Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

SUMBA. 209entirely of limestone cliffs pierced by caverns, which are frequented by myriads ofedible-nest builders. Towards the centre the somewhat level surface presents theaspect of a plateau rising to a height of 2,000 feet above the sea, and develojDingranges of hills and mountains only on the north side.Amongst the numerous names, such as Sumba, Chandana or Chindaua, givento this island, there is one, that of Sandalwood, which it scarcely deserves anylonger, i'oi' this valuable tree, which formerly covered the coast-lands, almostentirely disappeared during a terrific explosion and is now found only in the heartof the island. There arc two v-arieties, the red and the grey, the latter being themore valued and much used in the powdered state as a cosmetic and medicinally.Sumba also f)ossesses some gold deposits, and was regarded as one of the legendary" Golden Isles."Notwithstanding the generally peaceful disposition of the natives, who aredivided into numerous small communities, the interior is still little known. Theestimate of the population, till recently ranging from 200,000 to 1,000,000, is atpresent about 400,000, a relatively large number for an area not exceeding 4,300square miles. The people are all of Malay stock, but speak a j)eculiar dialectunintelligible to the surrounding populations. Like their eastern neighbours ofthe Savu group, they have preserved the worship of ancestry mingled with ritesand tenets which attest Hindu influence. Thus, they speak of a trinity ofmysterious deities, the Good, the Protector, and Evil One ; but the offerings ofthe "elders " are made, not to these superior beings, but to the ocean waves, to theforest trees, to the rocky headlands and the graves of their forefathers. Thereare neither temples nor priests, unless the heads of families and the old men ofthe tribe can be regarded as such. In the Savu islands, however, the title ofpriesfis borne by the executioner, who beheads the criminals condemned b}' therajahs.Naucjamexni, on the north coast, where there is a small Arab trading settlement,is the chief maikct in Sumba, and from this port are forwarded hardy littleponies to all parts of Indonesia and even to Mauritius and Australia.This islandjointly with the Savu group (Great Savu, Ranjuna, and Dana) constitutes anadministrative district dependent on Timor. The population of Savu exceeded30,000 in 1869, when half of the inhabitants of the archipelago were swcjit awayby an outbreak of small-pox. At present the population is estimated at 16,000in a total area of less than 200 square miles. According to AV^allace the nativesresemble the Hindus or Arabs in physical appearance much more than they do theMalay's.Timor and Rotti.Like Sumba, Timor, largest of the Little Sundas, lies beyond the line ofvolcanic islands. Disjjosed in the direction from south-west to north-east, itforms an acute angle with that chain, which, in crossing, it appears to havedeflected from west and east to the same south-west and north-east directionparallel with itself. Hence the links of the Sunda volcanic chain lying farther\UL. XIV. 1'