chap, xni.] MINERAL PRODUCTS. 303 



him severely that he was mistaken ; that they all knew 

 there was copper there in abundance, and all they wanted 

 him to tell them, as a mining-engineer, was how best to get 

 at it; and that at all events he was to begin work some- 

 where. This Mr. Geach refused to do, trying to explain, 

 that the ravines had cut far deeper into the hill than he 

 could do in years, and that he would not throw away 

 money or time on any such useless attempt. After this 

 speech had been interpreted to him, the Governor saw it 

 was no use, and without saying a word turned his horse 

 and rode away, leaving my friends alone on the mountain. 

 They all believed there was some conspiracy — that the 

 Englishman would not find the copper, and that they had 

 been cruelly betrayed. 



Mr. Geach then wrote to the Singapore merchant who 

 was his employer, and it was arranged that he should send 

 the mechanics home again, and himself explore the country 

 for minerals. At first the Government threw obstacles in 

 his way and entirely prevented his moving ; but at length 

 he was allowed to travel about, and for more than a year 

 he and his assistant explored the eastern part of Timor, 

 crossing it in several places from sea to sea, and ascending 

 every important valley, without finding any minerals that 

 would pay the expense of working. Copper ore exists in 

 several places, but always too poor in quality. The best 

 would pay well if situated in England ; but in the interior 



