In the evening of the 10th of July, after we had come to an anchor, I went on shore with the interpreters, when I found, to my great disappointment, that all the inhabitants had taken flight on our appearance, with the exception of three aged women, whose language was totally unintelligible to us. In the course of an hour, after they had been wandering about the neighbourhood like strayed sheep, several men approached us, who informed us, as we understood them, that their chiefs were now upon the island Moa, but would probably return during the night. This did not appear to be very probable, and I thought it more likely that they had fled into the interior, which proved to be the case; for the following day, having left the interpreters on shore all night to inspire them with confidence, I was fortunate enough to collect chiefs and people, when I informed them of the purport of my visit. This island was formerly under subjection to Moa, and the Orang Tua resorted to it occasionally, to offer homage to the representatives of the Dutch Government there; but now every _nigri_, or small district, was under its own government, and perfectly independent of the chiefs of Moa. Neither the Dutch East India Company, nor the Government, ever had a garrison on Lakor. It was on this account that our unexpected arrival proved so alarming to the natives, and their uneasiness had been increased by knowing that some of their villages were in a state of war with each other; a breach of the peace that was always punished severely in the time of the Company. It was not without great difficulty that I was enabled to inspire the natives with confidence, and to this end, whenever good words would not answer the purpose, I made use of serious threats, which have much more effect on these ignorant people than any negociations. Lakor was of too little importance to us for me to remain there long, I therefore hurried my proceedings as much as possible, and in two days time every thing was completed. I named a certain Bastiaan Bimar as their Upper Orang Kaya, and installed the various village chiefs with the customary solemnities, after which I gave them strong injunctions to live in peace, unity and subordination to their rulers, and presented them with some rice, arrack and cloth, together with a Dutch flag, the latter of which was a very acceptable present. During my short stay I was constantly employed in deciding all sorts of petty differences, for the people live in a state of great disunion, and without the interference of the Government, or of European traders, they remain obstinately irreconcilable on the slightest quarrel. Neither do they acknowledge the authority of their chiefs unless they have been installed by the Dutch Government.