the malay archipelago-2-第42章

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e　found　ourselves　again　bumping　over　a　coral　reef。　As　it　was　very　dark；　and　we　knew　nothing　of　our　position；　we　could　only　guess　how　to　get　off　again；　and　had　there　been　a　little　more　wind　we　might　have　been　knocked　to　pieces。　However；　in　about　half　an　hour　we　did　get　off；　and　then　thought　it　best　to　anchor　on　the　edge　of　the　reef　till　morning。　Soon　after　daylight　on　the　7th；　finding　our　prau　had　received　no　damage；　we　sailed　on　with　uncertain　winds　and　squalls；　threading　our　way　among　islands　and　reefs；　and　guided　only　by　a　small　map；　which　was　very　incorrect　and　quite　useless；　and　by　a　general　notion　of　the　direction　we　ought　to　take。　In　the　afternoon　we　found　a　tolerable　anchorage　under　a　small　island　and　stayed　for　the　night；　and　I　shot　a　large　fruit…pigeon　new　to　me；　which　I　have　since　named　Carpophaga　tumida。　I　also　saw　and　shot　at　the　rare　white…headed　kingfisher　（Halcyon　saurophaga）；　but　did　not　kill　it。　The　next　morning　we　sailed　on；　and　having　a　fair　wind　reached　the　shores　of　the　large　island　of　Waigiou。　On　rounding　a　point　we　again　ran　full　on　to　a　coral　reef　with　our　mainsail　up；　but　luckily　the　wind　had　almost　died　away；　and　with　a　good　deal　of　exertion　we　managed　get　safely　off。

We　now　had　to　search　for　the　narrow　channel　among　islands；　which　we　knew　was　somewhere　hereabouts；　and　which　leads　to　the　villages　on　the　south　side　ofWaigiou。　Entering　a　deep　bay　which　looked　promising；　we　got　to　the　end　of　it；　but　it　was　then　dusk；　so　we　anchored　for　the　night；　and　having　just　finished　all　our　water　could　cook　no　rice　for　supper。　Next　morning　early　（29th）　we　went　on　shore　among　the　mangroves；　and　a　little　way　inland　found　some　water；　which　relieved　our　anxiety　considerably；　and　left　us　free　to　go　along　the　coast　in　search　of　the　opening；　or　of　some　one　who　could　direct　us　to　it。　During　the　three　days　we　had　now　been　among　the　reefs　and　islands；　we　had　only　seen　a　single　small　canoe；　which　had　approached　pretty　near　to　us；　and　then；　notwithstanding　our　signals；　went　off　in　another　direction。　The　shores　seemed　all　desert；　not　a　house；　or　boat；　or　human　being；　or　a　puff　of　smoke　was　to　be　seen；　and　as　we　could　only　go　on　the　course　that　the　ever…changing　wind　would　allow　us　（our　hands　being　too　few　to　row　any　distance）；　our　prospects　of　getting　to　our　destination　seemed　rather　remote　and　precarious。　Having　gone　to　the　eastward　extremity　of　the　deep　bay　we　had　entered；　without　finding　any　sign　of　an　opening；　we　turned　westward；　and　towards　evening　were　so　fortunate　as　to　find　a　small　village　of　seven　miserable　houses　built　on　piles　in　the　water。　Luckily　the　Orang…　kaya；　or　head　man；　could　speak　a　little。　Malay；　and　informed　us　that　the　entrance　to　the　strait　was　really　in　the　bay　we　had　examined；　but　that　it　was　not　to　be　seen　except　when…　close　inshore。　He　said　the　strait　was　often　very　narrow；　and　wound　among　lakes　and　rocks　and　islands；　and　that　it　would　take　two　days　to　reach　the　large　village　of　Muka；　and　three　more　to　get　to　Waigiou。　I　succeeded　in　hiring　two　men　to　go　with　us　to　Muka；　bringing　a　small　boat　in　which　to　return；　but　we　had　to　wait　a　day　for　our　guides；　so　I　took　my　gun　and　made　a　little　excursion　info　the　forest。　The　day　was　wet　and　drizzly；　and　I　only　succeeded　in　shooting　two　small　birds；　but　I　saw　the　great　black　cockatoo；　and　had　a　glimpse　of　one　or　two　Birds　of　Paradise；　whose　loud　screams　we　had　heard　on　first　approaching　the　coast。　Leaving　the　village　the　next　morning　（July　1st）　with　a　light　wind；　it　took　us　all　day　to　reach　the　entrance　to　the　channel；　which　resembled　a　small　river；　and　was　concealed　by　a　projecting　point；　so　that　it　was　no　wonder　we　did　not　discover　it　amid　the　dense　forest　vegetation　which　everywhere　covers　these　islands　to　the　water's　edge。　A　little　way　inside　it　becomes　bounded　by　precipitous　rocks；　after　winding　among　which　for　about　two　miles；　we　emerged　into　what　seemed　a　lake；　but　which　was　in　fact　a　deep　gulf　having　a　narrow　entrance　on　the　south　coast。　This　gulf　was　studded　along　its　shores　with　numbers　of　rocky　islets；　mostly　mushroom　shaped；　from　the　‘eater　having　worn　away　the　lower　part　of　the　soluble　coralline　limestone；　leaving　them　overhanging　from　ten　to　twenty　feet。　Every　islet　was　covered　will　strange…looping　shrubs　and　trees；　and　was　generally　crowned　by　lofty　and　elegant　palms；　which　also　studded　the　ridges　of　the　mountainous　shores；　forming　one　of　the　most　singular　and　picturesque　landscapes　I　have　ever　seen。　The　current　which　had　brought　us　through　the　narrow　strait　now　ceased；　and　we　were　obliged　to　row；　which　with　our　short　and　heavy　prau　was　slow　work。　I　went　on　shore　several　times；　but　the　rocks　were　so　precipitous；　sharp；　and　honeycombed；　that　Ifound　it　impossible　to　get　through　the　tangled　thicket　with　which　they　were　everywhere　clothed。　It　took　us　three　days　to　get　to　the　entrance　of　the　gulf；　and　then　the　wind　was　such　as　to　prevent　our　going　any　further；　and　we　might　have　had　to　wait　for　days　or　weeps；　when；　much　to　my　surprise　and　gratification；　a　boat　arrived　from　Muka　with　one　of　the　head　men；　who　had　in　some　mysterious　manner　heard　I　was　on　my　way；　and　had　come　to　my　assistance；　bringing　a　present　of　cocoa…nuts　and　vegetables。　Being　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　coast；　and　having　several　extra　men　to　assist　us；　he　managed　to　get　the　prau　along　by　rowing；　poling；　or　sailing；　and　by　night　had　brought　us　safely　into　harbour；　a　great　relief　after　our　tedious　and　unhappy　voyage。　We　had　been　already　eight　days　among　the　reefs　and　islands　of　Waigiou；　coming　a　distance　of　about　fifty　miles；　and　it　was　just　forty　days　since　we　had　sailed　from　Goram。

