178 
SOLOB. 
thought to he Badjus or Sea-Gipsies, probahly fi*om their 
being very much like the Malay hoatmen of SiDgapore, 
who are supposed to he of the same origin. Certainly 
the rcsemhlanee is very great, but wc have no -data from 
which identity of origin may he inferred. The coast 
tribes of Solor are remarkable for their skill in manag;ing 
their prahus and canoes, and are the most expert fisher- 
men in these seaSj frequently capturing the hiack-fishj a 
small variety of the cachalot, or sperm-whale, which no 
other fishermen in these seas will venture to attack. 
The blubber or fat obtained from them is used aa 
food, and also as an article of barter with the inland 
inhabitants; and the oil and spermaceti is sometimes 
disposed of to the Bughis and Macassar traders, who 
prefer it to cocoa-nut-oil for burning in their prahus. 
Several of these Solor fishermen are always to he found at 
Cocpaug, the Dutch settlement on Timor, chiefly in the 
sen'ice of the government, from whom they obtain a fixed 
allowance of rice and maize. These meOj who are relieved 
by others every year, arc sent in compliance with an old 
treaty, by which the coast natives of Solor agreed to 
furnish an annual quota of men for the public service. 
As all the youtbs have to take their turn, the system 
makes them accustomed to intercourse with Europeans, 
and is attended with very beneficial results. 
Indeed the settlement of Coepang presents an extraor- 
dinary field for the inquiries of an ethnologist, for nearly 
every people or tribe inhabiting the southern islands of 
the Archtpelago are represented there, either as political 
exiles, slaves or freed-men, or as casual visitors. The 
traders are Europeans^ Chinese, or natives of Celebes and 
