196 



TIMOH. 



The common dress is* a long clotli, twisted rouud the waist 

 and hanf^iiig to the kiiee^ as shown in the ilhistration 

 (page copied from a pliotngmph. Both men cariy 



the national umbrella, made of an entire fan -shaped palm 

 leaf, carefully stitched at the fold of each leaflet to prevent 

 splitting. This is opened out, and held f^loping over the 

 head and hack during a shower. The small water-bucket 

 is made from an entire unopened leaf of the same palm, 

 and the covered bamboo probably contains honey for sale. 

 A curious wallet is generally canied, consisting of a 

 f^qnare of strongly woven cloth, the four corners of which 

 are connected by cords, and often much ornamented with 

 heads and tassels, L*\aning against the house behind 

 the figure on the right are bamboos, used instead of 

 water jars. 



A prevalcTit custoni is tlie " pomnli," exactly equivalent 

 to the " taboo " of the Pacific islanders, and equally re- 

 spected. It is used on the commonest occasions, and a 

 few palm leaves stuck outside a garden as a sign of the 

 "pomali" will preserve its produce from thieves us 

 effectually as the threatening notice of man-tmps, spring 

 guns, or a savage dog, would do with us. The dead 

 are placed on a stage, raised six or eight feet above 

 the ground, sometimes open and sometimes covered witli 

 a root Here the body remains till the relatives can 

 afford t^> make a feast, when it is buried. The Timorese 

 arc geuerally great thieves, but are not bloodthirsty. They 

 fight continually among themselves, and take every op- 

 lii>rtuuity of kidnapping unprotected people of other trilies 

 for slaves; but Europeans may pass auywliere throiigb 

 the country in safety. Except a few half-breeds in the 

 town, there are no native Christiana in the island of Timor. 

 Tlie people retain theix independence in a great measure, 

 and both dislike and despise their would-be rulers, whether 

 Portuguese or Dutch. 



The Portuguese government in Timor is a most miserable 

 one. Nobody seems to care the least about the improve- 

 ment of the country, and at this time, after three hundred 

 years of occupation, there has not been a mile of road 

 made beyond the town, and there is not a solitary European 

 resident anywhere in the interior. All the Government 



