TIIK TIMOR GliOUr .",01 



form a large proportion of the littoral population, Imt 

 according to Dr. Weber the true 15uginese arc hanlly 

 seen except at Maumeri, where they construct the hirgc 

 trading praus for which they are so famed. The ali- 

 original inhabitants thus occupy the interior. They are 

 totally distinct from the sub-Malayan peoples of the 

 coast, and are by most observers considered t(t be of 

 Papuan origin. They are tall and strongly luiilt, wiili 

 somewhat of the unreserved and noisy manners of the 

 New Guinea savage. The teeth are filed to points: tht- 

 nose is large, rather prominent, and finely cut ; the skin 

 dark, or, according to some travellers, sooty-black. The 

 hair is frizzly and abundant, but waved, and less re- 

 sistent than in the true Papuan ; and altogether the 

 Flores aboriginals may perhaps be said to Idc most 

 nearly allied to the Timorese. Tliey are not very friendly 

 even near Larantuka, where Europeans have been long 

 settled, and a Dutch expedition attempting to explore 

 inland from the south coast in 1889 was attacked 

 and driven to retreat, the leader and two Government 

 officials having been wounded. These people are pure 

 pagans, their creed being apparently a form of nature- 

 worship. The earth is considered holy, and to be dis- 

 turbed as little as possible, so that in the dry season they 

 will only dig for water in the river-beds as a last 

 resource. The coast dwellers are mostly IMohannnedans, 

 but the Portuguese made some converts din-ing their 

 tenure of the island, and a good number, especially of the 

 mixed race of Portuguese blood in Larantuka, still call 

 themselves Christians, and are said to be visited by the 

 priests from Timor. There is also a Dutch Catholic 

 mission at Maumeri and Sikka. The people inhabiting 

 Paisa Eaja Island are pagans of the same race as those of 

 the interior. 



