IN TIMOR. 417 



necessary to decide that our dwelling should stand there, and I 



carried back with me to A a sweet-scented rose plucked 



from a bush growing near the spot as a hopeful token of the 

 goodness of the site. During our descent a largish beetle 

 banged itself against my hat, which I found to my delight 

 to be a specimen of the rare rose-chaffer (Lomaptera timoren- 

 sis), the only known specimen of which, if I mistake not, 

 taken some twenty years before by Mr. Wallace in this very 

 island, has remained unique ever since. On my arrival at the 

 Palace, breakfast was proceeding, and I placed my prize under 

 a glass shade in the room I occupied till my return from the 

 table. Alas, during my absence a servant had cleared away 

 the noxious hkho, and I never afterwards saw another speci- 

 men! 



While arrangements, in response to the kind mandate of 

 the Secretary to the native Kajah of Motael in whose territory 

 the Fatunaba hills lay, were being made for the erection of a 

 bamboo hut for me, we spent some very interesting days in 

 Dilly. The town, though vastly improved since Mr. Wallace's 

 visit, was still disappointing in many respects, and its Hibiscus- 

 lined streets looked poor and uninviting. The lack of money 

 to carry out efficiently the necessary municipal arrangements 

 was painfully evident. No more enlightened or energetic 

 regime could be desired than that under the ofScers at the 

 head of affairs during our sojourn in Dilly, through whom — 

 and I use no mere terms of compliment — had the necessary 

 resources been at their disposal, Portuguese Timor might have 

 caught the tide of prosperity she has long waited for. 



In going into the various offices and shops I was struck to 

 find all business conducted, not, as in the Dutch possessions, 

 in the lingua franca of the Archipelago, Malay, but in Portu- 

 guese. It has been a feature of all the countries occupied for 

 any length of time by the Portuguese that they have so 

 indelibly impressed their own speech on the rude tribes they 

 have conquered, that its words have remained a part of their 

 language centuries after their rule has passed away. On the 

 other hand, in the Netherlands colonies comparatively few 

 Dutch words have been thus kindly naturalised. In the 

 different quarters of the town native police posted in little 

 encampments are always on guard, and during the still nights 



