Note 376 — Chapter II · GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLAVERY.

Slavery on these islands seems almost universal. About the following islands and groups of islands we have been able to obtain some information:

Sumbawa375,

Sumba376,

Flores377,

Solor group378,

Bonerate and Kalao379,

East Timor380,

West Timor381,

Savu382,

Rote or Rotti383,

Wetar384,

Keisar385,

Leti386,

Dama387,

Luang-Sermata group388,

Babar group389,

Tenimber and Timorlao Islands390,

Aru Islands391,

Kei Islands392,

Watubela Islands393,

Seranglao-Gorong group394,

Serang395,

Ambon and the Uliase396,

Sangi and Talauer Islands397.

In all these cases it is clear, that slavery either formerly existed or still exists.

Slaves are also employed by the Galela and Tobelorese on Halmaheira398, and by the inhabitants of the district of Kau on the same island399.

Riedel states, that on Buru there were formerly slaves, and gives some details about slavery as it was carried on here. Wilken however says that there are neither slaves nor pawns400. Whether the latter means to say, that slavery did not exist at the time at which he was writing (1875), or that it had never existed, is not clear. Van der Miesen, writing in 1902, states that, if a man is unable to pay his debt, he is obliged to serve his creditor till his parents have collected the required sum401. No further mention of slavery or pawning is made in his detailed description. So we are left in doubt as to the former existence of slavery here.