Both Men Carry The National Umbrella, Made Of An Entire
Fan-Shaped Palm Leaf, Carefully Stitched At The Fold Of Each Leaflet
To Prevent Splitting.
This is opened out, and held sloping over the
head and back during a shower.
The small water-bucket is made from an
entire unopened leaf of the same palm, and the covered bamboo probably
contains honey for sale. A curious wallet is generally carried,
consisting of a square of strongly woven cloth, the four corners of
which are connected by cords, and often much ornamented with beads and
tassels. Leaning against the house behind the figure on the right are
bamboos, used instead of water jars.
A prevalent custom is the "pomali," exactly equivalent to the "taboo"
of the Pacific islanders, and equally respected. It is used on the
commonest occasions, and a few palm leaves stuck outside a garden as a
sign of the "pomali" will preserve its produce from thieves as
effectually as the threatening notice of man-traps, spring guns, or a
savage dog would do with us. The dead are placed on a stage, raised
six or eight feet above the ground, sometimes open and sometimes
covered with a roof. Here the body remains until the relatives can
afford to make a feast, when it is buried. The Timorese are generally
great thieves, but are not bloodthirsty. They fight continually among
themselves, and take every opportunity of kidnapping unprotected
people of other tribes for slaves; but Europeans may pass anywhere
through the country in safety. Except for a few half-breeds in the town,
there are no native Christians in the island of Timor. The people
retain their independence in a great measure, and both dislike and
despise their would-be rulers, whether Portuguese or Dutch.
The Portuguese government in Timor is a most miserable one. Nobody
seems to care the least about the improvement of the country, and at
this time, after three hundred years of occupation, there has not been
a mile of road made beyond the town, and there is not a solitary
European resident anywhere in the interior. All the Government
officials oppress and rob the natives as much as they can, and yet
there is no care taken to render the town defensible should the
Timorese attempt to attack it. So ignorant are the military officers,
that having received a small mortar and some shells, no one could be
found who knew how to use them; and during an insurrection of the
natives (while I was at Delli) the officer who expected to be sent
against the insurgents was instantly taken ill! And they were allowed
to get possession of an important pass within three miles of the town,
where they could defend themselves against ten times the force. The
result was that no provisions were brought down from the hills; a
famine was imminent; and the Governor had to send off to beg for
supplies from the Dutch Governor of Amboyna.
In its present state Timor is more trouble than profit to its Dutch
and Portuguese rulers, and it will continue to be so unless a
different system is pursued.
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