Voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga

by D. H. Kolff

We frequently made shooting excursions into the country during the early part of the morning, and seldom returned without having shot some game, or made some interesting discovery. Among the large trees that clothe the hills, we found abundance of the Kanarie tree, which produces a fruit similar to the almond, and yielding an oil which the natives use as butter in the preparation of their simple fare. The gardens of the inhabitants, which we occasionally visited, were not well laid out, but still were kept in good order; a proof that with more inducements to industry, and a better knowledge of agriculture, they would grow many more useful productions than they do at present.

The northwestern parts of the island are more flat than the others, but the population is very small. Two or three huts, only, may occasionally be seen, occupied by the owners or protectors of the sago and cocoa-nut trees.

On the morning of the 8th of July the chiefs of the different villages assembled together, and the meeting, like those we had previously called together on the other island, was conducted with all the ceremony possible. The good wishes of the government were made known to them, after which I enquired into their affairs, adjusted their differences, and had the gratification of finding that my exertions, though they occupied much time, were attended with the best results. I flatter myself that our arrival on the island has been of the greatest service to the good-natured, but uncivilized and half savage islanders; everything, indeed, shewed that the protecting care of the government for even its most distant subjects, would make a strong impression on their minds. They solemnly and thankfully promised that they would hereafter live in unity, and would punctually follow the advice which I, in the name of the government, had given to them. Having named the Upper Orang Kaya and the other chiefs, distributed the presents and tokens of distinction, and provided them with a Dutch flag to hoist before their village, I made preparations for my departure.

The squally weather which had prevailed during the previous night had increased the swell considerably, so that during our return on board, the boat was twice half filled with water and on the point of sinking; indeed, it was not without much difficulty that we passed round. I mention this for the information of those who may hereafter undertake the same excursion. On a previous occasion I had walked across the country from the bay in which the brig lay, to Wilhelmus Bay, and, although the foot-path was by no means a smooth one, leading continually over hills and mountains, we found the journey rather pleasant than otherwise, which is especially the case in the cool of the morning or evening.

At the general assembly, the chiefs brought me two old batons, which had been presented to some of the late chiefs by the East India Company; these I returned to their successors. There was no other engraving upon them than a cypher comprising the initials of the Dutch East India Company. To the Upper Orang Kaya I gave a new baton, bearing the arms of the present king. The people earnestly requested me to leave two soldiers with them to be the representatives of our government. They evinced great joy when I informed them, that Paulus, an Amboynese schoolmaster, whom I had brought from Roma for the purpose of leaving him here were it necessary, should remain among them; and in a short time they had a small but neat house prepared for him, and zealously employed themselves in furnishing him with every thing that was necessary.

I learned from a prayer book which I found among them, and which had been preserved with the greatest care, that the last visit they had had from a clergyman took place in the year 1789. The duties of M. Kam, after so long a lapse, were therefore very arduous, but the people, though extremely ignorant, appeared to entertain the greatest reverence for the Christian religion. During our short stay, M. Kam baptized more than two hundred and fifty people, old as well as young. The new schoolmaster, Paulus, had been provided with a prayer book, with some pens, ink and paper, and before our departure he had already commenced instructing the inhabitants, his labours, as far as we could judge, promising to be attended with the best results.

On this island we had a still stronger proof than on the others, of the great attachment the natives shew to our customs and mode of dress. At the general meeting, all the inhabitants present, men, women and children, were clad in their festive dresses, and some of their costumes were of the drollest description. About twenty of the men wore old felt hats with broad brims, not unlike those used by the Westphalian peasants. According to their own account, these hats had been given to their forefathers by the first Europeans who arrived here and built the fort, the remains of which we had seen. Others wore extremely old fashioned coats, without any under covering for their bodies; these garments being so ancient and threadbare, that they appeared as if a hard shake would cause them to fall to pieces. These antiquated vestments had been preserved, like Westphalian hams, by being hung up in the smoke over their fireplaces, and after being sufficiently dried, had been kept in small chests, by which means they had remained uninjured by damp or insects.

The 8th of July, the last day of our stay on the island, was spent in giving them solemn injunctions to live in unity and concord, after which we took a hearty farewell, the natives expressing their thankfulness and attachment to the Dutch Government, by repeated shouts of "Salamat Compania!" and "Salamat Gouvernment!" expressed with the utmost candour.

I now commissioned the Upper Orang Kaya to keep all the serviceable prahus in readiness, that they might assist us in towing the brig out of the harbour, in case there should be any necessity for such assistance. At two o'clock the following morning, the east wind having subsided, we weighed anchor and got under sail with a light air from the northward; after I had fired a signal gun, as agreed on, a large number of prahus soon made their appearance. A strong swell rolled into the bay; and as there was very little wind, we did not reach the mouth of the harbour until half-past five o'clock. The tide experienced among these islands is very slight, and at the same time very irregular. The east-south-east wind having set in again, we sent away the prahus that had been towing us, with many thanks, and worked out of the bay with short tacks. When under the north shore we were suddenly becalmed, and the swell was so heavy that the brig drifted rapidly towards the steep rocky shore, until she was within three ship's lengths of it, when a breeze arose and carried her clear. It will be advisable for the mariner to give the northern shore of the bay rather a wide berth, and to be careful not to get baffled under the high shores.

The small islands to the southward of Damma, together with Teon, an island lying to the east-north-east, are uninhabited. In the fine monsoon, turtle in great abundance are caught upon them, especially the Karet turtle, which yields the shell so much valued for the manufacture of combs, &c. This animal, which may be sometimes perceived sleeping on the water, defends itself vigorously when attacked, with its beak. Its flesh is not so delicate as that of the sea (or green) turtle, which is also very numerous among these islands, but the shell of the latter is of little value. The turtle-catchers lie in wait for them when they come on shore, and take an opportunity of turning them on their backs, when they cannot rise again. They sometimes reach the enormous weight of eight hundred pounds. The female lays her eggs, hundreds at a time, on the sea shore; concerning which I shall hereafter offer some remarks.