THE TIMOR GROUP 
375 
miles wide. It is believed to be chiefly composed of the 
sedimentary rocks, and no volcanoes are known though 
they may quite possibly exist, as our knowledge of the 
island is very scanty. The northern coast is very high, 
forming precipitous, wall-like cliffs, which are about 1200 
feet high, and remarkably uniform. The south-eastern 
portion is a level plain covered with grass and isolated 
trees. The people are very numerous, although the 
estimate of 400,000 which has been given is probably 
much exaggerated. They are of Malayan race, and 
possessed of a certain civilisation. Their religion appears 
to be a vague nature-worship with some traces of Hindu 
influence. The country is well cultivated, rice and 
Indian corn are grown, and goats, buffaloes, and ponies 
bred. Of the latter, 1496 were exported, chiefly to Java 
and Mauritius, in 1889. Birds’ nests are found in large 
quantities, and some beeswax and tortoiseshell, but 
sandalwood is almost unknown. The trade is carried 
on by Bugis, who visit the island regularly in their 
praus, and a few Arabs settled at Nangamessi—known 
to the Dutch as Waingapu—on the north coast. 
