The Nakhoda, or commander of a jonko from Ghissa, complained to me that the Raja of Amma, a village situated on the Goram Islands, having come here to trade, had forbidden him (the Nakhoda) from disposing of his goods, with a view to obtain a better price than his own; the Raja being enabled to enforce his prohibition, by the aid of two armed prahus. As no reason existed for the trade being open to one and not to another, it became necessary for me to make known to the people of Goram my displeasure at such arbitrary proceedings. The Raja, however, alarmed at our arrival, had departed no one knew whither, his prahu having been seen standing out to sea as we came in. The Orang Kaya of Wama remarked to me, that the Raja was well aware that his conduct would not bear the test of examination.
A second affair was as follows:—A juro-batu, or pilot (literally, watcher for rocks), named Seyid-Ed-Din, complained to me that the Nakhoda of a prahu from Amboyna had turned him ashore, so that he was now without the means of subsistence. The Nakhoda had gone to the back part of the group; but I soon learned that the juro-batu was not entirely free from blame, and was thus prevented from coming to a decision on the case, being only able to order the commanding officer of the prahu to take the man back to Amboyna, as it was improper that any of the crew should be put on shore in a foreign place.
In the year 1824, a prahu belonging to Kilwari, while on her voyage from New Guinea to the Ki Islands, put into Wadia, having received damage at sea from bad weather, and being in want of fresh water. The Orang Kaya of Wadia wished to purchase the trepang which formed part of her cargo, but the parties not being able to come to terms, the crew of the prahu made preparations to depart. This, however, was prevented by the Orang Kaya, who endeavoured to decoy the strangers into the river, but being unable to succeed he boarded the vessel with several prahus, and plundered her of some pieces of cloth, some gunpowder, and other trifles. The Ceramese, to avoid further violence, fled the same night, and continued their voyage to the Ki Islands. It accidentally happened, that several of those who formed the crew of the prahu, some of whom were relatives of my interpreter for New Guinea, were now in a vessel at Dobbo, and came to me to request that I would obtain the restitution of the goods which had been taken from them. The chiefs of the different villages were present at the time, the Orang Kaya of Wadia being among them. He did not deny the circumstance, but, as usually occurs, laid all the blame on the villagers. I requested the proprietors of the plundered goods to return with me to Wadia, where I obtained the property for them, but forgave, for this time, the villagers, threatening them with severe punishment should they ever transgress in like manner again.
The Christian teachers of Wakan, Wama and Maykor, stated to me, that they could remain no longer on the islands, as they were unable to obtain even sufficient provisions for their maintenance. On examination I found that these useful men received nothing whatever from the villagers, so that I could not be surprised at their desire to return to Amboyna, especially those of Wama and Maykor. I took the opportunity of a general meeting of chiefs on the Island Wokan, to mention the subject to those who professed Christianity. These did not deny that the teachers had been left to their own resources; but stated in excuse, that as M. Bik had promised the teachers a monthly salary of ten rupees, they must have sufficient to subsist upon. I observed to them the injustice of their conduct, on which they begged the teachers to remain, and promised to provide for their maintenance.
Some of the teachers appeared to me as not being on the most friendly footing with the natives, which, I believe, was owing greatly to their presuming too much on the protection of the Government, and wishing to be masters in reality. I therefore remonstrated with them on the impropriety of attempts at rule, and sent the teacher of Maykor back again to his home, at the same time exhorting them to perform their duties better for the future than they had hitherto, and give the natives clearer ideas of Christianity. The dispositions of the Arru Islanders are excellent, and it is truly to be regretted that their instruction in the tenets of our religion has hitherto been so slight. Were a missionary to be sent among them, his labours would be attended with very good results. The distribution of some Malayan Bibles, hymn books, and tracts, which I had received from M. Kam, gave much delight to the Christian natives.
At the earnest request of the three teachers, I gave to each twenty rupees (£1. 15s.), together with some rice and other provisions. One of the three whom I brought with me from Amboyna, was installed at Duryella.
On the 19th of April we departed in the boats for Wokan. The Orang Kaya of Wadia, who had remained with me up to this time, returned to his village to await my arrival there. On the following morning the chiefs and elders of the Christians assembled, when Zadrak Hermans was appointed as head chief of Wokan, with the usual ceremonies, and received a golden-knobbed baton, together with the certificate of appointment which had been provided for his father, to which an appendix was attached, naming him his successor. I also delivered certificates to the chiefs of Wama and Maykor, with which I had been furnished by the Government. The ceremonies were concluded with an appropriate address, and a salute of lelah shots. The people here are not less desirous than those of most other islands of this Archipelago, to have a Dutch garrison among them.
At noon I returned on board, accompanied by five vessels, containing a number of my native friends, whom I entertained on board at dinner, after which they returned home with many expressions of thanks for the kind proofs of remembrance on the part of the Government.
On the 21st I presented the Orang Kaya of Wadia with an act of appointment, after which I arranged the affair of piracy, of which I have previously made mention. During our stay among the islands, the weather had been continually calm and rainy. I was disappointed in my expectations of receiving important information, concerning the coasts of New Guinea. When the people heard that I intended to go there, they expressed much satisfaction, hoping that they would be benefitted by the results of the expedition. The Ceramese I met with here, who had lately left the coast of New Guinea, informed me that the Papuas to the northward of the Arru Islands had assured them, that Orang Pati, or white people, dwelt further to the south-eastward of them.[44]