300 TIMOR. [chap. xiii. 



There must be something very unusual in the climate of 

 Timor to permit of wheat being grown at so moderate an 

 elevation. The grain is of excellent quality, the bread 

 made from it being equal to any I have ever tasted ; and 

 it is universally acknowledged to be unsurpassed by any 

 made from imported European or American flour. The 

 fact that the natives have (quite of their own accord) 

 taken to cultivating such foreign articles as wheat and 

 potatoes, which they bring in small quantities on the 

 backs of ponies by the most horrible mountain tracks, and 

 sell very cheaply at the seaside, sufficiently indicates what 

 might be done, if good roads were made, and if the people 

 were taught, encouraged, and protected. Sheep also do 

 well on the mountains ; and a breed of hardy ponies in 

 much repute all over the Archipelago, runs half wild ; so 

 that it appears as if this island, so barren-looking and 

 devoid of the usual features of tropical vegetation, were 

 yet especially adapted to supply a variety of products 

 essential to Europeans, which the other islands will not 

 produce, and which they accordingly import from the 

 other side of the globe. 



On the 24th of February my friend Mr. Geach left 

 Timor, having finally reported that no minerals worth 

 working were to lie found. The Portuguese were very 

 much annoyed, having made up their minds that copper is 

 abundant, and still believing it to be so. It appears that 



