the malay archipelago-2-第4章

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steep　black　beaches　of　volcanic　sand；　or　are　fringed　with　rugged　masses　of　lava　and　basalt。　Coral　is　generally　absent；　occurring　only　in　small　patches　in　quiet　bays；　and　rarely　or　never　forming　reefs。　Ternate；　Tidore；　and　Makian　belong　to　this　class。　Islands　of　volcanic　origin；　not　themselves　volcanoes；　but　which　have　been　probably　recently　upraised；　are　generally　more　or　less　completely　surrounded　by　fringing　reefs　of　coral；　and　have　beaches　of　shining　white　coral　sand。　Their　coasts　present　volcanic　conglomerates；　basalt；　and　in　some　places　a　foundation　of　stratified　rocks；　with　patches　of　upraised　coral。　Mareh　and　Motir　are　of　this　character；　the　outline　of　the　latter　giving　it　the　appearance　of　having　been　a　true　volcano；　and　it　is　said　by　Forrest　to　have　thrown　out　stones　in　l778。　The　next　day　（Oct。　12th）；　we　coasted　along　the　island　of　Makian；　which　consists　of　a　single　grand　volcano。　It　was　now　quiescent；　but　about　two　centuries　ago　（in　1646）　there　was　a　terrible　eruption；　which　blew　up　the　whole　top　of　the　mountain；　leaving　the　truncated　jagged　summit　and　vast　gloomy　crater　valley　which　at　this　time　distinguished　it。　It　was　said　to　have　been　as　lofty　as　Tidore　before　this　catastrophe。　＇Soon　after　I'　left　the　Archipelago；　on　the　29th　of　December；　1862；　another　eruption　of　this　mountain　suddenly　took　place；　which　caused　great　devastation　in　the　island。　All　the　villages　and　crops　were　destroyed；　and　numbers　of　the　inhabitants　killed。　The　sand　and　ashes　fell　so　thick　that　the　crops　were　partially　destroyed　fifty　miles　off；　at　Ternate；　where　it　was　so　dark　the　following　day　that　lamps　had　to　be　lighted　at　noon。　For　the　position　of　this　and　the　adjacent　islands；　see　the　map　in　Chapter　XXXVII。＇

I　stayed　some　time　at　a　place　where　I　saw　a　new　clearing　on　a　very　steep　part　of　the　mountain；　and　obtained　a　few　interesting　insects。　In　the　evening　we　went　on　to　the　extreme　southern　point；　to　be　ready　to　pass　across　the　fifteen…mile　strait　to　the　island　of　Kaióa。　At　five　the　next　morning　we　started；　but　the　wind；　which　had　hitherto　been　westerly；　now　got　to　the　south　and　southwest；　and　we　had　to　row　almost　all　the　way　with　a　burning　sun　overhead。　As　we　approached　land　a　fine　breeze　sprang　up；　and　we　went　along　at　a　great　pace；　yet　after　an　hour　we　were　no　nearer；　and　found　we　were　in　a　violent　current　carrying　us　out　to　sea。　At　length　we　overcame　it；　and　got　on　shore　just　as　the　sun　set；　having　been　exactly　thirteen　hours　coming　fifteen　miles。　We　landed　on　a　beach　of　hard　coralline　rock；　with　rugged　cliffs　of　the　same；　resembling　those　of　the　Ke　Islands　（Chap。　XXIX。）　It　was　accompanied　by　a　brilliancy　and　luxuriance　of　the　vegetation；　very　like　what　I　had　observed　at　those　islands；　which　so　much　pleased　me　that　I　resolved　to　stay　a　few　days　at　the　chief　village；　and　see　if　their　animal　productions　were　correspondingly　interesting。　While　searching　for　a　secure　anchorage　for　the　night　we　again　saw　the　comet；　still　apparently　as　brilliant　as　at　first；　but　the　tail　had　now　risen　to　a　higher　angle。

October　14th。All　this　day　we　coasted　along　the　Kaióa　Islands；　which　have　much　the　appearance　and　outline　of　Ke　on　a　small　scale；　with　the　addition　of　flat　swampy　tracts　along　shore；　and　outlying　coral　reefs。　Contrary　winds　and　currents　had　prevented　our　taking　the　proper　course　to　the　west　of　them；　and　we　had　to　go　by　a　circuitous　route　round　the　southern　extremity　of　one　island；　often　having　to　go　far　out　to　sea　on　account　of　coral　reefs。　On　trying　to　pass　a　channel　through　one　of　these　reefs　we　were　grounded；　and　all　had　to　get　out　into　the　water；　which　in　this　shallow　strait　had　been　so　heated　by　the　sun　as　to　be　disagreeably　warm；　and　drag　our　vessel　a　considerable　distance　among　weeds　and　sponges；　corals　and　prickly　corallines。　It　was　late　at　night　when　we　reached　the　little　village　harbour；　and　we　were　all　pretty　well　knocked　up　by　hard　work；　and　having　had　nothing　but　very　brackish　water　to　drink　all　day…the　best　we　could　find　at　our　last　stopping…place。　There　was　a　house　close　to　the　shore；　built　for　the　use　of　the　Resident　of　Ternate　when　he　made　his　official　visits；　but　now　occupied　by　several　native　travelling　merchants；　among　whom　I　found　a　place　to　sleep。

