oysters of 3 sorts, namely long-oysters, common
oysters, growing upon rocks in great abundance and very flat; and another
sort of large oysters, fat and crooked; the shell of this not easily to
be distinguished from a stone. Three or four of these roasted will
suffice a man for one meal. Cockles, as big as a man's head; of which 2
or 3 are enough for a meal; they are very fat and sweet. Crawfish,
shrimps, etc. Here are also many green-turtle, some alligators and
grandpisces, etc.
ITS ORIGINAL NATIVES DESCRIBED.
The original natives of this island are Indians, they are of a middle
stature, straight-bodied, slender-limbed, long-visaged; their hair black
and lank; their skins very swarthy. They are very dexterous and nimble,
but withal lazy in the high degree. They are said to be dull in
everything but treachery and barbarity. Their houses are but low and
mean, their clothing only a small cloth about their middle; but some of
them for ornament have frontlets of mother-of-pearl, or thin pieces of
silver or gold, made of an oval form of the breadth of a crown-piece,
curiously notched round the edges; five of these placed one by another a
little above the eyebrows making a sufficient guard and ornament for
their forehead. They are so thin and placed on their foreheads so
artificially that they seem reverted thereon: and indeed the pearl-oyster
shells make a more splendid show than either silver or gold. Others of
them have palmetto-caps made in divers forms.
As to their marriages they take as many wives as they can maintain; and
sometimes they sell their children to purchase more wives. I enquired
about their religion and was told they had none. Their common subsistence
is by Indian corn, which every man plants for himself. They take but
little pains to clear their land for in the dry time they set fire to the
withered grass and shrubs, and that burns them out a plantation for the
next wet season. What other grain they have beside Indian corn I know
not. Their plantations are very mean; for they delight most in hunting;
and here are wild buffaloes and hogs enough, though very shy because of
their so frequent hunting.
They have a few boats and some fishermen. Their arms are lances, thick
round short truncheons and targets; with these they hunt and kill their
game and their enemies too; for this island is now divided into many
kingdoms, and all of different languages; though in their customs and
manner of living, as well as shape and colour, they seem to be of one
stock.
THE PORTUGUESE AND DUTCH SETTLEMENTS.
The chiefest kingdoms are Kupang, Amabia, Lortribie, Pobumbie, Namquimal;
the island also of Anamabao, or Anabao, is a kingdom. Each of these has a
sultan who is supreme in his province and kingdom, and has under him
several rajas and other inferior officers. The sultans for the most part
are enemies to each other, which enmities are fomented and kept up by the
Dutch, whose fort and factory is in the kingdom of Kupang; and therefore
the bay near which they are settled, is commonly called Kupang Bay. They
have only as much ground as they can keep within reach of their guns; yet
this whole kingdom is at peace with them; and they freely trade together;
as also with the islanders on Anabao, who are in amity as well with the
natives of Kupang as with the Dutch residing there; but they are
implacable enemies to those of Amabie, who are their next neighbours, and
in amity with the Portuguese: as are also the kingdoms of Pobumbie,
Namquimal and Lortribie. It is very probable that these 2 European
settlements on this island are the greatest occasion of their continued
wars. The Portuguese vaunt highly of their strength here and that they
are able at pleasure to rout the Dutch, if they had authority so to do
from the king of Portugal; and they have written to the viceroy of Goa
about it: and though their request is not yet granted, yet (as they say)
they live in expectation of it. These have no forts but depend on their
alliance with the natives: and indeed they are already so mixed that it
is hard to distinguish whether they are Portuguese or Indians. Their
language is Portuguese; and the religion they have is Romish. They seem
in words to acknowledge the king of Portugal for their sovereign; yet
they will not accept of any officers sent by him. They speak
indifferently the Malayan and their own native languages, as well as
Portuguese; and the chiefest officers that I saw were of this sort;
neither did I see above 3 or 4 white men among them; and of these 2 were
priests. Of this mixed breed there are some thousands; of whom some have
small arms of their own, and know how to use them. The chiefest person
(as I before said) is called Captain More or Maior: he is a white man,
sent hither by the viceroy of Goa, and seems to have great command here.
I did not see him; for he seldom comes down. His residence is at a place
called Porta Nova; which the people at Laphao told me was a great way
off; but I could not get any more particular account. Some told me that
he is most commonly in the mountains, with an army of Indians, to guard
the passes between them and the Kupangayans, especially in the dry times.
The next man to him is Alexis Mendosa: he is a right Indian, speaks very
good Portuguese, and is of the Romish religion. He lives 5 or 6 miles
from the sea, and is called the lieutenant. (This is he whom I called
governor, when at Laphao.) He commands next to Captain More, and has
under him another at this fort (at the seaside) if it may be so-called.
He also is called lieutenant and is an Indian Portuguese.
Besides this mongrel breed of Indians and Portuguese here are also some
Chinamen, merchants from Macao: they bring hither coarse rice, gold, tea,
iron-work, porcelain, and silk both wrought and raw: they get in exchange
pure gold as it is here gathered, beeswax, sandalwood, coir, etc. It is
said there are about 20 small China vessels come hither every year from
Macao; and commonly one vessel a year from Goa, which brings European
commodities and calicos, muslins, etc. Here are likewise some small barks
belonging to this place, that trade to Batavia, and bring from thence
both European and Indian goods and rice. The vessels generally come here
in March and stay till September.
