ers forms.

As to their marriages they take as many wives as they can maintain; and
sometimes they sell their children to purchase more wives. I enquired
about their religion and was told they had none. Their common subsistence
is by Indian corn, which every man plants for himself. They take but
little pains to clear their land for in the dry time they set fire to the
withered grass and shrubs, and that burns them out a plantation for the
next wet season. What other grain they have beside Indian corn I know
not. Their plantations are very mean; for they delight most in hunting;
and here are wild buffaloes and hogs enough, though very shy because of
their so frequent hunting.

They have a few boats and some fishermen. Their arms are lances, thick
round short truncheons and targets; with these they hunt and kill their
game and their enemies too; for this island is now divided into many
kingdoms, and all of different languages; though in their customs and
manner of living, as well as shape and colour, they seem to be of one
stock.

THE PORTUGUESE AND DUTCH SETTLEMENTS.

The chiefest kingdoms are Kupang, Amabia, Lortribie, Pobumbie, Namquimal;
the island also of Anamabao, or Anabao, is a kingdom. Each of these has a
sultan who is supreme in his province and kingdom, and has under him
several rajas and other inferior officers. The sultans for the most part
are enemies to each other, which enmities are fomented and kept up by the
Dutch, whose fort and factory is in the kingdom of Kupang; and therefore
the bay near which they are settled, is commonly called Kupang Bay. They
have only as much ground as they can keep within reach of their guns; yet
this whole kingdom is at peace with them; and they freely trade together;
as also with the islanders on Anabao, who are in amity as well with the
natives of Kupang as with the Dutch residing there; but they are
implacable enemies to those of Amabie, who are their next neighbours, and
in amity with the Portuguese: as are also the kingdoms of Pobumbie,
Namquimal and Lortribie. It is very probable that these 2 European
settlements on this island are the greatest occasion of their continued
wars. The Portuguese vaunt highly of their strength here and that they
are able at pleasure to rout the Dutch, if they had authority so to do
from the king of Portugal; and they have written to the viceroy of Goa
about it: and though their request is not yet granted, yet (as they say)
they live in