Voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga

by D. H. Kolff

The day after our departure we sighted the island Vordate to the south-west. From a distance of about twenty miles on this side, this island appears alternately hilly and flat, like irregular mountains, while the neighbouring islands, Larrat, Timor-laut, &c., have a more level appearance. Several reefs extend a considerable distance to seaward from the south-east end of the island.

We continued during the night under easy sail, and the following morning, under the guidance of the pilot, we passed along the west side of Vordate, at a distance of about six miles from the shore. Off the north point, a mile to seaward, lies a rock, for which reason the point must not be made free with. The villages, in which were displayed a number of small flags, alternating with the fertile valleys, presented an alluring picture to us. As we passed a number of prahus came rowing towards us, the people in which called out to us to anchor off their village. The pilot, however, affirming that there was good anchorage near Larrat, we continued our course without accepting the invitation of the islanders. We crossed the extensive reef of Larrat in irregular depths of three, four and five fathoms, and ran along the north-west coast towards the mouth of a bay, which is formed between the island of Larrat and the point of Timor-laut.

On approaching the entrance of the bay, I clearly perceived that there was no possibility of the brig being able to enter. On perceiving this, the pilot, as is usual with natives under similar circumstances, became completely cast down, and all that I could learn from him was that he had never visited the island before except during the westerly monsoon, and then only in small vessels which they could row over the reefs. This was all very true; but had he only given me the slightest idea of the situation of the bay, I should certainly not have come here; but it was now necessary to make a virtue of necessity, and come to a speedy determination. The wind blew directly out of the mouth of the bay, which was very narrow, so that there was no possibility of working in. We could obtain no bottom with the deep-sea lead and one hundred fathoms of line, while we were everywhere surrounded by shoals. I therefore sent the boats to lie on the edge of the coral reef which fronts the village of Watidal, and then stood on, hoping that our anchor might hook a rock and hold fast; but, although the anchor was let go in four fathoms water, it had dragged into twelve fathoms before the ship was brought up, while under the stern there was thirty-eight fathoms. A kedge was then carried out astern, to prevent the tide from swinging the ship on to the reef.

Before the sails could be furled, or the boarding nettings spread, the brig was surrounded on all sides by a number of canoes, and I had no sooner given permission to a couple of natives to come on board, than the others all followed, so that, in a less space of time than five minutes, the brig was full of men, who had crept on board through the ports and every place where they could find admission. With a view to inspire them with confidence I permitted them to enter, and received them in as friendly a manner as possible, the distribution of some glasses of arrack among them contributing not a little to produce the desired effect.

The village off which we had anchored, like all on these islands, was erected on a hill of limestone rock, near the sea shore. These villages present a very picturesque appearance: they consist, according to their population, of from twenty to fifty houses, erected near each other, upon piles from six to eight feet high. These dwellings are from twenty to twenty-five feet long by twelve to fifteen broad. They are enclosed on all sides, and have a couple of long holes cut in the walls to serve for windows. The roofs are covered with a thatch of palm leaves, these being first arranged on small sticks, and then placed neatly on the roof, overlapping each other. The interior is usually kept in good order; but every part is blackened with smoke from the fires they employ in cooking their provisions. The house is entered by a door in the centre of the floor, to which the inhabitants ascend by means of a ladder. Against the wainscoat, immediately fronting the door, is placed a small scaffold of carved wood, having upon it a large dish, containing the skull of one of the forefathers of the owner of the house, whose weapons are also hung around it. These consist of bows made of bamboo, bound round with thread, and provided with strings of buffalo hide, and of arrows three feet and a half long, made of thin reed or rattan, with sharp iron points. With these they are able to bring down a hen or other bird at the distance of sixty or seventy paces, rarely or never missing their mark. In addition to these weapons they have muskets, lances with iron points, old swords and long parangs. These last, which they obtain from the Ceramese and Macassars, have their handles covered with sharks' skin, and ornamented with handsome shells, a small metal bell being usually appended to it. The combs and necklaces of the inhabitants, which I shall describe more fully when speaking of their mode of dress, are also displayed on this stage. Round the interior of the house against the wall is erected a framework, a foot and a half from the floor, which serves for beds by night and for seats by day. These are occupied chiefly by the women, the men squatting down on the floor in the centre of the room.

