BUR0, 
185 
wliicli are occasionally visited by small European vessels 
for the purpose of obtaining horses ; but tlie natives of 
Bumba all dwell in the uplands, where they cultivate maizes 
yams, and other produce similar to that grown on Timor, 
aiid are said to use the plough, which is unknown in any 
other island to the eastward of Sumbawa. Their hair is 
frizzle dj but long, and their complexion is much darker 
than that of any other agricultural people in the Archi- 
pelago ; but in other respects they resemble very closely 
the brown tribes in the southern part of Timor, The 
wild tribes, which dwell in the upper parts of the moun- 
tain ranges, are said to be ver^^ black and very savage ; 
but as the writer has not had the good fortune to meet 
with a single specimen, he cannot vouch for the correct- 
ness of this report, although there seems to he no good 
reason for doubting it. 
Burn is ako a large island, being about two hundred 
miles in circumference. The bulk of the inhabitants are 
a comparatively fair people, very closely resembling the 
natives of Amboyna ; and the only tribe that is likely to 
be Papuan, is a small community which resides in the 
neighbourhood of a mountain lake near the centre of the 
island. This lake, which acema to have excited much 
curiosity at Amboyna, was visited by parties from the 
garrison in 1G68, and again in 1710, and their observa- 
tions are recorded at some length hy ValentjTi in his 
" Beschry vinge Van Oost Indie but, as usualj this 
excellent old historian is indistinct as to personal cha- 
racteristics. Several of their villages were seen by the 
exploring parties, each consisting of a single house, about 
which were found plantations of yams, sweet potatoes. 
