the malay archipelago-2-第12章

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another　ten　days；　during　all　which　time　I　was　getting　absolutely　nothing；　finding　this　part　of　Ceram　a　perfect　desert　in　zoology。　although　a　most　beautiful　country；　and　with　a　very　luxuriant　vegetation。　It　was　a　complete　puzzle；　which　to　this　day　I　have　not　been　able　to　understand；　the　only　thing　I　obtained　worth　notice　during　my　month's　stay　here　being　a　few　good　land　shells。

At　length；　on　April　4th；　we　succeeded　in　getting　away　in　our　little　boat　of　about　four　tons　burthen；　in　which　my　numerous　boxes　were　with　difficulty　packed　so　as　to　leave　sleeping　and　cooling　room。　The　craft　could　not　boast　an　ounce　of　iron　or　a　foot　of　rope　in　any　part　of　its　construction；　nor　a　morsel　of　pitch　or　paint　in　its　decoration。　The　planks　were　fastened　together　in　the　usual　　ingenious　way　with　pegs　and　rattans。　The　mast　was　a　bamboo　triangle；　requiring　no　shrouds；　and　carrying　a　long　mat　sail；　two　rudders　were　hung　on　the　quarters　by　rattans；　the　anchor　was　of　wood；　and　a　long　and　thick　rattan；　served　as　a　cable。　Our　crew　consisted　of　four　men；　whose　pole　accommodation　was　about　three　feet　by　four　in　the　bows　and　stern；　with　the　sloping　thatch　roof　to　stretch　themselves　upon　for　a　change。　We　had　nearly　a　hundred　miles　to　go；　fully　exposed　to　the　swell　of　the　Banda　sea；　which　is　sometimes　very　considerable；　but　we　luckily　had　it　calm　and　smooth；　so　that　we　made　the　voyage　in　comparative　comfort。

On　the　second　day　we　passed　the　eastern　extremity　of　Ceram；　formed　of　a　group　of　hummocky　limestone　hills；　and；　sailing　by　the　islands　of　Kwammer　and　Keffing；　both　thickly　inhabited；　came　in　sight　of　the　little　town　of　Kilwaru；　which　appears　to　rise　out　of　the　sea　like　a　rustic　Venice。　This　place　has　really　a　most　extraordinary　appearance；　as　not　a　particle　of　land　or　vegetation　can　be　seen；　but　a　long　way　out　at　sea　a　large　village　seems　to　float　upon　the　water。　There　is　of　course　a　small　island　of　several　acres　in　extent；　but　the　houses　are　built　so　closely　all　round　it　upon　piles　in　the　water；　that　it　is　completely　hidden。　It　is　a　place　of　great　traffic；　being　the　emporium　for　much　of　the　produce　of　these　Eastern　seas；　and　is　the　residence　of　many　Bugis　and　Ceramese　traders；　and　appears　to　have　been　chosen　on　account　of　its　being　close　to　the　only　deep　channel　between　the　extensive　shoals　of　Ceram…laut　and　those　bordering　the　east　end　of　Ceram。　We　now　had　contrary　east　winds；　and　were　obliged　to　pole　over　the　shallow　coral　reefs　of　Ceram…laut　for　nearly　thirty　miles。　The　only　danger　of　our　voyage　was　just　at　its　termination；　for　as　we　were　rowing　towards　Manowolko；　the　largest　of　the　Goram　group；　we　were　carried　out　so　rapidly　by　a　strong　westerly　current；　that　I　was　almost　certain　at　one　time　we　should　pass　clear　of　the　island；　in　which　case　our　situation　would　have　been　both　disagreeable　and　dangerous；　as；　with　the　east　wind　which　had　just　set　in；　we　might　have　been　unable　to　return　for　many　days；　and　we　had　not　a　day's　water　on　board。　At　the　critical　moment　I　served　out　some　strong　spirits　to　my　men；　which　put　fresh　vigour　into　their　arms；　and　carried　us　out　of　the　influence　of　the　current　before　it　was　too　late。

MANOWOLKO；　GORAM　GROUP。

On　arriving　at　Manowolko；　we　found　the　Rajah　was　at　the　opposite　island　of　Goram；　but　he　was　immediately　sent　for；　and　in　the　meantime　a　large　shed　was　given　for　our　accommodation。　At　night　the　Rajah　came；　and　the　next　day　I　had　a　visit　from　him；　and　found；　as　I　expected；　that　I　had　already　made　his　acquaintance　three　years　before　at　Aru。　He　was　very　friendly；　and　we　had　a　long　talk；　but　when　I　begged　for　a　boat　and　men　to　take　me　on　to　Ke；　he　made　a　host　of　difficulties。　There　were　no　praus；　as　all　had　gone　to　Ke　or　Aim；　and　even　if　one　were　found；　there　were　no　men；　as　it　was　the　season　when　all　were　away　trading。　But　he　promised　to　see　about　it；　and　I　was　obliged　to　wait。　For　the　next　two　or　three　days　there　was　more　talking　and　more　difficulties　were　raised；　and　I　had　time　to　make　an　examination　of　the　island　and　the　people。