On the right side of the entrance is placed a clay fire-place, supported by a wooden stand, on which the provisions of the inmates are cooked, these last being kept upon a large shelf above the fire-place. Their more valuable property is hung around on the wall, or preserved under the benches which line the wall. Upon the whole, their dwellings present an appearance of greater neatness than those of the inhabitants of the islands to the westward.

Before reaching the village it is necessary to pass the spot where their dead is deposited, the interment of whom is attended with several curious ceremonies. The body is wrapped in cloth, usually coarse Mirzapore chintz, and put into a coffin made of rough planks, fastened with wooden pins, a dish being placed under the head. The coffin is then taken to the burial ground, and wrapped round with the above-mentioned coarse chintz, after which it is deposited on a stage raised four or five feet from the ground. A piece of Mirzapore chintz, fastened to a long bamboo stick, is hoisted over the burial place, and a paling is erected round it, on which are hung baskets containing fruits, cooked yams, fowls, rice and other provisions, which are occasionally renewed. The heat of the sun, and the rains, soon cause the chintz in which the coffin has been enveloped, to decay and fall off, but it is immediately renewed, and another dish placed under the skull. Should the body be that of a rich man, or of the relative of one of the village chiefs, the skull is removed to the house, and placed in a conspicuous spot, as I have before mentioned. If, on the other hand, the body is that of a poor man, the remains are thrown together into a cleft in a rock, or some such place, as soon as the coffin has decayed. The bodies of malefactors are buried at once, without anything being erected to mark the place of interment. The remains of human beings are never to be seen scattered about, and it is extremely difficult to obtain a skull from the natives. I have frequently seen the entire skeleton through the sides of the coffin, when it has become full of holes through age and decay. During still weather an intolerable smell arises from these cemeteries; but the natives appear not to suffer the least inconvenience from it.

The vessels of the natives are usually hauled up on the beach near these burial places, and protected from the weather by sheds similar to our boat-houses. These vessels are chiefly of the kind called "jonkos," which are either built here or on the island Baba. They are constructed of rough planks, fastened to each other by wooden pins, and bound to the timbers with bands of rattan. Saws are never employed in cutting the planks, neither are iron nails ever used in the construction of their vessels. The sides of the jonkos are held apart by thwarts, upon which a deck of bamboos is laid, so that, when complete, they may be considered as tight and seaworthy. The gunwale is usually two or three feet above the level of the water. Their length is from forty to fifty feet; breadth from ten to twelve feet; and they carry from twelve to sixteen tons. A roof of atap covers the whole.

Each village usually possesses two or three of these vessels, the property of the entire community; but they have also numerous canoes with outriggers, some of which are large enough to contain a thatched habitation. These craft are employed in fishing, or in the transport of goods from island to island.

On making enquiries concerning the trading vessels which came here, I learned, among other things, that during the previous year a vessel under the English flag had arrived at the east extremity of Timor-laut, the master of which sent his boat on shore to purchase provisions, giving out that he had been necessitated to visit the place from a great mortality and sickness having occurred among his crew. In how far this was the case, I will leave to the judgment of those who are aware of the artifices of the English, in order to carry on a smuggling trade in these parts,[35] and, above all, to import prohibited goods, such as gunpowder and ammunition. Thus was the brig, in name (dakleijen), loaded only with roofing slates and iron, but, in fact, she had a large number of muskets, swords and other weapons on board. The captain agreed with the natives to give weapons in exchange for stock, and went on shore with half his crew, which consisted of ten Europeans. In the mean time the natives considered this to be a fine opportunity to overpower those who remained on board, and gain possession of the vessel. They, therefore, boarded her unexpectedly in great numbers, and murdered the people in her, while at the same time those on shore were made away with, with the exception of two boys, who owed their preservation to the interposition of the women. After this crime had been committed, they hauled the brig on shore, stripped her of all they could carry away, and burned her. The plundered goods were shared out among the inhabitants, and part of them sold to the traders who visited them, the remainder being kept, and now, perhaps, serving as finery for the inhabitants of the east coast of Timor-laut. One of the village chiefs stated to me on this occasion, that he had himself seen the chain cable of the brig hanging around the village, and that two iron carronades which had belonged to her lay there upon the ground, the natives not having, yet mustered sufficient courage to fire them off.