190 THE TIM0REE9. 



Among the fresh information gained from Mr. 

 Gronovius during this visit, was an account of the 

 natives of Timor called Timorees. They are very 

 superstitious, and when a person of consequence dies, 

 a number of karabows (buffaloes,) pigs, and ponies 

 are killed and placed over his grave, as an offer- 

 ing to the evil spirit. Some, in case of sickness, 

 imagine, that by eating a whole buffalo, even the 

 horns and hoofs, by degrees, they can appease the 

 ano;er of the demon to whom thev attribute all 

 their misfortunes. 



Many of the Timorees have really handsome 

 features, strikinglv different from the Malavs. Their 

 hair, which is neither woolly nor straight, but crisp, 

 and full of small waves, is worn long behind, and 

 kept together by a curiously formed comb. There 

 is altogether a degree of wildness in their appear- 

 ance that ill accords with their situation ; for nearly 

 all the Timorees in Coepang are slaves sold by the 

 Rajahs of the different districts, the value of a young 

 man being fifty pounds. 



A powerful Rajah, commonly called the Em- 

 peror of Timor, visited Coepang during our stay 

 there. Unfortunately we all missed seeing him. He 

 was attended by a large and well-armed guard, and 

 appeared to be on very good terms with the mer- 

 chants of the place, who made him several presents, 

 no doubt through interested motives ; probably 

 he supplies them with slaves. His character is 

 notoriously bad y it was onlv the other dav that he 



