Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
product might soon be obtained by judicious breeding. Horses thrive amazingly; and enough
wheat might be grown to supply the whole Archipelago if there were sufficient inducements
to the natives to extend its cultivation, and good roads by which it could be cheaply trans-
ported to the coast. Under such a system the natives would soon perceive that European
government was advantageous to them. They would begin to save money, and property be-
ing rendered secure they would rapidly acquire new wants and new tastes, and become large
consumers of European goods. This would be a far surer source of profit to their rulers than
imposts and extortion, and would be at the same time more likely to produce peace and
obedience, than the mock-military rule which has hitherto proved most ineffective. To in-
augurate such a system would however require an immediate outlay of capital, which
neither Dutch nor Portuguese seem inclined to make,—and a number of honest and energet-
ic officials, which the latter nation at least seems unable to produce; so that it is much to be
feared that Timor will for many years to come remain in its present state of chronic insurrec-
tion and misgovernment.
Morality at Delli is at as low an ebb as in the far interior of Brazil, and crimes are con-
nived at which would entail infamy and criminal prosecution in Europe. While I was there it
was generally asserted and believed in the place, that two officers had poisoned the hus-
bands of women with whom they were carrying on intrigues, and with whom they immedi-
ately cohabited on the death of their rivals. Yet no one ever thought for a moment of show-
ing disapprobation of the crime, or even of considering it a crime at all, the husbands in
question being low half-castes, who of course ought to make way for the pleasures of their
superiors.
Judging from what I saw myself and by the descriptions of Mr. Geach, the indigenous ve-
getation of Timor is poor and monotonous. The lower ranges of the hills are everywhere
covered with scrubby Eucalypti, which only occasionally grow into lofty forest trees.
Mingled with these in smaller quantities are acacias and the fragrant sandal-wood, while the
higher mountains, which rise to about six or seven thousand feet, are either covered with
coarse grass or are altogether barren. In the lower grounds are a variety of weedy bushes,
and open waste places are covered everywhere with a nettle-like wild mint. Here is found
the beautiful crown lily, Gloriosa superba, winding among the bushes, and displaying its
magnificent blossoms in great profusion. A wild vine also occurs, bearing great irregular
bunches of hairy grapes of a coarse but very luscious flavour. In some of the valleys where
the vegetation is richer, thorny shrubs and climbers are so abundant as to make the thickets
quite impenetrable.
