Sal watty, Waigiou, and some parts of tlie adjacent coast,
the people have taken the first step in civilization, owing
probably to the settlement of traders of mixed breed
among them, and for many years no such attacks have
taken place. On the south-west coast, and in the large
island of Jobie, however, the natives are in a very barbarous
condition, and take every opportunity of robbery
and murder,—a habit which is confirmed by the impunity
they experience, owing to the vast extent of wild mountain
and forest country forbidding all pursuit or attempt at
punishment. In the very same village, four years before,
more than fifty Goram men were murdered; and as
these savages obtain an immense booty in the praus
and all their appurtenances, it is to be feared that such
attacks will continue to be made at intervals as long as
traders visit the same spots and attempt no retaliation.
Punishment could only be inflicted on these people by
very arbitrary measures, such as by obtaining possession
of some of the chiefs by stratagem, and rendering them
responsible for the capture of the murderers at the peril of
their own heads. But anything of this kind would be
quite contrary to the system adopted by the Dutch
Government in its dealings with natives.
/
/
/
GORAM TO WAHAI IN CERAM.
When my boat was at length launched and loaded, I got
my men together, and actually set sail the next day (May
27th), much to the astonishment of the Goram people, to
whom such punctuality was a novelty. I had a crew of
three men and a boy, besides my two Amboyna lads;
which was sufficient for sailing, though rather too few if
obliged to row much. The next day was very wet,
with squalls/calms, and contrary winds, and with some
difficulty we reached Kilwaru, the metropolis of the Bugis
traders in the far East. As I wanted to make some
purchases, I stayed here two days, and sent two of my
boxes of specimens by a Macassar prau to be forwarded to
Ternate,' thus relieving myself of a considerable incumbrance.
I bought knives, basins, and handkerchiefs for
barter, which with the choppers, cloth, and beads I had
brought with me, made a pretty good assortment. I also
bought two tower muskets to satisfy my crew, who insisted
on the necessity of being armed against attacks of pirates ;
arid with spices and a few articles of food for the voyage
nearly lay last doit was expended.
The little island of Kilwaru is a mere sandbank, just
large enough to contain a small village, and situated
between the islands of Ceram-laut, and Kissa—straits about
VOL. II. I