IX, C, 3 
Merrill: Charles B. Robinson, Jr. 
195 
Boetonese gardeners, which was established several years ago and which 
consists of about thirteen houses. This settlement is, via Seri, about 9 
miles from Amboina. 
A young Boetonese who had climbed a coconut tree to get some coconuts, 
on starting to descend, saw Doctor Robinson standing at the foot of the 
tree. Doctor Robinson spoke to him, but the boy, apparently frightened 
at seeing a European in such a remote spot and dressed in such an unusual 
fashion, slid down the tree and hurried to the settlement. Here he caused 
excitement among the people by telling them that he was being pursued by 
a European. Doctor Robinson, who had followed the boy, then arrived at 
the settlement and asked for a drink, whereupon a woman handed him a 
glass of water. He then left in the direction of Seri. 
From certain statements made by the boy, it is to be deduced that the 
people of the settlement were in great fear that Doctor Robinson would do 
them some harm. In the Moluccas there is a current rumor that in the 
months of November and December, year after year, strange people wander 
about who for some reason must cut off a human head — the notorious 
potong Jealapa (Malay for decapitator) . Finally, the headman of the 
settlement, armed with an ax, followed Doctor Robinson, saying to one of 
his countrymen: “There goes a dangerous European who wants to cut off 
our heads; I am going to kill him.” 
Overtaking Doctor Robinson, as he was passing over a small bridge, he 
struck him down with his ax. He then called for help, whereupon five 
Boetonese came running up, among them the man to whom the headman 
had said the words above quoted, and gave the dying Robinson the finishing 
blows. This must have taken place at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. 
The murder having been committed on the open road, the body was, 
from fear of discovery, conveyed to a remote place. The natives then 
waited until evening, when the body was wrapped in coconut leaves, weighted 
with stones, and sunk in the sea at a long distance from the shore. 
This misfortune would never have happened to Doctor Robinson had he 
been accompanied by somebody. A few months previously I personally 
earnestly advised Doctor Robinson not to go out alone, but I acknowledge 
that the reason for my advice was not the fear that he might be murdered, 
but that he might meet with some accident while in a remote spot, on 
account of the peculiar nature of the soil of Amboina. 
I can well imagine how natives living in a remote spot, like the Boetones'e 
already mentioned, and already unreasonably afraid of Europeans, should 
have been much frightened by the aspect of Doctor Robinson, who was 
dressed in khaki, who wore a felt hat, and carried a kind of a hunting 
knife, looking quite different from the Europeans that one meets here. 
According to my mind, Doctor Robinson was the victim of superstitious 
fear which was caused by his sudden and unexplained appearance in this 
remote place. The natives killed him just as they would have killed a 
dangerous reptile. The murder had scarcely been committed when reflec- 
tion followed, and in order to cover up the traces of their deed they sunk 
the body in the sea without looting it. 
Further the report states that all of Amboina had been deeply 
impressed by the sad occurrence, as Doctor Robinson had gained 
the affection of the entire European community; that when the 
criminals were brought to the town of Amboina the natives 
