Voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga

by D. H. Kolff

[7] When Captain King first visited Melville Island, on the north coast of Australia, the natives appeared on the beach and called out to our voyager, "Ven aca," the Portuguese term for "Come here." From this, coupled with many circumstances that came under his observation during his stay at Melville Island, Major Campbell, in an excellent account of that island inserted in the journal of the Royal Geographical Society, states it to be his opinion, that the Portuguese sometimes touch here and carry off the natives as slaves. When this part of the world is better known, similar scandalous transactions will, probably, be brought to light.—Trans.

CHAPTER III.

THE SERWATTY ISLANDS.

Arrival at the island of Wetta.—Productions.—Trade.—Interview with the natives.—Destruction of the chief village.—Depart for Kissa.—The Christian inhabitants.—The fort Vallenhoven.—Friendly reception by the natives.—Beauty of the landscape.—State of agriculture.—Attachment of the people to the Dutch government.—General assemblage of the people.—Performance of divine service.—Native hospitalities.—Order, neatness and industry of the people of Kissa.

During the existence of the Dutch East India Company, a garrison of their troops occupied the village of Sau, on the south coast of Wetta, an island situated opposite the north coast of Timor. We directed our course thither, and stood close along shore to search for the village in question. The shores of the island were steep and hilly, but luxuriantly clothed with trees, among which appeared at intervals the huts of the inhabitants, the whole presenting a most picturesque view. The natives appeared to be extremely shy, none of them making their appearance on the beach, nor indeed seeming to wish to look at us.

On the 10th of June we arrived off Sau, and came to an anchor in fifty fathoms water, about a cable's length from the shore, in a small bay, where we lay tolerably well sheltered from the south-east winds by a point of land. Having fired a gun, and hoisted the Dutch flag, two natives made their appearance on the beach, to whom I sent one of the interpreters, who soon brought them on board. They proved to be Christian native chiefs, Hura, the Orang Kaya, and Dirk-Cobus, the Orang Tua of the village.[8] Their appearance betokened great poverty, and they complained bitterly of the miserable state into which they had fallen since they had lost the protection of the Dutch. They informed me that four years previously their village had been plundered and burned to the ground, and several of their people killed, by the inhabitants of Lette, since which occurrence they had deserted the sea-coast, and had taken up their residence in the hills.

With the view of inspiring them with confidence, I went on shore entirely alone, and landed near the remains of what had been a fine walled village, containing a church and a guard-house. The number of the fruit trees, and the luxuriant growth of the various plants, gave evidence that the ground over which I walked possessed exceeding fertility. A crowd of unconverted natives, who recognized the above-mentioned Christian chiefs as their rulers, now joined us. They were all armed with spears, bows, arrows, and parangs or chopping knives; but they soon laid these aside, and gave many tokens of friendship and confidence. A small quantity of arrack and tobacco which I distributed among them, put them in high spirits. With the exception of the two chiefs, none of the natives spoke the Malayan language, nor were my interpreters acquainted with their dialect.

On the beach I met with two sheds belonging to the people of Kissa, who had been in the habit of coming here to barter cloth, iron and gold, for sandal-wood, rice and Indian corn or maize. Coin is not in use as a currency among the natives. Buffaloes, hogs, sheep and fowls may be obtained here at a very cheap rate in exchange for cloth, but not in very large numbers.

Having wandered for some time over this very beautiful country, we approached the eastern extremity of the village, and sat down on the banks of a river, which there emptied itself into the sea. They appeared much pleased by this, and with much energy of manner expressed their ardent desire to live once more in peace and quietude under the rule of the Dutch, at the same time offering up thanks to heaven on finding that the Company, (as they always styled our government) after having so long abandoned them, had now again appeared. Although both the chiefs spoke the Malayan language, I could not correctly understand the answers to all the questions I put, but they clearly expressed their desire to take up their residence again on the sea shore, and requested that one or two European soldiers, with a teacher to instruct them in the tenets of Christianity, might be left among them. For the latter in particular they appeared to be extremely anxious. They also made several other requests; on which I promised that the Netherlands' government should watch over their interests, but that their prosperity must depend chiefly on their own exertions.

From the account of the natives themselves, the sea coast population of the island is far from being numerous, many of the inhabitants having retired to the other islands after the destruction of Sau. On the other hand, the mountaineers, who are called Arafuras, are in great numbers, these simple people considering themselves as the subjects of the inhabitants of the coast. The natives of the north and east coasts of Wetta have a bad character, having plundered and murdered the crews of two prahus a short time previous to my visit to the island.