PREFACE. 



Mr. a. K. Wallace's * Malay Archipelago ' is so accurate and 

 exhaustive an acconnt of the Eastern Isles, that there have 

 been left but few gleauings for those who have followed him 

 to gather. Most of the islands visited hj me were also visited 

 by Mm; hut my route has in each island been altogether 

 different from his. In as far as it refers to islands visited by 

 both of ns, I should desire this volume, which is a mere 

 transcript of what I have thought the more interesting of 

 the field notes made during my wanderinge, to he considered 

 in the light of an addendum to — unfortunately without any 

 of the literary elegance and finish of— that model book of 

 travel. 



No detailed aeeomit of the Timor-laut Islands has appeared 

 before the present ; and very little has been published on the 

 inhabitants of the interior of Timor.* In the chapters devoted 

 to these lauds I have contributed some ethnological notes which 

 I trust may be found new and of interest. 



Before I allow this volume to leave my bauds, I have the 

 pleasant task of acknowledging my indebtedness to many 

 friends. Besides those whose kindness I have referred to in 

 the body of this work, I have in the first instance to beg their 

 Excellencies Van Lansberge and 'Sjacob, the two Governors- 

 General of Netherlands India during my stay in the ^Irchi- 

 pelago, to accept my grateful acknowledgments for their many 



* * As PossesBSes Portagezas m Ck^ania, por Affonso do CaJBtro, memhro da 

 Sociedade de Scieucias « Artes de Batavtti ; Boputaxlo da no^to^ i&c., cx- 

 Goveniftdor de Timor : Lisboa^ 1867/ contains au iDtereating at'count of some 

 of the customs of the p€<,>iil(? of E. Tmigr, 



