SEPT. 1770 RELATIONS WITH THE DUTCH 357 



took place about ten years ago, when a treaty of alliance 

 was signed between the five Eadjas and the Dutch Com- 

 pany ; in consequence of which the Company is yearly to 

 furnish each of these kings with a certain quantity of fine 

 linen and silk, cutlery ware, etc., in short, of any kind of 

 goods which he wants, all which is delivered in the form of 

 a present accompanied with a certain cask of arrack, which 

 the Eadja and his principal people never cease to drink as 

 long as a drop of it remains. In return for this, each Eadja 

 agrees that neither he nor his subjects shall trade with any 

 person except the Company, unless they have the permission 

 of their resident, that they shall yearly supply so many 

 sloop -loads of rice, maize, and calevances, the maize and 

 calevances being sent off to Timor in sloops, which are kept 

 on the island for that purpose. Each sloop is navigated by 

 ten Indians. The rice is taken away by a ship, which at the 

 time of the harvest comes to the island annually, bringing 

 the Company's presents, and anchoring by turns in each of 

 the three bays. 



In consequence of this treaty, Mr. Lange, a Portuguese 

 Indian, who seems to be his second, and a Dutch Indian, 

 who serves for schoolmaster, are permitted to live among 

 them. 



Mr. Lange himself is attended by fifty slaves on 

 horseback, with whom he every two months makes the 

 tour of the island, visiting all the Eadjas, exhorting those 

 to plant who seem idle ; and, observing where the crops are 

 got in, he immediately sends sloops for them, navigated by 

 these same slaves, so that the crop proceeds immediately 

 from the ground to the Dutch storehouses at Timor. In 

 these excursions he always carries certain bottles of arrack, 

 which he finds of great use in opening the hearts of the 

 Eadjas with whom he has to deal. Notwithstanding the 

 boasted honesty of these people, it requires his utmost 

 diligence to keep the arrack from his slaves, who, in spite of 

 all his care, often ease him of a great part of it. During 

 the ten years that he has resided on this island no European 

 but himself has ever been here, except at the time of the 



