208 AUSTRALASIA. 



AUor group, Pantar and Ombaai, visited by Pigafetta, companion of Magellan, and 

 described by him under the name of Maluva, are also larger than Solor, while 

 round about the chief lands are scattered a large number of reefs and islets. All 

 are hilly and from many lava streams have been discharged. The highest cones 

 are Lamahalé (5,000 feet), in Adonare, and Lobetollé (4,900 feet), which forms the 

 northern headland of Lomblem. 



The inhabitants of Flores and of the neighbouring islands are of a mixed cha- 

 racter. Those of the coastlands, who for the most part speak the Malay dialect 

 of Bima, belong to the same groupas the natives of Sumbawa, and, like tbem, con- 

 struct their dwellings in the Malay fashion on the solid ground, and not raised on 

 piles after the manner of the Papuans. Nevertheless the natives of the interior 

 both in Flores and Solor appear to have a darker complexion than those of the 

 seaboard, and are said to betray both in their features and usages a marked affinity 

 to the Papuan inhabitants of New Guinea. Like the peoples of Sumbawa and 

 Lombok, nearly all claim to be f ollowero of the Prophet. But the Portuguese, wbo, 

 down to the middle of this century, occupied the eastern part of Flores with the 

 adjacent archipelagoes, displayed far greater zeal than their Dutch successors for 

 the conversion of their pagan subjects. Hence some of the Malays in these islands 

 still call themselves both " Portuguese" and " Christians." They may even have 

 some Portuguese blood in their veins, and priests from Timor pay occasional visits 

 to tbeir communities in order to baptise the children, solemnise marriages, and 

 bless the graves of tbe departed. 



Larantiika, an old Portuguese stronghold at the foot of the volcano of like 

 name and on the west side of Flores Strait, has become the capital of the Dutch 

 possessions in these waters. The place is yearly visited during the north-west 

 monsoon by a fleet of native craft from Celebes, returning with the south-eastern 

 trade- winds, and exchanging textiles, pottery, and hardware for mother-of-pearl, 

 sea- cucumbers, edible birds' -nests and other local produce. 



The Celebes traders also visit a few other seaports, such as Adonare, in the 

 island of the same name, Lawayang, capital of Solor, and Alhr Katjil, at the north- 

 west extremity of Ombaai. These places with their archipelagoes all depend 

 administratively on the province of Flores, while the district of Mangeraai in 

 Flores itself is attached to Sumbawa. 



SUMBA. 



This island, called also " Sunda," although lying in the deep waters of the 

 Indian Ocean outside the line of the Sunda Islands proper, forms a little world 

 apart from the surrounding lands. Separated from Komodo and Flores by an arm 

 of the sea some 60 miles broad and over 100 fathoms deep, its quadrilateral mass 

 is disposed, not east and west, parallel with the Little Suudas, but in the direction 

 from nortb-west to south-east. It possesses no active volcanoes, and igneous rocks 

 appear to occupy but a small portion of its surface. Nearly the whole of the 

 island, in fact, is believed to be of sedimentary formation. The south coast consists 



