Its original natives described.

The original natives of this island are Indians, they are of a middle stature, straight-bodied, slender-limbed, long-visaged; their hair black and lank; their skins very swarthy.  They are very dexterous and nimble, but withal lazy in the high degree.  They are said to be dull in everything but treachery and barbarity.  Their houses are but low and mean, their clothing only a small cloth about their middle; but some of them for ornament have frontlets of mother-of-pearl, or thin pieces of silver or gold, made of an oval form of the breadth of a crown-piece, curiously notched round the edges; five of these placed one by another a little above the eyebrows making a sufficient guard and ornament for their forehead.  They are so thin and placed on their foreheads so artificially that they seem reverted thereon:  and indeed the pearl-oyster shells make a more splendid show than either silver or gold.  Others of them have palmetto-caps made in divers forms.

As to their marriages they take as many wives as they can maintain; and sometimes they sell their children to purchase more wives.  I enquired about their religion and was told they had none.  Their common subsistence is by Indian corn, which every man plants for himself.  They take but little pains to clear their land for in the dry time they set fire to the withered grass and shrubs, and that burns them out a plantation for the next wet season.  What other grain they have beside Indian corn I know not.  Their plantations are very mean; for they delight most in hunting; and here are wild buffaloes and hogs enough, though very shy because of their so frequent hunting.

They have a few boats and some fishermen.  Their arms are lances, thick round short truncheons and targets; with these they hunt and kill their game and their enemies too; for this island is now divided into many kingdoms, and all of different languages; though in their customs and manner of living, as well as shape and colour, they seem to be of one stock.

The Portuguese and Dutch settlements.

The chiefest kingdoms are Kupang, Amabia, Lortribie, Pobumbie, Namquimal; the island also of Anamabao, or Anabao, is a kingdom.  Each of these has a sultan who is supreme in his province and kingdom, and has under him several rajas and other inferior officers.  The sultans for the most part are enemies to each other, which enmities are fomented and kept up by the Dutch, whose fort and factory is in the kingdom of Kupang; and therefore the bay near which they are settled, is commonly called Kupang Bay.  They have only as much ground as they can keep within reach of their guns; yet this whole kingdom is at peace with them; and they freely trade together; as also with the islanders on Anabao, who are in amity as well with the natives of Kupang as with the Dutch residing there; but they are implacable enemies to