[Footnote 16: Bondsmen are those who borrow a sum of money, and serve their creditors until it is repaid. As it is very difficult, indeed almost impossible, for them to do this, they remain ever after in a state of bondage, little better, in fact, than actual slavery, as according to their customs the creditor may assume the power of disposing of them to another.] [Footnote 17: Erected in 1773 with the help of God.] [Footnote 18: This bird, which bears much resemblance to a blue pigeon, is celebrated in the Moluccas for the part it takes in planting the nutmeg tree. They strip the nut and swallow it, but the mace alone is digested, and the nut, which is discharged entire, soon sprouts and becomes a tree. When these are discovered they are usually transplanted into nutmeg parks.] CHAPTER VII. LAKOR. Description of the Island Lakor.--Coral Banks.--Shyness of the Inhabitants.--Productions.--Singular Expedition.--Childish Litigiousness and obstinate Implacability.--Native Hospitality.--Customs and Dress of the People. The island Lakor bears a perfect resemblance to a dry coral bank, raised about twenty feet above the level of the sea. Patches of sand are only to be met with here and there, and ground fit for the formation of gardens is even more scarce. The sandy places are planted with cocoa-nut groves, but besides these there are few large trees; short plants and shrubs, which are probably of importance only to the botanist, covering the remainder of the island, except a few parts, where spots of ground are planted with yams or other roots. Most of the necessaries of life are imported from the other islands. Under these circumstances it cannot be expected that the population of the island is very great. According to the statements of the most trustworthy islanders it amounts only to between eight hundred and a thousand souls, but a correct account is not to be looked for, as the chiefs themselves do not know with exactness the number of their people. Throughout the island there are only two Christians, the remainder being all heathens. With a light south-south-east wind we sailed to the eastward along the north side of the island, as close as possible to the shore, to look for a good anchoring place, for the pilot was as little acquainted with the island as myself. We could not approach sufficiently near to the easternmost of the two villages which lie here, so we anchored in seven fathoms, on a patch of sand and stones, off the western one, and moored the brig with a warp fixed to the reef which lines the shore. The shore is very steep to, which rendered our anchorage unpleasant and insecure. This occurs on every part of the north coast of the island. The inhabitants informed me, that during the west monsoon there is good anchorage between Moa and Lakor, opposite to the village of Mowai, but I had no leisure to examine it in person during our stay.