204 
MELVILLE ISLAND. 
the proffered gift. TJiia led me to imagine that the 
island had heen visited by strangers, and the natives 
forced away by them as slaves ; tn corroboration of which 
opinion, I may add three other eirciimstances which came 
under my notice. 
" The first is, that the Malay fishermen from Macassar 
are forbidden to go near Melville Island (whieh they call 
" amba**), alleging that it is infested by pirates — ^probably 
slavers, as amba" in the Malay language signifies a 
slave. 
The second circumstance relates to a lad, who had 
been taken from a native tribe in 1825, and detained at 
the settlement three or four days, when he escaped. This 
lad was the colour of a Malay, and possessed their 
featm'es, whence it is probable that he was taken when a 
child from some Malay slave-ship or fishing prda, and 
reared amongst the Melville Islanders, 
" The third circumstance is, that when Captain King, 
E.N., entered Apsley Straits in 1818, and was proceeding 
towards the shore near Loxmore Head ia his boat, a 
number of natives were on the beach ; and a female, who 
entered the water in order to decoy him close to the 
shore, called out, " Vin aca 1 Vin aca !"* This being a 
Portuguese expresgion, induces me to believe that vessels 
from the Portuguese settlement of Dilbi, on tbe north 
side of Timor, might have visited lilelville Island for the 
purpose of seizing the natives, and carrj'ing them away as 
filaves. 
♦'During the four years that this island was oceu- 
• " Come here I come here !" in Portuguese. 
