On one of the dry sand-banks we met with a quantity of sea-mews' eggs, deposited in nests on the shelly sand, very close to one another, each containing only two eggs. Numbers of the birds hovered about the bank, their presence having first attracted our attention to the spot.
While we were at anchor under the coast of Timor-Laut one night, we heard the lowing of a number of wild cattle, and in the morning saw the traces of them along the sandy beach. The wild cattle, with which the island abounds, are black, and have upright horns, their size being about the same as that of two-year-old cattle in Holland. The natives catch them with nooses of rattan, and also shoot them with arrows. Wild hogs are also to be met with in abundance. Monkeys do not exist on the island, and it is a singular thing that throughout the Moluccan Archipelago they are only to be found on the island of Batchian, near the south end of Gilolo.
Showers of rain, and strong unfavourable winds, rendered our return voyage tedious and disagreeable, and we did not reach Larrat until the 9th of June. On our arrival we hauled up the tender and the boat on the beach, to clean their bottoms, which had become very necessary. I continued here until the 11th, busily employed with my official duties, when I returned to the brig, accompanied by several of the chiefs.
I had given permission to one of my interpreters to take on board a quantity of tortoise-shell and trepang, to purchase which he had brought from Banda a quantity of goods suited to the taste of the natives. I had thus an opportunity of witnessing closely the manner in which the trade is conducted. He purchased a picul (133lbs. avoirdupoise) of trepang, for goods of the value of twenty-two guilders (£1. 17s.) These consisted of two Javanese dresses, two pieces of lining chintz, two red karwasses, two parangs or chopping-knives, two bush-knives, two plates, two combs, two handkerchiefs for the head, and two catties (two pounds and a half) of copper wire. According to an old custom, the articles they receive for their produce must always be in pairs, except they consist of valuables, such as gold, elephants' tusks, &c., which are valued and paid for accordingly.
The natives of the Tenimber Islands are extremely anxious to obtain gold coin, especially ducats, and give their trepang and tortoise-shell more readily in exchange for these than anything else. Both this and silver coin they work up into clumsy ear-rings, bracelets, and other ornaments, losing a considerable quantity of the metal in melting it down. It is extremely difficult to obtain these ornaments from them.
I continued constantly employed among the islands, especially at Vordate, until the 15th of June, when we sailed for Banda, carrying with us favourable winds and weather. We passed, during our voyage, near to Bird Island, an uninhabited spot, on which considerable quantities of sulphur are collected, and carried to Bali and other places, where it is employed in the manufacture of native gunpowder.
At Banda I put my interpreters on shore, and continued my voyage to Amboyna, where I arrived on the 26th of June, much rejoiced at the successful result of the expedition, of which I had soon a satisfactory proof, in a Government Resolution of the following import:—
"Extract from the Register of Transactions and Resolutions of the Governor of the Moluccas.
"Friday, July 14, 1826.
"A communication from the Naval Captain, Commandant of Division, was read (d. d. N. 104), containing the account of the voyage lately performed by H.M. brig Dourga, under the command of Lieut. Kolff, of the First Class, in the Banda Sea, and to the coast of New Guinea, according to the instructions given him by a Resolution of the 24th March (1.1. No. 1). It appearing from the narrative, that the above-named officer has fulfilled those instructions to as great an extent as lay in his power, and has spared no pains to acquire the information he was requested to collect, or to effect the duties with the execution of which he was charged:—