Immediately　on　our　arrival　at　Muka；　I　engaged　a　small　boat　and　three　natives　to　go　in　search　of　my　lost　men；　and　sent　one　of　my　own　men　with　them　to　make　sure　of　their　going　to　the　right　island。　In　ten　days　they　returned；　but　to　my　great　regret　and　disappointment；　without　the　men。　The　weather　had　been　very　bad；　and　though　they　had　reached　an　island　within　sight　of　that　in　which　the　men　were；　they　could　get　no　further。　They　had　waited　there　six　days　for　better　weather；　and　then；　having　no　more　provisions；　and　the　man　I　had　sent　with　them　being　very　ill　and　not　expected　to　live；　they　returned。　As　they　now　knew　the　island；　I　was　determined　they　should　make　another　trial；　and　（by　a　liberal　payment　of　knives；　handkerchiefs；　and　tobacco；　with　plenty　of　provisions）　persuaded　them　to　start　back　immediately；　and　make　another　attempt。　They　did　not　return　again　till　the　29th　of　July；　having　stayed　a　few　days　at　their　own　village　of　Bessir　on　the　way；　but　this　time　they　had　succeeded　and　brought　with　them　my　two　lost　men；　in　tolerable　health；　though　thin　and　weak。　They　had　lived　exactly　a　month　on　the　island　had　found　water；　and　had　subsisted　on　the　roots　and　tender　flower…stalks　of　a　species　of　Bromelia；　on　shell…fish。　and　on　a　few　turtles'　eggs。　Having　swum　to　the　island；　they　had　only　a　pair　of　trousers　and　a　shirt　between　them；　but　had　made　a　hut　of　palm…leaves；　and　had　altogether　got　on　very　well。　They　saw　that　I　waited　for　them　three　days　at　the　opposite　island；　but　had　been　afraid　to　cross；　lest　the　current　should　have　carried　them　out　to　sea；　when　they　would　have　been　inevitably　lost。　They　had　felt　sure　I　would　send　for　them　on　the　first　opportunity；　and　appeared　more　grateful　than　natives　usually　are　for　my　having　done　so；　while　I　felt　much　relieved　that　my　voyage；　though　sufficiently　unfortunate；　had　not　involved　loss　of　life。

