[49] The Mandor is the head of the native seamen on board ships navigating these seas, his duties according somewhat with those of boatswains of European ships, but from various causes their authority and responsibility are greater than those of the latter.—Translator.
[50] When the Dutch corvette Triton founded the settlement in the adjacent harbour two years subsequently to this occurrence, the Raja of Lakahia stated, that his people had not attacked the Dutch until the latter had commenced cutting down a cocoa-nut-tree.—Translator.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE KI AND TENIMBER ISLANDS.
The Ki Islands.—Character of the People.—Arrive at Vordate.—Improved Condition of the Natives.—Ceramese Pirates.—The English Captives at Luora.—The Author departs for Serra in the Boats.—Meet with a Prahu-tope.—Honesty of the Natives in their Dealings.—Arrival at Serra.—Native Warfare.—Ceremonies attending the Peace-making.—Return towards Vordate.—Turtles and their Eggs.—Wild Cattle.—Arrival on Board the Brig.—Singular Customs with regard to Trade.—Demand for Gold Coin.—Departure from the Tenimber Islands.—Arrival at Amboyna.—Approval of our Proceedings by the Government.—Conclusion.
We now left the inhospitable country of New Guinea, and steered to the southward, passing near the Ki Islands. This group is composed of several large and high islands, thinly peopled in comparison with those around. Ki-Ili, on the east side of the Great Ki, is occupied by a number of natives professing the Mohammedan religion, who carry on a brisk trade with the people of the Arru Islands. Among the inhabitants of the group are many fugitives from Banda and Ceram, who reside in the same villages with the natives of the country. The principal islands are called Great Ki, Little Ki, and Ki Watela. Dula, a village situated in a bay on the west side of the Little Ki, is the chief resort of the traders, several paduakans arriving there annually from Macassar, while there is also considerable commercial intercourse carried on with Banda. The people of Dula employ much of their time in building vessels, remarkable for their strength and superiority of build, which are in great demand at Banda, Ceram, and other places in this part of the Archipelago, being esteemed not only for the durability of the timber used in their construction, but also for the cheap rate at which they can be purchased.
Ili is famous for its potteries, most of the adjacent islands deriving their supply of earthen-ware from this and the neighbouring villages.
In their dispositions the natives of the Ki Islands are more mild and peaceable than the generality of their neighbours. They claim certain rights over vessels which may be stranded on their shores, and assume some other privileges not remarkable for their justness; but this is rather to be attributed to the system having been long established, than to any inherent propensities to extortion.
During our voyage to the Tenimber Islands we encountered heavy south-east winds, the monsoon being much stronger, and the rains heavier this year, than is usually the case. I heard the same remark made at every place I visited.
On the 26th of May we anchored close under the beautiful coast of Vordate, between the reef running from the south-west extreme of the island and the village of Sebeano, this anchorage being better than the one we had taken up the previous year, which was close under the above-mentioned reef. Immediately on our arrival the Dutch flag was hoisted in the villages, and the chiefs came on board with a number of prahus to welcome us back to their island, this affording a proof of the good results attending my previous voyage, which was confirmed on my visiting the shore, and finding that they now lived in perfect amity with one another. The natives came on board daily, and in such numbers, that it soon became troublesome. They are so much in the habit of visiting with perfect freedom the trading vessels which resort to their shores, that they considered themselves justified in doing the same with us, it being often a matter of difficulty to keep them out of the brig.