Voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga

by D. H. Kolff

After our departure from these islands the preceding year, a number of the natives had set out on a trading voyage to the islands lying to the westward, maritime pursuits forming their favourite occupation. They were everywhere received with friendship, and having obtained profitable returns for their cargoes, they returned home, impressed with thankfulness towards our Government for having established peace among the islands, and rendered them safe for traders. According to their information, the natives of Moa, Lette, Damma, Luan, and the other islands, were zealously employed in erecting new kota companias, or block-houses, for our residents, hoping that they would soon have Dutch garrisons among them, while the Christian teachers were supplied with necessaries in a most liberal manner. This news gave me the greatest satisfaction, as it proved in the strongest manner that my previous labours had not been fruitless. I afterwards found that many trading vessels from these islands, even from some which had had no communication for years, had visited Banda and Amboyna, causing a remarkable increase in the sale of European manufactures at those places, so that soon a most prosperous trade, coupled with increasing prosperity to the natives, will be the result of the good measures of our Government.

A number of prahus from Kilwari and Kinaos, had taken their station among the islands and banks fronting the west coast of Timor-Laut, to lie in wait for and plunder the traders of the Tenimber Islands as they returned from their commercial voyage to the westward, and had succeeded in mastering two jonkos, the crews of which escaped on shore after losing some of their number. The Ceramese then plundered and burnt their prizes. The Tenimber islanders were extremely indignant at this act of the Ceramese, and made a sad complaint to me, thinking that our Government was already acquainted with the affair, as the Ceramese, when attacking them, called out that they were empowered to act as they did by the Company, and that the Tenimber Islanders should not fire at the Dutch flags which their opponents had received from the Government. It cost me much trouble to convince them that the Dutch took no part in this shameful transaction; but at length I succeeded by promising that the Government should certainly obtain compensation from the Ceramese for their losses.

The banks and islands to the westward of Timor-Laut are annually visited by Ceramese jonkos, for the purpose of fishing for trepang and tortoise-shell, or picking up any booty that may fall in their way. Several years previously some of these had been bold enough to approach the coast of Vordate during the night, and capture a small fishing prahu with two men, inhabitants of Sebeano. The pirates, who were subjects of the Raja, carried off the men to sell as slaves, but they were fortunate enough to make their escape and return home. They personally related to me this occurrence, and informed me of many other misdeeds on the part of the Ceramese, an account of which I subsequently gave to the Government.

Some time after my return to Amboyna, the Raja of Kilwari was summoned there, and did not deny that his subjects had committed this, and other deeds of the same description, on which he was obliged to pay a fine of, I believe, three hundred guilders (£25) to the Tenimber Islanders. The Raja of Kinaos was also amerced for the same transaction.

As one of the chief objects of our voyage was to visit the Island of Serra, we made preparations, soon after our arrival at Vordate, for our expedition thither.

It appeared to me to be impossible for the people of Vordate to perform the promise they had made me, of redeeming the two English youths who were held in captivity by the inhabitants of Luora, on the east coast of Timor-Laut, since they were not in the habit of holding communication with them. They assured me, however, that they had been to Luora, and had found that the inhabitants would not give up their captives unless an extravagant ransom were paid for them, as they wished to marry them to their daughters, that their descendants might boast of having European blood in their veins as well as the people of Vordate, Larrat and Serra, these holding themselves as being in some manner connected with Europeans, from their forefathers having been distinguished as "Anak Compania," or Children of the Company. The Orang Kaya, who was the only chief that visited Timor-Laut during this year, informed me that he had seen the youths, and had offered a considerable ransom for them without success. During the westerly monsoon, or the period of the changes, Luora may be visited with facility; but at the present time, when the sea breaks against the shore in a terrible manner, such an expedition was not to be thought of for a moment. The natives themselves appeared anxious that the Government would send some one thither.

On the 29th, having hired the Orang Tua David to accompany us as interpreter, we embarked on board the tender and the small boats, and left the brig on our expedition to Serra. Towards evening we arrived at Larrat, where we met with a tope,[51] which had arrived from Banda during the month of April, and was about returning there with a full cargo. The crew complained of the high price of the trepang, but in every other respect were perfectly contented with the result of their commercial transactions. The disturbances which had taken place at Serra had been instrumental in decreasing the supply of trepang and tortoise-shell, as none was now brought from that island. The goods belonging to the tope lay in an open boat-house, which was daily visited by numbers of the natives, without the owner having the least fear of losing a single article, the mutual confidence with which the trade is carried on being so great, that the trader allows a native to take away what goods he pleases, merely mentioning the amount of produce that is expected in return, and although the former may have no personal knowledge of the native to whom he has delivered the goods, he never fears that the contract will not be fulfilled. The native immediately commences collecting produce, and never rests until he has made full payment. It is singular that the natives never keep a supply of trepang in hand, and only commence fishing for it when they have received payment in advance.

The Orang Kaya and several of the other chiefs came to pay me a visit, and complained sadly of the conduct of the Ceramese, and of the state of affairs at Serra, which they had in vain endeavoured to reduce to order. They appeared to be much pleased at my intention to visit that island. As the Orang Tua David was not well acquainted with the navigation, I requested the chiefs to hire me a prahu, promising to make them a just remuneration for its services.

The Orang Kaya Kirimassa, and six men, having prepared themselves to attend me with the prahu, I left Larrat the same night. Although the tender carried only two one-pounder guns, with ammunition and provisions, she sailed and rowed so slowly that we did not reach Warrata, a village on the north-west end of Serra, until the 1st of June. This island, with its inhabitants, bear so great a resemblance to Larrat, that it will be unnecessary to enter into a particular description of either.

The reefs which front the shore are dry at low water some distance to seaward, it being then only possible to approach the island through the gaps in the reef. The villages are situated near each other, while the remainder of the island is laid out in plantations of yams and cocoa-nut trees. The inhabitants obtain their supply of rice from the people of Vordate, or from the foreign traders. This product forms an extensive article of importation into these countries, as the nature of the soil prevents its being grown in sufficient quantities for the supply of the islanders.