that they do him very little credit;
and many of his tales partook of the marvellous. Among the Dyaks, natives
of the interior, it is a custom, he said, that when a man wishes to
marry, he must produce a certain number of human heads. He related that
he had once seen a very handsome young woman, to whom a number of heads
had been delivered, swimming about in some water, and playing with them.
At another time he averred that he saw a woman mix human brains with
water and drink it! Mr. Gronovius also informed me that the land on the
western sides both of Timor and Borneo was gaining on the sea,
particularly at the latter place; and a report prevailed that on some of
the elevated parts of the former chama shells had been found. In answer
to my inquiries about earthquakes, I was told that, only the last month
the island of Ternate in 0 degrees 50 minutes North had been visited by
one, which had thrown down all the houses, and that in 1690, the town of
Coepang had also been destroyed. From the Resident also, I received
accounts of three ports in Rottee, one on the north-west side, another on
the south-east, and a third, on the north-east, opening into Rottee
Strait.

THE TIMOREES.

Among the fresh information gained from Mr. Gronovius during this visit,
was an account of the natives of Timor called Timorees. They are very
superstitious, and when a person of consequence dies, a number of
karabows (buffaloes) pigs, and ponies are killed and placed over his
grave, as an offering to the evil spirit. Some, in case of sickness,
imagine, that by eating a whole buffalo, even the horns and hoofs, by
degrees, they can appease the anger of the demon to whom they attribute
all their misfortunes.

Many of the Timorees have really handsome features, strikingly different
from the Malays. Their hair, which is neither woolly nor straight, but
crisp, and full of small waves, is worn long behind, and kept together by
a curiously formed comb. There is altogether a degree of wildness in
their appearance that ill accords with their situation; for nearly all
the Timorees in Coepang are slaves sold by the Rajahs of the different
districts, the value of a young man being fifty pounds.

A powerful Rajah, commonly called the Emperor of Timor, visited Coepang
during our stay there. Unfortunately we all missed seeing him. He was
attended by a large and well-armed guard, and appeared to be on very good
terms with the merchants of the place, who made