479 



''nets heavier; 3'^ that tin has little value for them and iron and 

 "copper is valued higher by Iheui; 4''' that eonstanliy as findin»-- 

 "plaec of tin a special spot is indicated, situated northward iVoin 

 "Mount Rokka, and the natives possess thexe considerable quantities 

 "of tin" ^). Further he asserted "that the idea former)}' occasionallj 

 "suggested, that the tin that the people of Rokka possess, should 

 "be imported or proceed from solder of petroleum- or other tins 

 "mnst be rejected as utterly unfounded". 



The summary of his considerations was : "As far as the information 

 "I obtained reaches, I must admit that the soil to the noi-th of the 



"Mountain of Rokka is very rich in tin-ore Along a lissure 



"running- [)robably from East to West along the South-coast of 

 "Flores, the volcanic products have found a way and partly covered 

 "the other formations. The region containing tin-oie is situated at 

 "the frontier of the two formations, and we must admit, that the 

 "older formation there is strongly impregnated with tin-ore, and that 

 "by the desaggregation this comes tree at the surface". 



The favourable expectations raised by Van Schelle's report 

 induced the Indian Government to send out a second expedition this 

 time however supported by a strong military power. (Resolution 

 of the 31^^' March 1890) 'O. ' 



On the 11''' May 1890 a detachment departed from Surabaya and 

 arrived on the 14''' in the Aiméré Bay, where on the left bank of 

 the Wai Moke (Aiméré River) a bivouac was pitched. On the 8''' July 

 the well-known Watu Loko was occupied. On the 24''' and 25''' under 

 protection of a strong patrol C. J. van Scheli,e made from this 

 place in an eastern and north-eastern direction reconnoitring excursions 

 to the supposed tin-region. Instead of grounds containing ore he 

 found how^ever crater-mountains, of which Kopo Lebo and Lebi Sega 

 were ascended. On the 29 •' the patrol reached the top of Wolo 

 Méré, 1650 feet high, and discovered that, as far as could be seen, 

 it was of a volcanic nature. 



After this complete failure a last effort was vejitured to reach 

 the "tin-region" from ihe district of Toa situated on the north-coast, 

 where E. F. Kleian had taken information in 1H87. By resolution 

 of 10''' Sept. 1890, N". 'J it was stipulated that van Schelle and 



1) In reality more than a dozen places were mentioned. 



2) Koloniaal Verslag van 1870, page 22., 1891. p. 23—29. — Verslag van het 

 iN.ijnwezen over het 2de kwartaal 1800, p tG; ode kw. 189!>, p. 12. — P. G. 

 ScHMiDHAMER. De expeditie naar Zuid-Flores. Indisch Militair Tijdschrift. 24. 

 Batavia— "c Gravenhage 1893, p 101 — 115 1:7—213, 289-307, 315-404, 

 493_504, 25. 1894, p. 1— 11. 



