Sheep also do well on the mountains; and a breed of hardy ponies in much
repute all over the Archipelago, runs half-wild, so that it appears as
if this island, so barren-looking and devoid of the usual features of
tropical vegetation, were yet especially adapted to supply a variety
of products essential to Europeans, which the other islands will not
produce, and which they accordingly import from the other side of the
globe.
On the 24th of February my friend Mr. Geach left Timor, having finally
reported that no minerals worth working were to be found. The Portuguese
were very much annoyed, having made up their minds that copper is
abundant, and still believing it to be so. It appears that from time
immemorial pure native copper has been found at a place on the coast
about thirty miles east of Delli.
The natives say they find it in the bed of a ravine, and many years ago
a captain of a vessel is said to have got some hundreds-weight of it.
Now, however, it is evidently very scarce, as during the two years Mr.
Geach resided in the country, none was found. I was shown one piece
several pounds' weight, having much the appearance of one of the larger
Australian nuggets, but of pure copper instead of gold. The natives and
the Portuguese have very naturally imagined that where these fragments
come from there must be more; and they have a report or tradition,
that a mountain at the head of the ravine is almost pure copper, and of
course of immense value.
After much difficulty a company was at length formed to work the copper
mountain, a Portuguese merchant of Singapore supplying most of the
capital. So confident were they of the existence of the copper, that
they thought it would be waste of time and money to have any exploration
made first; and accordingly, sent to England for a mining engineer, who
was to bring out all necessary tools, machinery, laboratory, utensils, a
number of mechanics, and stores of all kinds for two years, in order to
commence work on a copper-mine which he was told was already discovered.
On reaching Singapore a ship was freighted to take the men and stores to
Timor, where they at length arrived after much delay, a long voyage, and
very great expense.
A day was then fixed to "open the mines." Captain Hart accompanied Mr.
Geach as interpreter. The Governor, the Commandante, the Judge, and all
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