The huts of these negroes, which are scattered along the beach, are low and open on all sides, the roof being composed of palm leaves. The soil around the village was white sand, on which many large trees grew, many carwarinas being among them. A small river ran into a bay immediately opposite to our anchorage. On going on shore we were as unsuccessful as on the water, in our attempts to communicate with these shy people, as they always fled on our approach, and climbed into the trees at a distance. To judge from the number of houses and men that we saw, the coast hereabouts must be very populous. We saw at a distance some other houses, which appeared to be much larger than those on the beach. Some bones, probably those of buffaloes, were met with, but not the least trace of agriculture, arts or civilization. I was sorry, nevertheless, at not being able to communicate with the natives, for the next morning I continued my voyage, it being tolerably certain that all endeavours to make friends with them would be fruitless.
Shortly after our departure we suddenly struck soundings in two and a half fathoms, having had from ten to fifteen fathoms immediately before. We continued for several successive days standing along shore, as close as we could with safety, without finding a spot in which we could anchor within a convenient distance of the shore. During the nights we had bad weather, the rain continually pouring down; and the swell from the southward increasing every day.
On the 16th we saw high land for the first time, the extreme being far in the interior, between the meridians of 137 deg. and 138 deg. east. We remarked that several rivers here entered the sea, but so heavy a surf prevailed everywhere that we could not approach, being repeatedly obliged to bring up at a distance of from seven to eight miles from the shore, owing to our coming suddenly from five to three and a half fathoms. On the 17th, while sailing along shore, we often attempted to stand in, but were always stopped by reefs; while at six miles off the shore we had twenty to twenty-five fathoms. I regretted much that the strong winds and heavy sea prevented me from examining the different creeks which we saw, although the interpreters assured me that the inhabitants were in a state of the utmost barbarism. On the following day we again stood in, and obtained no bottom with the lead at a distance of four miles off shore, the hills here running steep off into the sea. We saw some dwellings about the meridian of 130 deg. east, but were unable to approach them. The coast was now known to the pilot, who assured me that he knew a spot in the neighbourhood where we might obtain fresh water, and having stood off for the night, we endeavoured at daylight to enter under his direction between an island and the northern part of a deep bay. The decrease of the depth, however, soon caused us to stand out to sea again, the pilot excusing himself by saying, that he always entered here with prahus, and thought that there was water enough for the brig also.
Being desirous of communicating with the people of the island, and if possible to obtain fresh water, I again stood in towards the island, and anchored in five fathoms west-south-west of it. We had previously seen smoke arise from the shore, which our interpreters stated to be a signal of welcome, which induced me, after anchoring, to send the boat on shore with the interpreters, for the purpose of bringing some of the natives on board the brig. In the afternoon the boat returned with three of the chiefs, who at first appeared afraid; but after I had given them some rice and arrack they became more at their ease. The Raja, an aged man, danced, sang, and made a number of curious gestures. He could not speak Malayan, but with the aid of the interpreters we were enabled to converse in their own language. As a proof of friendship I gave the old Raja a kabya and a handkerchief for the head, distributing presents of the same description among the others, with a promise of more if they would come on board the next day.
I informed them, that the only object of my visit to these parts was to offer the friendship of the Dutch Government to the natives, and at the same time to afford protection to the traders who frequent the neighbourhood. They shouted in praise of the Company and of the Ceramese, especially the Raja of Kilwari; and, on the other hand, expressed their detestation of the Chinese, the Bughis, and the Macassars. On my enquiry whether any of the last-mentioned people were in the habit of visiting them, they answered that they were not, but that they gained much information concerning them from the Ceramese.[48]
I mentioned to the Raja and his friends, that I should send the boats on shore next morning to obtain water, and that our men, as usual, would be armed, which they must not suppose to arise from any want of confidence. I also stated my intention of visiting their village in person towards noon, at which they expressed much satisfaction, and taking leave, with a hearty shake of the hand, promised that the villagers should employ themselves in fishing, and send the greater part of the produce on board the brig. At seven o'clock the boat carried them ashore, after they had received a parting present of arrack and tobacco.
FOOTNOTES:
[45] In the chart prepared by M. Kolff, the longitude assigned for this bank is 136 deg. 48 min. east.—Translator.
[46] This opening was also entered two years subsequently by the Dutch corvette Triton and schooner Iris, when it was still supposed to be a river; but in 1835, Lieut. Kaal, of the Dutch navy, passed through it out to sea, proving the Dourga and St. Bartholomew Rivers to be the north-west and south-east entrances of a strait which cuts off the south-west extreme of New Guinea, and forms an island about one hundred miles long and sixty broad.—Translator.
[47] Captain Cook, during his first voyage, touched at a village on the south-west coast of New Guinea, whose position agrees with this, and had an encounter with the natives, in which lives were lost on the part of the latter. The people of the Endeavour observed, also, the singular proceeding above alluded to, and at first supposed that the natives had fire-arms. From the remarks of M. Modera, of the Dutch corvette Triton, it appears that the composition thrown out of the bamboos consists of lime, ashes and sand, which were ejected for the purpose of making signals to friends at a distance.—Translator.