LAKOR.
Description of the Island Lakor.--Coral Banks.--Shyness of the
Inhabitants.--Productions.--Singular Expedition.--Childish
Litigiousness and obstinate Implacability.--Native
Hospitality.--Customs and Dress of the People.
The island Lakor bears a perfect resemblance to a dry coral bank,
raised about twenty feet above the level of the sea. Patches of
sand are only to be met with here and there, and ground fit for the
formation of gardens is even more scarce. The sandy places are planted
with cocoa-nut groves, but besides these there are few large trees;
short plants and shrubs, which are probably of importance only to the
botanist, covering the remainder of the island, except a few parts,
where spots of ground are planted with yams or other roots. Most of
the necessaries of life are imported from the other islands.
Under these circumstances it cannot be expected that the population
of the island is very great. According to the statements of the most
trustworthy islanders it amounts only to between eight hundred and
a thousand souls, but a correct account is not to be looked for, as
the chiefs themselves do not know with exactness the number of their
people. Throughout the island there are only two Christians, the
remainder being all heathens.
With a light south-south-east wind we sailed to the eastward along the
north side of the island, as close as possible to the shore, to look
for a good anchoring place, for the pilot was as little acquainted with
the island as myself. We could not approach sufficiently near to the
easternmost of the two villages which lie here, so we anchored in seven
fathoms, on a patch of sand and stones, off the western one, and moored
the brig with a warp fixed to the reef which lines the shore. The shore
is very steep to, which rendered our anchorage unpleasant and insecure.
This occurs on every part of the north coast of the island. The
inhabitants informed me, that during the west monsoon there is good
anchorage between Moa and Lakor, opposite to the village of Mowai, but
I had no leisure to examine it in person during our stay.
In the evening of the 10th of July, after we had come to an anchor,
I went on shore with the interpreters, when I found, to my great
disappointment, that all the inhabitants had taken flight on our
appearance, with the exception of three aged women, whose language was
totally unintelligible to us. In the course of an hour, after they had
been wandering about the neighbourhood like strayed sheep, several
men approached us, who informed us, as we understood them, that their
chiefs were now upon the island Moa, but would probably return during
the night. This did not appear to be very probable, and I thought it
more likely that they had fled into the interior, which proved to be
the case; for the following day, having left the interpreters on shore
all night to inspire them with confidence, I was fortunate enough to
collect chiefs and people, when I informed them of the purport of my
visit.
This island was formerly under subjection to Moa, and the Orang Tua
resorted to it occasionally, to offer homage to the representatives of
the Dutch Government there; but now every _nigri_, or small district,
was under its own government, and perfectly independent of the chiefs
of Moa. Neither the Dutch East India Company, nor the Government, ever
had a garrison on Lakor. It was on this account that our unexpected
arrival proved so alarming to the natives, and their uneasiness had
been increased by knowing that some of their villages were in a state
of war with each other; a breach of the peace that was always punished
severely in the time of the Company.
It was not without great difficulty that I was enabled to inspire the
natives with confidence, and to this end, whenever good words would
not answer the purpose, I made use of serious threats, which have much
more effect on these ignorant people than any negociations. Lakor was
of too little importance to us for me to remain there long, I therefore
hurried my proceedings as much as possible, and in two days time
every thing was completed. I named a certain Bastiaan Bimar as their
Upper Orang Kaya, and installed the various village chiefs with the
customary solemnities, after which I gave them strong injunctions to
live in peace, unity and subordination to their rulers, and presented
them with some rice, arrack and cloth, together with a Dutch flag, the
latter of which was a very acceptable present.
During my short stay I was constantly employed in deciding all sorts of
petty differences, for the people live in a state of great disunion,
and without the interference of the Government, or of European traders,
they remain obstinately irreconcilable on the slightest quarrel.
Neither do they acknowledge the authority of their chiefs unless they
have been installed by the Dutch Government.
