414 



It is remarkable that in Flores (lie same legend about their origin 

 prevails as regarding tin, viz. that (hey have beeji formed in the 

 soil itself in conseqnenc'e of (he burning of alang-alang; (hej are 

 accordingly called "muti tanah", that is: earth-beads. About (heir 

 oi-igin we are still as much in (he dark as al)ont ihat of the glass 

 objecls found in (he South-Sea islands. Beside a marked concordance 

 in their taste for beads the islanders of the East-Indian Archipelago 

 evince none the less a vast difference respecting the othei- favourite 

 objecis for capi(aliza(ion. While "moko-moko", pecidiar keKledrums 

 made of brass, are in vogue in the Alor-islands, elephanls' tusks 

 are generall}' in favour in (he Solor-islands coming next to them in 

 a western direction. In Wes(-Flores thei-e prevails a fancj- for tin- 

 ornaments, while (he inhabi(an(s of Ro((i prefer chains made of 

 gold-wire. 



The reasonings of C. J. van Schri-i,k and of Prof. Vkkmars would 

 lead us to conclude that there are coppermines in the Alor-islands, 

 herds of elephants in (he Solor-islands and gold-diggings in Ro((i. 

 It would be thi'owing woi'ds away (o say more about i(, bu( we 

 wish to say a few words more abou( (he (in objects of Flores. 



Prof. Vkkmahs might adduce the argument that there is not 

 a single record extant to support the asserdon (hat tin or (in objects 

 were imported in(o Flores. Bn( (he same argument could apply to 

 the elephants' (nsks of (he Solor-islands. In (he second half of the 

 previous century cast moko-mokos were inliodnced into Java from 

 Grissee, but the natives soon found out that (hey were imi(ations. 

 In Ro((i, where not a single grain of gold has ever been found, an 

 old branch of industry has revived in consequence of the sale of 

 horses (o Australia, which brough( a large number of sovereigns (o 

 the island, which were wrought into gold chains ^). 



To support his argumentation Prof Vkhmacis has added to his 

 memoir not oidy a number of tine illustrations, bn( also numerous 

 analyses of the melallic objecis found in (he island. I hope they will 

 prove most interesting for the ethnography of Flores, but they are 

 not relevant to the origin of the metals. 



I can imagine the possibility of establishing through analysis that 

 a (able spoon has been piocured by such and such a firm, but 

 hundreds of analyses cannot enable us to establish the source of the 

 silver used to make the spoon. 



1) The Roltinese are very superior in civilization to the people in Alor and 

 Flores, who possess but little skill in working metals. J F. Freyss says about Ihem : 

 "the art of forging is very little advanced among the inhabitants of West- Flores." 

 (Reizen naar Mangarai . . . . Tijdschr. Ind. T. L. en Vk. 9. Batavia 1860, p. oil). 



