Voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga

by D. H. Kolff

The inhabitants of Moa turn their chief attention to breeding cattle, and grow only a small quantity of vegetables and Indian corn, the two last being chiefly for home consumption. The vessels which come to trade with the island generally anchor under the coast of Lette, and obtain the buffaloes, goats, hogs, and fowls from natives of Lette, who go to Moa to purchase them; but the traders themselves sometimes go to Moa to fetch them in their own prahus. The inhabitants of the latter island never carry their stock to sea in their own vessels, as, from an old tradition, they entertain a superstitious notion that, were they to do so, some serious misfortune would inevitably befal them. Their flocks and herds are composed chiefly of sheep and buffaloes.

On Moa, as well as on most of the other islands, the population is divided into two classes, Christians and heathens, which may be considered as standing in the same relation to each other as masters and subjects. The subordination of the heathens, (who are by far the most numerous,) and the respect they entertain towards the Christians, are very remarkable, and may be partly attributed to the superior consideration in which the Christians are held by our Government; but undeniably, it is in a great measure owing to an irresistible belief on the part of the heathens, in the moral superiority of the Christians. That the latter must be the chief cause is apparent, from no Dutch ship of war having visited these islands for a long series of years.

On the north-east point of Moa, a solitary high mountain, called Korbou, or Buffalo Peak, resembling in appearance, but much inferior in height to the famed Peak of Teneriffe, raises its head above the remaining part of the island, which consists generally of flat land. The ground is everywhere corally; and on the south and south-eastern parts of the island there is very little cultivation. The extensive plains, which produce nothing but allang-allang, are converted into good meadow land by the skill of the natives, who, at the end of the dry season, when this coarse grass has been almost withered by the continued heat and drought, set fire to it, and it is soon reduced to ashes. The rains, which shortly follow, combined with the heat of the sun, render the land thus prepared very productive, the ashes forming an excellent manure. The young grass, which now springs up, affords sumptuous fare for the stock; this fact being attested by the sleek and fat condition of the buffaloes, sheep, and other animals which feed upon it; indeed, the buffaloes of Moa are considered to be the best that can be procured among those islands.

Specie is seldom or never in use among the natives, cloth, brass-wire and other articles of foreign manufacture or produce, being used as a medium of exchange. A buffalo is to be purchased by goods to the value of five or six guilders (8s. 4d. to 10s.), while the price of a sheep is from two to three guilders. Fishing is not so much pursued, either by the people of Moa, or by those of the neighbouring islands, as one would be led to expect, when the abundance of fish is taken into consideration. No wild animals are to be met with on the island. A few blue pigeons are occasionally seen; but I have traversed the island for hours together, in company with some other lovers of field-sports, without meeting with any game.

On the day after our arrival at the head village, I commenced transacting the business with which I had been entrusted. The assembling of the chiefs and people was conducted in the same manner as in Kissa and Lette, and I was constantly employed for three days attending to their affairs, instituting measures for increasing their prosperity, and forming plans for bettering their social state, especially as far as regards public instruction. The natives expressed their desire, as strongly as those I had previously visited, to receive among them a Dutch garrison, and a local teacher for their youth. I noted down the chief points of their desires, and promised that I would make them known to the Governor of the Moluccas.

It is generally supposed by us that the inhabitants of those distant places are only Christians in name, and have very little true knowledge of our religion; but I am authorized to say from experience, that this opinion is far from being a just one. To my surprise I found among the Christians of Moa, not only an extensive knowledge of the Bible, but also a very clear notion of our religious doctrines. There are very many among them who read and write very well, and when it is taken into consideration that very little instruction has been given them for a long series of years, we cannot help forming a good opinion of the industry and docility of this simple people; I can bear witness that, on this point, the inhabitants of this little island are equal, if not superior, to the natives of Amboyna, who have had far better opportunities of instruction afforded them.

The presence of M. Kam was in the highest degree agreeable to the inhabitants, and they listened with a profound attention, and a lively interest, to the religious discourses of this zealous clergyman, who baptized and married many of his hearers, my fellow voyagers and myself deriving much pleasure from being present at the ceremonies. The religious state of these people is, in a great measure, to be attributed to the exertions of M. Le Bruin, a zealous missionary of Coepang on Timor, who occasionally visits some of these islands.

On the 23rd I appointed the chiefs to the various villages, together with an upper Orang-Kaya, to whom I gave a baton with a silver knob, and a Dutch flag. During our stay on the island our table was supplied in the greatest abundance with meat, vegetables, fruit, and every thing that the island afforded; and when I offered anything to the bearers as payment for these, it was civilly but firmly refused, with the declaration that they had received orders to take nothing either as payment or as reward. All that I could induce them to receive as a token of acknowledgment was a small cask of arrack, of which they appear to be great admirers, although they make a very moderate use of it, and deem it a great disgrace to be found guilty of drinking it to excess.

When I mentioned to the chiefs that I had myself taken on board the provisions I deemed necessary, and that, should I require any more, I would willingly demand and pay for it, that I might be no burthen to the people, my proposal appeared to be by no means agreeable to them. They answered, it was an old custom for the natives to administer to the wants of the Company, and that the people would regret seeing a change in the system, as this custom afforded them a wished-for opportunity of giving a slight proof of their attachment, and they would feel hurt at being deprived of this gratification.

In the mean time, I remarked that they were making preparations to give something more than this "slight proof of attachment," in the shape of a national feast to celebrate the occasion of our visit, and the renewal of their former friendship with the Dutch. As this feast, however, would have detained me two days more, while my time was too valuable to be thrown away, I was forced to decline their invitation, informing them that my departure was irrevocably fixed for the 24th of June. In the course of this day they showed us all possible friendship, as if they wished to make themselves doubly useful during the short period in which we should remain. The evening was spent in making farewell visits, and at half-past four in the morning our bearers were in readiness, when the chiefs conducted us to the boats, the upper Orang-kaya accompanying us to the brig, where we arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon. The people of Moa, as a parting present, sent after us two fat bullocks, as if what they had already done for us were not enough.