Voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga

by D. H. Kolff

The inhabitants of Serra received us in a most friendly manner, and I immediately commenced making enquiries as to the nature of the disturbance that had taken place. It appeared, that on the return of the chiefs from their visit to me the preceding year with the presents I had made them, a festival was got up to celebrate the event. A considerable quantity of spirits was disposed of on this occasion, and it necessarily occurred that many of the guests became very drunk, and abused one another without mercy. The Orang Kayas Linum, Siwa, and Kitta-Kitta, grossly insulted the Orang Kayas Leeman and Kawa, which greatly grieved the latter and their adherents. From words they soon came to blows, when the two chiefs who had been insulted left their villages, and established themselves with their families on the west coast of the island. The adherents of both parties subsequently encountered one another on several occasions, many being killed and wounded on both sides. Envoys from the other islands endeavoured in vain to establish peace: the offending party wished much to make up the affair, but the others, who had abundance of provisions, were indifferent about the matter. On my arrival, the latter demanded an apology from the Orang Kayas Kitta-Kitta and Linum, with the pay of the warriors whom they had hired, stating, that in the event of these being fulfilled, they were ready to make peace and obey the orders of the Company.

I was received with equal friendship by both parties, and their arms were laid aside at my request, while arrangements were made for a meeting to decide on the terms of peace. The adherents of the offended party had forsaken their village, and encamped about half an hour's journey to the westward, where they had fortified their position with palisades, watch-houses being erected in the trees round about, and garrisoned by armed men. The mode in which the meeting was conducted resembled that of the former ones which had taken place among the islands, yet as it will contribute to display the character of the natives, I will give a slight sketch of the affair.

The spot fixed on by me for the meeting was midway between the abodes of the contending parties, and having sent forward a guard of our men, I proceeded there myself, where I was in a manner almost stormed by weeping women. The offending chiefs came, with the greatest humility, unattended by any followers, while the other party advanced with a proud bearing, fully armed, and accompanied by their national war-music. These were clad in their best array, and certainly made a fine warlike appearance. Some were ornamented with golden chains, others with serpents (the thickness of the little finger) formed of the same metal, while all were provided with golden ear-rings. Many of the warriors had also golden bracelets on their arms, which added considerably to the splendour of their equipment. Two of the wives of the chiefs, dressed in handsome chintz kabyas, were also adorned in a similar manner. When the two parties had approached near each other, they stopped short, and performed their usual war-dance in a fierce and hostile manner, after which I placed the hands of the two principal opposing chiefs together, who immediately fell weeping upon each other's necks, their example being followed by the others, who embraced with tears and sobs of repentance and reconciliation, the whole forming a scene which made a strong impression even on my hardy seamen. Some time elapsed before they partook of the siri, when all traces of enmity vanished, and all was forgotten and forgiven. I had, certainly, never seen a more striking proof of feeling on the part of these people.

The disturbances that had taken place were stated as the reason why the men, who had killed our seaman at Maktia, had not been obtained, nor the two English youths at Luora set at liberty. They promised to use their united endeavours to effect these, and to send a report of the event to Banda.

One evening, when several small vessels were lying around our boats, a number of birds flew suddenly off the land, and settled, some in the boats, and some in the water around. They proved to be quails, bearing a perfect resemblance in every respect to those of Europe. I succeeded in carrying five of these to Banda, without supplying them with any other food than rice, where I had the satisfaction of presenting them to Surgeon-Major Lengacker.

Serra does not produce so much stock as the other islands. The natives often employ themselves in catching fish, which abound in the adjacent waters. Hooks and lines are chiefly used. The trepang and tortoise-shell obtained here is of a very superior quality, and is much sought for by the traders from Amboyna and Banda.

I continued busily employed with my official duties until the 3rd of June, when I left Serra, and commenced my return to the brig. Our journey was much delayed by unfavourable winds, and we were daily obliged to rest on the islands which lay in our course, the tender rowing very heavily, while it was impossible to use the sail. The native vessels that left with us were soon far a-head, as they rowed with great swiftness, and could pass over the banks with facility.

Shortly after our departure we put into Maktia, where we found the village to be in a state of utter decay. The houses were all in ruins, everything bearing evidence to the village having been long abandoned, while not a man could be seen around.

Every voyager in the eastern seas should be provided with plenty of fishing tackle, which will not only be of great service, but will also afford means of passing away time; for, I believe, that throughout the world no seas will be found that yield such innumerable quantities of all sorts of fish as these. With a single line sufficient fish may be caught in a few minutes to afford a dainty meal. The drag-net, which was used by the seamen whenever we landed on the islands, was also found very useful, this mode of fishing being as successful as the other. Turtle's eggs were so abundant, that the men with the assistance of the natives, often brought them on board by basket's full. These eggs are about the size of a billiard-ball, round, and covered with a white, chalky film in lieu of shell. The interior is similar to that of a hen's egg, to which they were preferred by many of our party. When boiled, the yolk becomes firm, but the white remains soft and watery, this being thrown aside when the egg is eaten. Six nests full of turtles' eggs were found by us upon a sandy island near Laboba. It is very difficult to discover the spots in which the eggs are deposited, and requires a practised eye: the natives are very skilful in this. When the turtle wishes to deposit her eggs, she goes on shore, on the sandy beach, and selects a spot amid the grass, where, with her hind feet, she makes a hole about a foot and a half deep, and having laid from eighty to a hundred eggs, covers them carefully up, and makes a fresh nest in some other spot. When the traces of the turtle are met with, they are followed up until a space is found where the traces are extinct, and here the nest will probably be met with. A stick is thrust into the ground to find the position of the eggs, which is often a matter of difficulty, as the ground is generally turned up within a circumference of ten to fifteen paces. The young are brought forth without the assistance of the parent, after the eggs have lain under ground about three months, when the young ones crawl out of the sand and make towards the water, which they are often prevented from reaching by the birds of prey that lie in wait for them. The turtle are in the habit of assembling on the beach during moon-light nights, when they are taken with great facility. The natives usually let the female go again, and are also averse to striking them with a harpoon, being influenced by some superstitious feeling. They also requested that we would not disturb the hawk's-bill turtle,[52] which we found sleeping on the water, but willingly caught the others for us themselves.

On one of the islands at which we stopped, a large hawk's-bill turtle was found dead in the forest. The shell was two feet and a quarter in diameter, and yielded a head[53] weighing a pound and a half.