The　next　morning　early　I　went　to　the　village　to　find　the　〃Kapala；〃　or　head　man。　I　informed　him　that　I　wanted　to　stay　a　few　days　in　the　house　at　the　landing；　and　begged　him　to　have　it　made　ready　for　me。　He　was　very　civil；　and　came　down　at　once　to　get　it　cleared；　when　we　found　that　the　traders　had　already　left；　on　hearing　that　I　required　it。　There　were　no　doors　to　it；　so　I　obtained　the　loan　of　a　couple　of　hurdles　to　keep　out　dogs　and　other　animals。　The　land　here　was　evidently　sinking　rapidly；　as　shown　by　the　number　of　trees　standing　in　salt　water　dead　and　dying。　After　breakfast　I　started　for　a　walk　to　the　forest…covered　hill　above　the　village；　with　a　couple　of　boys　as　guides。　It　was　exceedingly　hot　and　dry；　no　rain　having　fallen　for　two　months。　When　we　reached　an　elevation　of　about　two　hundred　feet；　the　coralline　rock　which　fringes　the　shore　was　succeeded　by　a　hard　crystalline　rock；　a　kind　of　metamorphic　sandstone。　This　would　indicate　flat　there　had　been　a　recent　elevation　of　more　than　two　hundred　feet；　which　had　still　more　recently　clanged　into　a　movement　of　subsidence。　The　hill　was　very　rugged；　but　among　dry　sticks　and　fallen　trees　I　found　some　good　insects；　mostly　of　forms　and　species　I　was　already　acquainted　with　from　Ternate　and　Gilolo。　Finding　no　good　paths　I　returned；　and　explored　the　lower　ground　eastward　of　the　village；　passing　through　a　long　range　of　plantain　and　tobacco　grounds；　encumbered　with　felled　and　burnt　logs；　on　which　I　found　quantities　of　beetles　of　the　family　Buprestidae　of　six　different　species；　one　of　which　was　new　to　me。　I　then　reached　a　path　in　the　swampy　forest　where　I　hoped　to　find　some　butterflies；　but　was　disappointed。　Being　now　pretty　well　exhausted　by　the　intense　heat；　I　thought　it　wise　to　return　and　reserve　further　exploration　for　the　next　day。

When　I　sat　down　in　the　afternoon　to　arrange　my　insects；　the　louse　was　surrounded　by　men；　women；　and　children；　lost　in　amazement　at　my　unaccountable　proceedings；　and　when；　after　pinning　out　the　specimens；　I　proceeded　to　write　the　name　of　the　place　on　small　circular　tickets；　and　attach　one　to　each；　even　the　old　Kapala；　the　Mahometan　priest；　and　some　Malay　traders　could　not　repress　signs　of　astonishment。　If　they　had　known　a　little　more　about　the　ways　and　opinions　of　white　men；　they　would　probably　have　looked　upon　me　as　a　fool　or　a　madman；　but　in　their　ignorance　they　accepted　my　operations　as　worthy　of　all　respect；　although　utterly　beyond　their　comprehension。

