CHAr. XIT.J 



or THE TIMOE QROUR 



211 



banks, and the volcanic character of most of the islands, 

 all point to an iodependent origin. 



Before wncludin^I must make one remark to avoid 

 misapprehension, when I say that Timor has never 

 formed part of Anstralia, I refer only to recent geological 

 epochs. In Secondar}- or even Eocene or Miocene times, 

 Timor and Australia may have been connected ; but if so, 

 all record of such a union has been lost by subsequent 

 submergence; and in accounting for the present land- 

 inhabitants of any country we have only to consider these 

 changes which have occurred since its last elevation above 

 the watere. Since such last edevation, I feel confident that 

 Timor has not formed pait of Australia. 



T LEFT Lombock on the 30th of August, and reached 

 J- JIaeassar in three days. It -vvaa with great satisfaction 

 that I stepped on a shoi-e which I had been vainly trying 

 to reach since Febiiifiry, and where I expected to meet 

 with so much that was new and interesting. 



The coast of this part of Celebes is low and flai^ lined 

 with trees and villages so as to conceal the interior, except 

 at occasional openings wHch show a wide extent of bare 

 and marsliy rice-fields. A few hills, of no great height, 

 were visible in the backgi*otmd ; but owing to the per- 

 petual haze over the land at this time of the year, I could 

 nowhere discern the high centrfd range of the peninsula, 

 or the celebrated peak of Bontyne at its southern ex- 

 tremity. In the roadstead of jfacassar there was a fine 

 42-giin frigate, the guardsiiip of the place, as well as a 

 small war steamer and tliree or four little cutters used for 

 cruising after the pirat^es which infest these seas. There 



CHAPTER XV. 



CELEBES. 



(KACABSAB. SEPTEMBEK to ii^QVEMBBR, 1^56.) 



