Laphao, A Portuguese Settlement

When you go hence to the eastward you may pass between the small island and Timor.

When you are 5-6 leagues to the eastward of the small island you will see a large valley to the eastward of you.

Running a little further, you may see houses on the bay.

You may luff in, but anchor not till you go about the next point. Then you will see more houses where you may run in to 20-30 fathom, and anchor right against the houses, nearest the west end of them.

This place is called Laphao, a Portuguese settlement 16 leagues from the watering-bay.

There are in it 50 houses and 1 church.

The houses are mean and low, the walls generally made of mud or wattled, and their sides made up with boards: they are all thatched with palm or palmetto leaves.

The church also is very small: the east end of it is boarded up to the top; but the sides and the west end are only boarded 3-4 foot high.

The rest is all open: there is a small altar in it, with two steps to go up to it, and an image or two; but all very mean.

It is also thatched with palm or palmetto leaves. Each house has a yard belonging to it, fenced about with wild canes nine or ten foot high.

There is a well in each yard, and a little bucket with a string to it to draw water withal.

There is a trunk of a tree made hollow, placed in each well, to keep the earth from falling in. Round the yards there are many fruit-trees planted; as coconuts, tamarinds and toddy-trees.

They have a small hovel by the sea side where there are six small old iron guns standing on a decayed platform, in rotten carriages.

Their vents are so big that when they are fired, the strength of the powder flying out there, they give but a small report like that of a musket. This is their court of guard; and here were a few armed men watching all the time we lay here.

The inhabitants are chiefly Indians of a copper-colour, with black lank hair.

They speak Portuguese and are of the Romish religion.

But they take the liberty to eat meat when they please. They value themselves because of their religion and descent from the Portuguese.

They would be very angry if a man should say they are not Portuguese;

Yet I saw but 3 white men here, 2 of which were padres.

There are also a few Chinese living here.

It is a place of pretty good trade and strength, the best on this island, except for Porta Nova.

They have 3-4 small barks belonging to the place; with which they trade chiefly about the island with the natives for wax, gold, and sandalwood.

Sometimes they go to Batavia and fetch European commodities, rice, etc.

The Chinese trade here from Macao.

20 small sailing vessels come from thence hither every year.

They bring coarse rice, adulterated gold, tea, iron, and iron tools, porcelain, silks, etc.

They take in exchange pure gold, as it is gathered in the mountains, beeswax, sandalwood, slaves, etc.

Sometimes also here comes a ship from Goa.

Ships that trade here began to come hither the latter end of March; and none stay here longer than the latter end of August.

For should they be here while the north-north-west monsoon blows no cables nor anchors would hold them; but they would be driven ashore and dashed in pieces presently.

But from March till September, while the south-south-east monsoon blows, ships ride here very secure; for then, though the wind often blows hard, yet it is offshore; so that there is very smooth water, and no fear of being driven ashore; and yet even then they moor with three cables; two towards the land, eastward and westward; and the third right off to seaward.

As this is the second place of traffic so it is in strength the second place the Portuguese have here, though not capable of resisting a hundred men: for the pirates that were at the Dutch fort came hither also;

After they had filled their water and cut firewood and refreshed themselves, they plundered the houses, set them on fire, and went away.

I was told that the Portuguese can draw together 600 men in 24 hours time, all armed with hand-guns, swords and pistols even if powder and bullets are scarce and dear.

Their chief is named Antonio Henriquez, called Captain More or Maior.

He is a white man sent by the viceroy of Goa.

I did not see him for he lives far at a place called Porta Nova, which is at the east end of the island.

It is a good harbour.

He goes frequently to wars in company with the Indians that are his neighbours and friends, against other Indians that are their enemies.

The next man to him is Alexis Mendosa, a lieutenant. He lives 7 miles from here, and rules this part of the country.

He is a little man of the Indian race, copper-coloured, with black lank hair.

He speaks both the Indian and Portuguese and is a Roman Catholic, and seems to be a civil brisk man.

There is another Indian lieutenant at Laphao who speaks both his own and the Portuguese language very well.

• He is old and infirm, but was very courteous to me.

They boast very much of their strength here.

They say they:

• are able at any time to drive the Dutch away from the island
• had they permission from the king of Portugal so to do.

Yet really they are very weak.

They have but a few small arms and but little powder.

They have no fort, nor magazine of arms. The viceroy of Goa does not send them any now.

They pretend to be under the king of Portugal. But they really are a lawless people and under no government.

It was not long since the viceroy of Goa sent a ship here with a land-officer to remain here.

But Captain More put him in irons, and sent him aboard the ship again.

He told the commander that he:

• had no need for any officers
• could make better officers here than any that could be sent him from Goa

I know not whether there has been any other ship sent from Goa since: so that they have no supplies from thence:

Yet they do not lack arms and ammunition since they trade to Batavia.

There are very few right Portuguese in any part of the island.

The real Portuguese I was told are to be some thousands. I think their strength consists more in their numbers than in good arms or discipline.

The land from hence trends away east by north about 14 leagues, making many points and sandy bays, where vessels may anchor.

PORT CICCALE

Fourteen leagues east from Laphao there is a small harbour called Ciccale by the Portuguese, and commended by them for an excellent port.

But it is very small, has a narrow entrance, and lies open to northerly winds: though indeed there are two ledges of rocks, one shooting out from the west point and the other from the east point, which break off the sea; for the rocks are dry at low water.

This place is about 60 leagues from the south-west end of the island.

The Hills, Water, Lowlands, Soil, Woods, Metals, In The Island Timor

The whole of this island Timor is a very uneven rough country, full of hills and small valleys.

In the middle of it there runs a chain of high mountains, almost from one end to the other.

It is indifferently well watered (even in the dry times) with small brooks and springs, but no great rivers; the island being but narrow, and such a chain of mountains in the middle that no water can run far;

But, as the springs break out on one side or other of the hills, they make their nearest course to the sea.

In the wet season the valleys and low lands by the sea are overflown with water; and then the small drills that run into the sea are great rivers; and the gullies, which are dry for 3 or 4 months before, now discharge an impetuous torrent.

The low land by the seaside is for the most part friable, loose, sandy soil; yet indifferently fertile and clothed with woods.

The mountains are chequered with woods and some spots of savannahs: some of the hills are wholly covered with tall, flourishing trees; others but thinly; and these few trees that are on them, look very small, rusty and withered;

The spots of savannahs among them appear rocky and barren.

Many of the mountains are rich in gold, copper, or both: the rains wash the gold out of mountains, which the natives pick up in the adjacent brooks, as the Spaniards do in America: how they get the copper I know not.