The Dutch as I before said are settled in the kingdom of Kupang, where
they have a small neat stone fort. It seems to be pretty strong; yet, as
I was informed, had been taken by a French pirate about 2 years ago: the
Dutch were used very barbarously, and ever since are very jealous of any
strangers that come this way; which I myself experienced. These depend
more on their own strength than on the natives their friends; having good
guns, powder, and shot enough on all occasions, and soldiers sufficient
to manage the business here, all well disciplined and in good order;
which is a thing the Portuguese their neighbours are altogether destitute
of, they having no European soldiers, few arms, less ammunition, and
their fort consisting of no more than 6 bad guns planted against the sea,
whose touch-holes (as was before observed) are so enlarged by time that a
great part of the strength of the powder flies away there; and, having
soldiers in pay, the natives on all occasions are hired; and their
government now is so loose that they will admit of no more officers from
Portugal or Goa. They have also little or no supply of arms or ammunition
from thence, but buy it as often as they can of the Dutch, Chinese, etc.,
so that upon the whole it seems improbable that they should ever attempt
to drive out the Dutch for fear of loosing themselves, notwithstanding
their bosomed prowess and alliance with the natives: and indeed, as far
as I could hear, they have business enough to keep their own present
territories from the incursions of the Kupangayans; who are friends to
the Dutch, and whom doubtless the Dutch have ways enough to preserve in
their friendship; besides that they have an inveterate malice to their
neighbours, insomuch that they kill all they meet, and bring away their
heads in triumph. The great men of Kupang stick the heads of those they
have killed on poles; and set them on the tops of their houses; and these
they esteem above all their other riches. The inferior sort bring the
heads of those they kill into houses made for that purpose; of which
there was one at the Indian village near the fort Concordia, almost full
of heads, as I was told. I know not what encouragement they have for
their inhumanity.
THE MALAYAN LANGUAGE GENERALLY SPOKEN HERE.
The Dutch have always 2 sloops belonging to their fort; in these they go
about the island and trade with the natives and, as far as I could learn,
they trade indifferently with them all. For though the inland people are
at war with each other, yet those by the seaside seem to be little
concerned; and, generally speaking the Malayan language, are very
sociable and easily induced to trade with those that speak that language;
which the Dutch here always learn; besides, being well acquainted with
the treachery of these people, they go well armed among them, and are
very vigilant never to give them an opportunity to hurt them; and it is
very probable that they supply them with such goods as the Portuguese
cannot.
LORANTUCA ON THE ISLAND ENDE.
The Malayan language, as I have before said, is generally spoken amongst
all the islands hereabouts. The greater the trade is the more this
language is spoken: in some it is become their only language; in others
it is but little spoken, and that by the seaside only. With this language
the Mahomedan religion did spread itself, and was got hither before any
European Christians came: but now, though the language is still used, the
Mahomedan religion falls, wherever the Portuguese or Dutch are settled;
unless they be very weak, as at Solor and Ende, where the chief language
is Malayan, and the religion Mahomedanism; though the Dutch are settled
at Solor, and the Portuguese at the east end of the island Ende, at a
place called Lorantuca; which, as I was informed, is a large town, has a
pretty strong fort and safe harbour. The chief man there (as at Timor) is
called Captain More, and is as absolute as the other. These 2 principal
men are enemies to each other; and by their letters and messages to Goa
inveigh bitterly against each other; and are ready to do all the ill
offices they can; yet neither of them much regards the viceroy of Goa, as
I was informed.
Lorantuca is said to be more populous than any town on Timor; the island
Ende affording greater plenty of all manner of fruit, and being much
better supplied with all necessaries than Laphao; especially with sheep,
goats, hogs, poultry, etc. But it is very dangerous getting into this
harbour because of the violent tides between the islands Ende and Solor.
In the middle channel between Timor and the range of islands to the
northward of it, whereof Ende and Solor are 2, there runs a constant
current all the year to the westward; though near either shore there are
tides indeed; but the tide of flood, which sets west, running 8 or 9
hours, and the ebb not exceeding 3 or 4 hours, the tide in some places
rises 9 or 10 foot on a spring.
THE SEASONS, WINDS, AND WEATHER AT TIMOR.
The seasons of the year here at Timor are much the same as in other
places in south latitude. The fair weather begins in April or May and
continues to October, then the tornadoes begin to come, but no violent
bad weather till the middle of December. Then there are violent west or
north-west winds, with rain, till towards the middle of February. In May
the southerly winds set in and blow very strong on the north side of the
island, but fair. There is great difference of winds on the 2 sides of
the island: for the southerly winds are but very faint on the south side,
and very hard on the north side; and the bad weather on the south side
comes in very violent in October, which on the north side comes not till
December. You have very good sea and land breezes, when the weather is
fair; and may run indifferently to the east or west, as your business
lies. We found from September to December the winds veering all round the
compass gradually in 24 hours time; but such a constant western current
that it is much harder getting to the east than west at or near spring
tides: which I have more than once made trial of. For weighing from Babao
at 6 o'clock in the morning on the 12 instant we kept plying under the
shore till the 20th, meeting with such a western current that we gained
very little. We had land and seabreezes; but so faint that we could
hardly stem the current; and when it was calm between the breezes we
drove a-stern faster than ever we sailed ahead.