those of Amabie, who are their next neighbours, and in amity with the Portuguese:  as are also the kingdoms of Pobumbie, Namquimal and Lortribie.  It is very probable that these 2 European settlements on this island are the greatest occasion of their continued wars.  The Portuguese vaunt highly of their strength here and that they are able at pleasure to rout the Dutch, if they had authority so to do from the king of Portugal; and they have written to the viceroy of Goa about it:  and though their request is not yet granted, yet (as they say) they live in expectation of it.  These have no forts but depend on their alliance with the natives:  and indeed they are already so mixed that it is hard to distinguish whether they are Portuguese or Indians.  Their language is Portuguese; and the religion they have is Romish.  They seem in words to acknowledge the king of Portugal for their sovereign; yet they will not accept of any officers sent by him.  They speak indifferently the Malayan and their own native languages, as well as Portuguese; and the chiefest officers that I saw were of this sort; neither did I see above 3 or 4 white men among them; and of these 2 were priests.  Of this mixed breed there are some thousands; of whom some have small arms of their own, and know how to use them.  The chiefest person (as I before said) is called Captain More or Maior:  he is a white man, sent hither by the viceroy of Goa, and seems to have great command here.  I did not see him; for he seldom comes down.  His residence is at a place called Porta Nova; which the people at Laphao told me was a great way off; but I could not get any more particular account.  Some told me that he is most commonly in the mountains, with an army of Indians, to guard the passes between them and the Kupangayans, especially in the dry times.  The next man to him is Alexis Mendosa:  he is a right Indian, speaks very good Portuguese, and is of the Romish religion.  He lives 5 or 6 miles from the sea, and is called the lieutenant. (This is he whom I called governor, when at Laphao.) He commands next to Captain More, and has under him another at this fort (at the seaside) if it may be so-called.  He also is called lieutenant and is an Indian Portuguese.

Besides this mongrel breed of Indians and Portuguese here are also some Chinamen, merchants from Macao:  they bring hither coarse rice, gold, tea, iron-work, porcelain, and silk both wrought and raw:  they get in exchange pure gold as it is here gathered, beeswax, sandalwood, coir, etc.  It is said there are about 20 small China vessels come hither every year from Macao; and commonly one vessel a year from Goa, which brings European commodities and calicos, muslins, etc.  Here are likewise some small barks belonging to this place, that trade to Batavia, and bring from thence both European and Indian goods and rice.  The vessels generally come here in March and stay till September.