332. 



BATCBJAX 



[CBAP. xxnr. 



what an accurate and iastmctive chapter we sljoukl ha%*e ! 

 what transitions would be pointed ont, what theories of 

 the origin of races would be developed! while the next 

 traveller might Hatly contradict every statement and arrive 

 at exactly opposite conclusions. 



Soon after I jirrived here the Dutch Govemment intro- 

 duced a new copper coinage of cents instead of doits (the 

 100th instead of the 120th part of a guilder), and all the 

 old coins were ordered to be sent to Teraate to be changetl 

 I sent a bag containing 6,000 doita, and didy received the 

 new money by return of tlie boat. When Ali went to 

 bring it, however, the captain required a written order \ so 

 I waited to send again the next day, and it was lucky 

 I did soj for that night my house wna entered, all my hoxes 

 carried ont and ransacked, and the vario\i3 articles left on 

 the Toad about twenty yards off, where w*e found them 

 at five in the morning, when, on getting up and finding the 

 house empty, we nished out to discover tracks of the thieves. 

 Not being able to find the copper money which they 

 thought I had just received, they decamped, taking nothing 

 but a few yards of cotton cloth add a black coat and 

 trousei's, which latter were picked up a few days aftenvai'ds 

 hidden in the grass. There was no doubt whatever wlio 

 were the thieves. Comdcts are employed to guard the 

 Government stores when the boat arrives from Teruate. 

 Two of them watch all night, and often take the oppor- 

 tunity to roam about and commit robheries. 



The next day I received my money, and seemed it well in 

 a strong box fastened imder my bed. I took out five or six 

 hiindred cents for daily expenses, and put them in a small 

 japanned box, which always stood upon my table. In the 

 afternoon I went for a short walk, and on my return 

 this box and my keys, which I had carelessly left on the 

 table, were gone. Two of my boys were in the house, but 

 had heard nothing. I immediately gave infoi-mation of the 

 two robberies to the Director at the mines and to the Com- 

 mandant at the fort, and got for answer, tliat if I caught 

 the thief in the act I might shoot him. By inquiry in the 

 village, we afterwards found that one of the convicts who 

 w^as on duty at the Government rice-store in the village 

 bad quitted his guard, was seen to pass over the bridge 



