Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1Grey, George
History
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1
Grey, George
Natural history -- Australia -- Western Australia; Western Australia -- Discovery and exploration
They had quitted Hanover Bay on the 21st December at 9 A.M., and reached
Kupang in the Island of Timor on the 1st of January. For the first three
days until they got clear of the land they had every evening, soon after
sunset, heavy squalls from the north-east, accompanied with thunder,
lightning, and rain; the prevalent wind was however from the north-west.
The Lynher remained at Kupang until the 7th, during which time they
completed their water and collected coconuts, bread-fruit trees, etc., to
be planted in Australia; but as Mr. Lushington found that he should be
able more easily to obtain ponies at the island of Roti than at Kupang,
they sailed on the morning of the 7th for that place, and at 7 P.M. came
to in the harbour of Rougun in eleven fathoms water, with muddy bottom.
They were enabled to procure at Roti the requisite number of horses by
the evening of the 11th of January. The people of this island appeared to
be excessively ignorant, knew but little of the nature and value of
money, and were much astonished when they were shown a watch. Their
favourite mode of disposing of their property was by barter; the articles
they prized most were muskets and coarse gunpowder, but they preferred
having the gunpowder in a claret bottle, as if this was considered by
them to be some definite measure which bore a certain value. They were
not very particular about the quality of the muskets provided their
outward form and appearance were tolerably good. I have since ascertained
that the natives of the little-frequented islands of the Archipelago
invariably prefer an old musket to a new one, as they conceive a totally
new one may be unsafe, from having been made merely for the purpose of
sale; whilst one which has seen service has been indisputably
manufactured for use. If they entertain any doubt about the goodness of a
musket they generally insist upon the seller's firing it off.
MODE OF BARTER AT ROTI.
The people of Roti are not allowed to fix themselves what is to be the
price of their horses; all the details of the sale are settled by an
assemblage of chiefs: their constant cry in bartering (if anything else
is offered to them) is "schnapper, schnapper" (a musket, a musket). They
refused at first to take percussion guns in exchange, but when they saw
Captain Browse cock one of these, pour a quantity of water over the lock,
and fire it off, their astonishment knew no bounds, and they then eagerly
bartered for them. When they found that all the muskets were exhausted
they were content to take money and other articles in lieu: an old dress
waistcoat of mine and a regulation breastplate procured eight small
sheep; and Captain Browse got fourteen goats for a pair of old pistols.
The authorities give every encouragement to the trader; but the duties
exacted are high, for at Kupang and Roti they demand six rupees duty for
every horse exported, or musket imported. Arms and gunpowder are no
longer considered contraband.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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