Manowolko　is　about　fifteen　miles　long；　and　is　a　mere；　upraised　coral…reef。　Two　or　three　hundred　yards　inland　rise　cliffs　of　coral　rock；　in　many　parts　perpendicular；　and　one　or　two　hundred　feet　high；　and　this；　I　was　informed；　is　characteristic　of　the　whole　island；　in　which　there　is　no　other　kind　of　rock；　and　no　stream　of　water。　A　few　cracks　and　chasms　furnish　paths　to　the　top　of　these　cliffs；　where　there　is　an　open　undulating　country；　in　which　the　chief　vegetable　grounds　of　the　inhabitants　are　situated。

The　people　hereat　least　the　chief　menwere　of　a　much　purer　Malay　race　than　the　Mahometans　of　the　mainland　of　Ceram；　which　is　perhaps　due　to　there　having　been　no　indigenes　on　these　small　islands　when　the　first　settlers　arrived。　In　Ceram；　the　Alfuros　of　Papuan　race　are　the　predominant　type；　the　Malay　physiognomy　being　seldom　well　marked；　whereas　here　the　reverse　is　the　case；　and　a　slight　infusion　of　Papuan　on　a　mixture　of　Malay　and　Bugis　has　produced　a　very　good…looking　set　of　people。　The　lower　class　of　the　population　consist　almost　entirely　of　the　indigenes　of　the　adjacent　island。　They　are　a　fine　race；　with　strongly…marked　Papuan　features；　frizzly　hair；　and　brown　complexions。　The　Goram　language　is　spoken　also　at　the　east　end　of　Ceram；　and　in　the　adjacent　islands。　It　has　a　general　resemblance　to　the　languages　of　Ceram；　but　possesses　a　peculiar　element　which　I　have　not　met　with　in　other　languages　of　the　Archipelago。

After　great　delay；　considering　the　importance　of　every　day　at　this　time　of　year；　a　miserable　boat　and　five　men　were　found；　and　with　some　difficulty　I　stowed　away　in　it　such　baggage　as　it　was　absolutely　necessary　for　me　to　take；　leaving　scarcely　sitting　or　sleeping　room。　The　sailing　qualities　of　the　boat　were　highly　vaunted；　and　I　was　assured　that　at　this　season　a　small　one　was　much　more　likely　to　succeed　in　making　the　journey。　We　first　coasted　along　the　island；　reaching　its　eastern　extremity　the　following　morning　（April　11th）；　and　found　a　strong　W。　S。W。　wind　blowing；　which　just　allowed　us　to　lay　across　to　the　Matabello　Islands；　a　distance　little　short　of　twenty　miles。　I　did　not　much　like　the　look　of　the　heavy　sky　and　rather　rough　sea；　and　my　men　were　very　unwilling　to　make　the　attempt；　but　as　we　could　scarcely　hope　for　a　better　chance；　I　insisted　upon　trying。　The　pitching　and　jerking　of　our　little　boat；　soon　reduced　me　to　a　state　of　miserable　helplessness；　and　I　lay　down；　resigned　to　whatever　might　happen。　After　three　or　four　hours；　I　was　told　we　were　nearly　over；　but　when　I　got　up；　two　hours　later；　just　as　the　sun　was　setting；　I　found　we　were　still　a　good　distance　from　the　point；　owing　to　a　strong　current　which　had　been　for　some　time　against　us。　Night　closed　in；　and　the　wind　drew　more　ahead；　so　we　had　to　take　in　sail。　Then　came　a　calm；　and　we　rowed　and　sailed　as　occasion　offered；　and　it　was　four　in　the　morning　when　we　reached　the　village　of　Kisslwoi；　not　having　made　more　than　three　miles　in　the　last　twelve　hours。

