THE TIMOR GROUP 371 



From a passage in Pigafetta's diaiy, it appears possil)le 

 that the Portuguese may have reached Timor hetbre the 

 visit of the Spaniards in 1522, but we have no definite 

 record of any such occurrence, or of when they became 

 estabHshed on the island. They were driven out of 

 Kupang by the Dutch in 1613, and the two nations 

 were engaged in frequent warfare during the eighteenth 

 century. In 1859 the boundaries were settled by treaty, 

 leaving, roughly speaking, the south-western moiety to 

 the Dutch and the north-eastern to the Portuguese. 

 The latter government, however, also own two .small 

 districts within their neighbour's territory. The Dutch 

 capital is Kupang, a neat little town near the southern 

 extremity of the island, with a mixed population of about 

 7000, consisting of Malays, Chinese, Arabs, and natives, 

 besides a considerable number of Dutch, living in well- 

 built houses. The Resident administers the government 

 of Sumba, Savu, and the Solor and Allor groups, in addi- 

 tion to the many native " kingdoms " into which Timor 

 is divided. The town is a place of some trade, and 

 whalers, as well as many merchant ships, call here for 

 provision and water. Trade is still carried on chieliy by 

 barter, the most prized article of exchange, according to 

 Mr. Forbes, being a species of bead of an ochreous rod 

 colour, the place of manufacture of which is cpiitc 

 unknown. A small string eight or nine inches long has 

 a value of about £12. 



The Portuguese have their chief settlement at Dilh, a 

 miserable town of hovels, half ruined and deserted, the 

 houses and even the church being only of clay and 

 thatch, without any attempt at decoration or even neat- 

 ness. With the exception of the Governor, officials, and 

 soldiers, there are hardly any Europeans, and the entire 

 population is not above 3000. It is, moreover, very 