During a journey which I made inland, accompanied by my huntsman and my
interpreter, to endeavour to find some game, and to view the condition
of the interior, my attention was excited by a great number of caves,
containing live pigs, which on this island arrive at a tolerably
large size. We encountered also large flocks of sheep, which form a
most important branch of the wealth of the people. They also possess
buffaloes, but these are chiefly herded on the southern parts of the
island. Throughout the journey I found the ground to consist of hard
coral rocks overgrown with short plants, among which small plantations
of yam and Indian corn were occasionally met with, while the beach was
planted with cocoa-nut trees.
No wells are to be found on the island: the natives, therefore, collect
the water, which falls during the rains, in large pits, where it seems
to keep very well for a long time.
While on the excursion mentioned above, a troop of people, about two
hundred and fifty in number, belonging to the villages on the south
coast of the island, passed by us, every man being armed, as they were
then at war with the people of the northern parts of the island. On
approaching the village they ranged themselves two and two, carrying
themselves with an air of haughtiness, while a man walked at their head
waving an old Dutch flag fastened to the end of a bamboo. Behind him
was borne a chair, on which was placed a baton of the former East India
Company, and an old felt hat, and in the middle of the procession a
child of three years old was carried by a female. I followed them at
a little distance without being observed. On arriving in the village
the chair was placed before the idol, the people squatting round it,
without laying aside their weapons. When I approached them some time
afterwards, I found them in the same position.
The chair, with its contents, had formerly been the property of the
late Orang Kaya of the south coast. The child we had seen was his son,
who was proposed to me as his successor. Until he could fulfil the
office, the Government was entrusted to his uncle.
As usual, the differences among the islanders were soon settled by
me, and the event of this general reconciliation was celebrated by a
great feast, at which they pledged themselves to continued friendship.
The reconciliation between these people was conducted in a similar
manner to that between children who have quarrelled. Having first asked
permission to speak, they commenced blaming and accusing each other,
after which they held out their right hands, and requested me to join
them. This being performed they took a little _siri_ from each other's
boxes, when the ceremony of reconciliation was completed. The elders of
the parties commenced, and they were followed by their juniors, but the
women had nothing to do with the matter, being totally disregarded.
The _siri_ boxes, which are in general use among these islanders, are
made of plaited rushes, their length being five and their breadth four
inches. They are carried behind them, stuck into the _tjedako_ or
waist-belt; and whenever two friends meet, the one takes some _siri_
out of the box of the other.
Another custom obtains among these people, which bears a resemblance to
the universal hospitality of the Arabs. Strangers, who may visit their
island, or touch there during their voyages, are supplied with as many
yams and cocoa-nuts as they can consume, without any remuneration being
expected in return. On more than one occasion I had opportunities of
being an eyewitness to these acts of hospitality. The Orang Kaya of
Mowai, on the island of Moa, being unable to visit me during my stay
on that island, came over to see me on Lakor in his _jonko_, which was
hauled up on the beach, while he took up his residence in a cleft in
the rocks. He had brought no provisions for himself or his people, and
when I asked him how they would maintain themselves, he told me that he
had no difficulty on that point, since he took what he required out of
the plantations of the inhabitants, who would do the same when they
visited him. The rice and other provisions which I gave him during
his stay, were very thankfully received. On my demanding his reason
for thus taking up his residence outside the village, he informed me
that he was not on the best of terms with the people of Lakor, while
at the same time he was acting up to an old usage, their attachment to
which was proved by the fact of two Christians, who were of the party,
refusing, as well as the others, to pass the night in the houses of
their hosts.
Although there were only two Christian inhabitants on the island,
these, like their neighbours of the same persuasion, distinguished
themselves from the others by their mode of dress. The common costume
is much the same throughout the group. That of the men consists of a
_badju_ or loose coat of calico, flowered or striped blue and red, with
pantaloons and _sarong_ of the same materials; while the women wear a
_badju_, and a _sarong_ or petticoat, the upper edge being carelessly
twisted round the waist. The Mohammedans are distinguished from the
others by a handkerchief on the head, arranged like a turban. The
Christians, on the other hand, equally prize an European hat, those
of the upper classes being distinguished by coats, breeches, shoes and
stockings, after our fashion, while the Christians of the lower ranks,
who wear the usual native dress, have their clothes dyed black, those
of the heathens and Mohammedans being invariably of a lighter colour.