long. This is a fine harbor now in the eastern
monsoon, but during the western monsoon it is so
slightly protected by the northern end of Semao that
the sea may be said to roll directly in from the open
ocean. At such times the steamer is obliged to seek
a partial shelter under the lee of a small island on
the north side of the bay. Whalers, and merchant-
ships bound to and from China in the western monsoon,
however, frequently call here, because it is the
only harbor of any kind near the southern end of
the island. If the projected line of steamers between
northern Australia, Surabaya, Batavia, and Singapore,
is established, this port would be one of the
places they would visit. The village is situated on
a sandy beach, that is terminated on either hand
by cliffs of coral rock, which the sea has worn out
into caves and small projecting points of the most
grotesque forms. It has a population estimated at
from six to seven thousand. Its chief exports are
tripang, beeswax from the interior, and a sandalwood,
which is said to be the best in the whole
archipelago. They raise several kinds of the nicest
oranges. The Mandarin orange, probably brought
originally from China, is the most delicious of any
kind of this fruit that I ever tasted. I doubt very
much whether our West India Islands, or Sicily, or
any other part of the world, can compete with Timur
in the rich flavor of its oranges. The hills around
the village are only covered with a scanty vegetation,
through which the coral rock outcrops, and in
every direction the whole country, except in the valleys,
presents a most barren and uninviting aspect,
compared to the richly-clothed shores of Java, and
K most of the other islands we have seen. Indeed,
1 none of the hills and high ridges throughout all the
I southern half of the island are covered with such
■ dense forests as are seen in the eastern and northern
■ parts of Java, and the middle and northern parts of
■Celebes, and over all the higher parts of Borneo and
»Sumatra.
As we passed through Sapi Strait, I noticed
that, although both shores were green, yet forests
appeared to be wanting both on Sumbawa and
Floris, and this is also said to be true of Sandalwood
Island. It is also asserted that this is somewhat
the condition of the eastern end of Java and
the southern end of Celebes. Probably the cause of
Mfchis partial sterility is chiefly owing to the circum-
stance that the southeast monsoon, which contin-
ftues here most of the year, from about March till
SHovember, comes over the dry, desert-like interior
'¿of Australia, and does not become saturated with
¿moisture on its passage over the Arafura Sea. Most
of the precipitation, therefore, that does take place
on Timur, must occur on the southeast side of the
water-shed, and it is possible that extensive forests
pi&y exist on that part of the island. The northern
half of the island, which is owned by the Portuguese,
is far more fertile, and if it were thickly inhabited,
and properly cultivated, might yield large crops of
coffee. On landing, the most surprising of all the
objects that meet the eye are the natives. At that
time there were at least six different kinds in this
same village, besides descendants of Malay mothers,