The　next　day　（October　16th）　I　went　beyond　the　swamp；　and　found　a　place　where　a　new　clearing　was　being　made　in　the　virgin　forest。　It　was　a　long　and　hot　walk；　and　the　search　among　the　fallen　trunks　and　branches　was　very　fatiguing；　but　I　was　rewarded　by　obtaining　about　seventy　distinct　species　of　beetles；　of　which　at　least　a　dozen　were　new　to　me；　and　many　others　rare　and　interesting。　I　have　never　in　my　life　seen　beetles　so　abundant　as　they　were　on　this　spot。　Some　dozen　species　of　good…sized　golden　Buprestidae；　green　rose…chafers　（Lomaptera）；　and　long…horned　weevils　（Anthribidae）；　were　so　abundant　that　they　rose　up　in　swarms　as　I　walked　along；　filling　the　air　with　a　loud　buzzing　hum。　Along　with　these；　several　fine　Longicorns　were　almost　equally　common；　forming　such　au　assemblage　as　for　once　to　realize　that　idea　of　tropical　luxuriance　which　one　obtains　by　looking　over　the　drawers　of　a　well…filled　cabinet。　On　the　under　sides　of　the　trunks　clung　numbers　of　smaller　or　more　sluggish　Longicorns；　while　on　the　branches　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing　others　could　be　detected　sitting　with　outstretched　antenna　ready　to　take　flight　at　the　least　alarm。　It　was　a　glorious　spot；　and　one　which　will　always　live　in　my　memory　as　exhibiting　the　insect…life　of　the　tropics　in　unexampled　luxuriance。　For　the　three　following　days　I　continued　to　visit　this　locality；　adding　each　time　many　new　species　to　my　collection…the　following　notes　of　which　may　be　interesting　to　entomologists。　October　l5th；　33　species　of　beetles；　16th；　70　species；　17th；　47　species；　18th；　40　species；　19th；　56　speciesin　all　about　a　hundred　species；　of　which　forty　were　new　to　me。　There　were　forty…four　species　of　Longicorns　among　them；　and　on　the　last　day　I　took　twenty…eight　species　of　Longicorns；　of　which　five　were　new　to　me。

My　boys　were　less　fortunate　in　shooting。　The　only　birds　at　all　common　were　the　great　red　parrot　（Eclectus　grandis）；　found　in　most　of　the　Moluccas；　a　crow；　and　a　Megapodius；　or　mound…maker。　A　few　of　the　pretty　racquet…tailed　kingfishers　were　also　obtained；　but　in　very　poor　plumage。　They　proved；　however；　to　be　of　a　different　species　from　those　found　in　the　other　islands；　and　come　nearest　to　the　bird　originally　described　by　Linnaeus　under　the　name　of　Alcedo　dea；　and　which　came　from　Ternate。　This　would　indicate　that　the　small　chain　of　islands　parallel　to　Gilolo　have　a　few　peculiar　species　in　common；　a　fact　which　certainly　occurs　in　insects。

The　people　of　Kaioa　interested　me　much。　They　are　evidently　a　mixed　race；　having　Malay　and　Papuan　affinities；　and　are　allied　to　the　peoples　of　Ternate　and　of　Gilolo。　They　possess　a　peculiar　language；　somewhat　resembling　those　of　the　surrounding　islands；　but　quite　distinct。　They　are　now　Mahometans；　and　are　subject　to　Ternate；　The　only　fruits　seen　here　were　papaws　and　pine…apples；　the　rocky　soil　and　dry　climate　being　unfavourable。　Rice；　maize；　and　plantains　flourish　well；　except　that　they　suffer　from　occasional　dry　seasons　like　the　present　one。　There　is　a　little　cotton　grown；　from　which　the　women　weave　sarongs　（Malay　petticoats）。　There　is　only　one　well　of　good　water　on　the　islands；　situated　close　to　the　landing…place；　to　which　all　the　inhabitants　come　for　drinking　water。　The　men　are　good　boat…builders；　and　they　make　a　regular　trade　of　it　and　seem　to　be　very　well　off。

After　five　days　at　Kaióa　we　continued　our　journey；　and　soon　got　among　the　narrow　straits　and　islands　which　lead　down　to　the　town　of　Batchian。　In　the　evening　we　stayed　at　a　settlement　of　Galela　men。　These　are　natives　of　a　district　in　the　extreme　north　of　Gilolo；　and　are　great　wanderers　over　this　part　of　the　Archipelago。　They　build　large　and　roomy　praus　with　outriggers；　and　settle　on　any　coast　or　island　they　take　a　fancy　for。　They　hunt　deer　and　wild　pig；　drying　the　meat；　they　catch　turtle　and　tripang；　they　cut　down　the　forest　and　plant　rice　or　maize；　and　are　altogether　remarkably　energetic　and　industrious。　They　are　very　line　people；　of　light　complexion；　tall；　and　with　Papuan　features；　coming　nearer　to　the　drawings　and　descriptions　of　the　true　Polynesians　of　Tahiti　and　Owyhee　than　any　I　have　seen。

During　this　voyage　I　had　several　times　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　my　men　get　fire　by　friction。　A　sharp…edged　piece　of　bamboo　is　rubbed　across　the　convex　surface　of　another　piece；　on　which　a　small　notch　is　first　cut。　The　rubbing　is　slow　at　first　and　gradually　quicker；　till　it　becomes　very　rapid；　and　the　fine　powder　rubbed　off　ignites　and　falls　through　the　hole　which　the　rubbing　has　cut　in　the　bamboo。　This　is　done　with　great　quickness　and　certainty。　The　Ternate；　people　use　bamboo　in　another　way。　They　strike　its