CHAP. XIll.] 



HILL CULTrrATlON. 



191 



patches of forest, which Mr. Gt?ach, who had been all 

 over the eiistern part of Timor, assured me was the most 

 hixuriaiit he had yet seen in the islainl I was in hopes 

 of fniding some insects here, but was miicli disappointed, 

 owing perhaps to the dampness of the cUmate ; for it 

 was not tin the sun was pi-etty high that the mists cleared 

 away, and by noon we were generally clouded up again, 

 so that there was seklom more than an liour or two 

 of fitful sunshine. We searched in every direction for 

 birds and other game, but they were very scarce. On our 

 way I had sliot the tine white-headed pigeon. Ptilonopus 

 ciuctais, and the pretty little lorikeet, Trichoglossus euteles. 

 I got a few more of these at the blossoms of the Eucalj'pti, 

 and also the allied species Trichoglossna iris, and a few 

 other small but interesting birds. The common jungle- 

 cock of India (Gallus bankiva) was found here, and fur- 

 nished ns with some excellent meals ; but we coidd get no 

 deer. Potatoes are grown higher up the monutaius in 

 abundance, and are very gooi We had a sheep killed 

 every other day, and ate our mutton with much appetite 

 in the cool climate which rendered a fire always agreeable. 



Although one-half the European residents in Delli arc 

 continually ill from fever, and the Portuguese have occupied 

 the place for three centuries, no one has yet built a house 

 on these fine liills, wliich, if a tolerable road were made, 

 would be only an hour's ride from the town ; and almost 

 equally good situations might be found on a lower level at 

 half an hour's distance* The fact that potatoes and wlieat 

 of excellent quality are grown in abundance at from 3,000 

 to 3jo00 feet elevation, shows what the climate and soil 

 are culpable of if pro[>erly cultivated. From one to two 

 thousand feet Mgh, cotfee would thrive; and there are 

 hundreds of square mdes of country, over which all the 

 varied products which require climates between those of 

 coffee and wheat would flourish ; but no attempt has yet 

 been made to form a single mile of road, or a single acre 

 of plantation ! 



Tliere must be something very unusual in the climate of 

 Timor to permit of wheat being grown at so modemte an 

 elevation. The grain is of excellent quality, the bread 

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