MATABELLO　ISLANDS。

At　daylight　I　found　we　were；　in　a　beautiful　little　harbour；　formed　by　a　coral　reef　about　two　hundred　yards　from　shore；　and　perfectly　secure　in　every　wind。　Having　eaten　nothing　since　the　previous　morning；　we　cooked　our　breakfast　comfortably　on　shore；　and　left　about　noon；　coasting　along　the　two　islands　of　this　group；　which　lie　in　the　same　line；　and　are　separated　by　a　narrow　channel。　Both　seem　entirely　formed　of　raised　coral　rock；　but　them　has　been　a　subsequent　subsidence；　as　shaven　by　the　barrier　reef　which　extends　all　along　them　at　varying　distances　from　the　shore；　This　reef　is　sometimes　only　marked　by　a。　line　of　breakers　when　there　is　a　little　swell　on　the　sea；　in　other　places　there　is　a　ridge　of　dead　coral　above　the　water；　which　is　here　and　there　high　enough　to　support　a　few　low　bushes。　This　was　the　first　example　I　had　met　with　of　a　true　barrier　reef　due　to　subsidence；　as　has　been　so　clearly　shown　by　Mr。　Darwin。　In　a　sheltered　archipelago　they　will　seldom　be　distinguishable；　from　the　absence　of　those　huge　rolling　waves　and　breakers　which　in　the　wide　ocean　throw　up　a　barrier　of　broken　coral　far　above　the　usual　high…water　mark；　while　here　they　rarely　rise　to　the　surface。

On　reaching　the　end　of　the　southern　island；　called　Uta；　we　were　kept　waiting　two　days　for　a　wind　that　would　enable　us　to　pass　over　to　the　next　island；　Teor；　and　I　began　to　despair　of　ever　reaching　Ke；　and　determined　on　returning。　We　left　with　a　south　wind；　which　suddenly　changed　to　north…east；　and　induced　me　to　turn　again　southward　in　the　hopes　that　this　was　the　commencement　of　a　few　days'　favourable　weather。　We　sailed　on　very　well　in　the　direction　of　Teor　for　about　an　hour；　after　which　the　wind　shifted　to　WSW。；　and　we　were　driven　much　out　of　our　course；　and　at　nightfall　found　ourselves　in　the　open　sea；　and　full　ten　miles　to　leeward　of　our　destination。　My　men　were　now　all　very　much　frightened；　for　if　we　went　on　we　might　be　a。　week　at　sea　in　our　little　open　boat；　laden　almost　to　the　water's　edge；　or　we　might　drift　on　to　the　coast　of　New　Guinea；　in　which　case　we　should　most　likely　all　be　murdered。　I　could　not　deny　these　probabilities；　and　although　I　showed　them　that　we　could　not　get　back　to　our　starting…point　with　the　wind　as　it　was；　they　insisted　upon　returning。　We　accordingly　put　about；　and　found　that　we　could　lay　no　nearer　to　Uta　than　to　Teor；　however；　by　great　good　luck；　about　ten　o'clock　we　hit　upon　a　little　coral　island；　and　lay　under　its　lee　till　morning；　when　a　favourable　change　of　wind　brought　us　back　to　Uta；　and　by　evening　（April　18th　w　e　reached　our　first　anchorage　in　Matabello；　where　I　resolved　to　stay　a　few　days；　and　then　return　to　Goram。　It　way　with　much　regret　that　I　gave　up　my　trip　to　Ke　and　the　intervening　islands；　which　I　had　looked　forward　to　as　likely　to　make　up　for　my　disappointment　in　Ceram；　since　my　short　visit　on　my　voyage　to　Aru　had　produced　me　so　many　rare　and　beautiful　insects。

The　natives　of　Matabello　are　almost　entirely　occupied　in　making　cocoanut　oil；　which　they　sell　to　the　Bugis　and　Goram　traders；　who　carry　it　to　Banda　and　Amboyna。　The　rugged　coral　rock　seems　very　favourable　to　the　growth　of　the　cocoa…nut　palm；　which　abounds　over　the　whole　island　to　the　very　highest　points；　and　produces　fruit　all　the　year　round。　Along　with　it　are　great　numbers　of　the　areca　or　betel…nut　palm；　the　nuts　of　which　are　sliced；　dried；　and　ground　into　a　paste；　which　is　much　used　by　the　betel…chewing　Malays　and　Papuans。　A11　the　little　children　here　even　such　as　can　just　run　alone；　carried　between　their　lips　a　mass　of　the　nasty…　looking　red　paste；　which　is　even　more　disgusting　than　to　see　them　at　the　same　age　smoking　cigars；　which　is　very　common　even　before　they　are　weaned。　Cocoa…nuts；　sweet　potatoes；　an　occasional　sago　cake；　and　the　refuse　nut　after　the　oil　has　been　extracted　by　boiling；　form　the　chief　sustenance　of　these　people；　and　the　effect　of　this　poor　and　unwholesome　diet　is　seen　in　the　frequency　of　eruptions　and　scurfy　skin　diseases；　and　the　numerous　sores　that　disfigure　the　faces　of　the　children。

The　villages　are　situated　on　high　and　rugged　coral　peaks；　only　accessible　by　steep　narrow　paths；　with　ladders　and　bridges　over　yawning　chasms。　They　are　filthy　with　rotten　husks　and　oil　refuse；　and　the　huts　are　dark；　greasy；　and　dirty　in　the　extreme。　The　people　are　wretch