CHAPTER　XXXVI。

WAIGIOU。

（JULY　TO　SEPTEMER　1860。）

THE　village　of　Muka；　on　the　south　coast　of　Waigiou；　consists　of　a　number　of　poor　huts；　partly　in　the　water　and　partly　on　shore；　and　scattered　irregularly　over　a　space　of　about　half　a　mile　in　a　shallow　bay。　Around　it　are　a　few　cultivated　patches；　and　a　good　deal　of　second…growth　woody　vegetation；　while　behind；　at　the　distance　of　about　half　a　mile；　rises　the　virgin　forest；　through　which　are　a　few　paths　to　some　houses　and　plantations　a　mile　or　two　inland。　The　country　round　is　rather　flat；　and　in　places　swampy；　and　there　are　one　or　two　small　streams　which　run　behind　the　village　into　the　sea　below　it。　Finding　that　no　house　could　be　had　suitable　to　my　purpose；　and　hawing　so　often　experienced　the　advantages　of　living　close　to　or　just　within　the　forest；　I　obtained　the　assistance　of　half…a…dozen　men；　and　having　selected　a　spot　near　the　path　and　the　stream；　and　close　to　a　fine　fig…　tree；　which　stood　just　within　the　forest；　we　cleared　the　ground　and　set　to　building　a　house。　As　I　did　not　expect　to　stay　here　so　long　as　I　had　done　at　Dorey；　I　built　a　long；　low；　narrow　shed；　about　seven　feet　high　on　one　side　and　four　on　the　other；　which　required　but　little　wood；　and　was　put　up　very　rapidly。　Our　sails；　with　a　few　old　attaps　from　a　deserted　but　in　the　village；　formed　the　walls；　and　a　quantity　of　〃cadjans；〃　or　palm…leaf　mats；　covered　in　the　roof。　On　the　third　day　my　house　was　finished；　and　all　my　things　put　in　and　comfortably　arranged　to　begin　work；　and　I　was　quite　pleased　at　having　got　established　so　quickly　and　in　such　a　nice　situation。

It　had　been　so　far　fine　weather；　but　in　the　night　it　rained　hard；　and　we　found　our　mat　roof　would　not　keep　out　water。　It　first　began　to　drop；　and　then　to　stream　over　everything。　I　had　to　get　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　secure　my　insect…boxes；　rice；　and　other　perishable　articles；　and　to　find　a　dry　place　to　sleep　in；　for　my　bed　was　soaked。　Fresh　leaks　kept　forming　as　the　rain　continued；　and　w　e　all　passed　a　very　miserable　and　sleepless　night。　In　the　morning　the　sun　shone　brightly；　and　everything　was　put　out　to　dry。　We　tried　to　find　out　why　the　mats　leaked；　and　thought　we　had　discovered　that　they　had　been　laid　on　upside　down。　Having　shifted　there　all；　and　got　everything　dry　and　comfortable　by　the　evening；　we　again　went　to　bed；　and　before　midnight　were　again　awaked　by　torrent　of　rain　and　leaks　streaming　in　upon　us　as　bad　as　ever。　There　was　no　more　sleep　for　us　that　night；　and　the　next　day　our　roof　was　again　taken　to　pieces；　and　we　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　fault　was　a　want　of　slope　enough　in　the　roof　for　mats；　although　it　would　be　sufficient　for　the　usual　attap　thatch。　I　therefore　purchased　a　few　new　and　some　old　attaps；　and　in　the　parts　these　would　not　cover　we　put　the　mats　double；　and　then　at　last　had　the　satisfaction　of　finding　our　roof　tolerably　water…tight。

I　was　now　able　to　begin　working　at　the　natural　history　of　the　island。　When　I　first　arrived　I　was　surprised　at　being　told　that　there　were　no　Paradise　Birds　at　Muka；　although　there　were　plenty　at　Bessir；　a　place　where　the　natives　caught　them　and　prepared　the　skins。　I　assured　the　people　I　had　heard　the　cry　of　these　birds　close　to　the　village；　but　they　world　not　believe　that　I　could　know　their　cry。　However；　the　very　first　time　I　went　into　the　forest　I　not　only　heard　but　saw　them；　and　was　convinced　there　were　plenty　about；　but　they　were　very　shy；　and　it　was　some　time　before　we　got　any。　My　hunter　first　shot　a　female；　and　I　one　day　got　very　close　to　a　fine　male。　He　was；　as　I　expected；　the　rare　red　species；　Paradisea　rubra；　which　alone　inhabits　this　island；　and　is　found　nowhere　else。　He　was　quite　low　down；　running　along　a　bough　searching　for　insects；　almost　like　a　woodpecker；　and　the　long　black　riband…like　filaments　in　his　tail　hung　down　in　the　most　graceful