the malay archipelago-2-第44章

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chets；　beads；　knives；　and　handkerchiefs；　and　explained　to　them；　as　well　as　I　could　by　signs；　the　price　I　would　give　for　fresh…killed　specimens。　It　is　the　universal　custom　to　pay　for　everything　in　advance；　but　only　one　man　ventured　on　this　occasion　to　take　goods　to　the　value　of　two　birds。　The　rest　were　suspicious；　and　wanted　to　see　the　result　of　the　first　bargain　with　the　strange　white　man；　the　only　one　who　had　ever　come　to　their　island。　After　three　days；　my　man　brought　me　the　first　bird…　…a　very　fine　specimen；　and　alive；　but　tied　up　in　a　small　bag；　and　consequently　its　tail　and　wing　feathers　very　much　crushed　and　injured。　I　tried　to　explain　to　him；　and　to　the　others　that　came　with　him；　that　I　wanted　them　as　perfect　as　possible；　and　that　they　should　either　kill　them；　or　keep　them　on　a　perch　with　a　string　to　their　leg。　As　they　were　now　apparently　satisfied　that　all　was　fair；　and　that　I　had　no　ulterior　designs　upon　them；　six　others　took　away　goods；　some　for　one　bird；　some　for　more；　and　one　for　as　many　as　six。　They　said　they　had　to　go　a　long　way　for　them；　and　that　they　would　come　back　as　soon　as　they　caught　any。　At　intervals　of　a　few　days　or　a　week；　some　of　them　would　return；　bringing　me　one　or　more　birds；　but　though　they　did　not　bring　any　more　in　bags；　there　was　not　much　improvement　in　their　condition。　As　they　caught　them　a　long　way　off　in　the　forest；　they　would　scarcely　ever　come　with　one；　but　would　tie　it　by　the　leg　to　a　stick；　and　put　it　in　their　house　till　they　caught　another。　The　poor　creature　would　make　violent　efforts　to　escape；　would　get　among　the　ashes；　or　hang　suspended　by　the　leg　till　the　limb　was　swollen　and　half…putrefied；　and　sometimes　die　of　starvation　and　worry。　One　had　its　beautiful　head　all　defiled　by　pitch　from　a　dammar　torch；　another　had　been　so　long　dead　that　its　stomach　was　turning　green。　Luckily；　however；　the　skin　and　plumage　of　these　birds　is　so　firm　and　strong；　that　they　bear　washing　and　cleaning　better　than　almost　any　other　sort；　and　I　was　generally　able　to　clean　them　so　well　that　they　did　not　perceptibly　differ　from　those　I　had　shot　myself。

Some　few　were　brought　me　the　same　day　they　were　caught；　and　I　had　an　opportunity　of　examining　them　in　all　their　beauty　and　vivacity。　As　soon　as　I　found　they　were　generally　brought　alive；　I　set　one　of　my　men　to　make　a　large　bamboo　cage　with　troughs　for　food　and　water；　hoping　to　be　able　to　keep　some　of　them。　I　got　the　natives　to　bring　me　branches　of　a　fruit　they　were　very　fond　of；　and　I　was　pleased　to　find　they　ate　it　greedily；　and　would　also　take　any　number　of　live　grasshoppers　I　gave　them；　stripping　off　the　legs　and　wings；　and　then　swallowing　them。　They　drank　plenty　of　water；　and　were　in　constant　motion；　jumping　about　the　cage　from　perch　to　perch；　clinging　on　the　top　and　sides；　and　rarely　resting　a　moment　the　first　day　till　nightfall。　The　second　day　they　were　always　less　active；　although　they　would　eat　as　freely　as　before；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　third　day　they　were　almost　always　found　dead　at　the　bottom　of　the　cage；　without　any　apparent　cause。　Some　of　them　ate　boiled　rice　as　well　as　fruit　and　insects；　but　after　trying　many　in　succession；　not　one　out　of　ten　lived　more　than　three　days。　The　second　or　third　day　they　would　be　dull；　and　in　several　cases　they　were　seized　with　convulsions；　and　fell　off　the　perch；　dying　a　few　hours　afterwards。　I　tried　immature　as　well　as　full…plumaged　birds；　but　with　no　better　success；　and　at　length　gave　it　up　as　a　hopeless　task；　and　confined　my　attention　to　preserving　specimens　in　as　good　a　condition　as　possible。

The　Red　Birds　of　Paradise　are　not　shot　with　blunt　arrows；　as　in　the　Aru　Islands　and　some　parts　of　New　Guinea；　but　are　snared　in　a　very　ingenious　manner。　A　large　climbing　Arum　bears　a　red　reticulated　fruit；　of　which　the　birds　are　very　fond。　The　hunters　fasten　this　fruit　on　a　stout　forked　stick；　and　provide　themselves　with　a　fine　but　strong　cord。　They　then　seep　out　some　tree　in　the　forest　on　which　these　birds　are　accustomed　to　perch；　and　climbing　up　it　fasten　the　stick　to　a　branch　and　arrange　the　cord　in　a　noose　so　ingeniously；　that　when　the　bird　comes　to　eat　the　fruit　its　legs　are　caught；　and　by　pulling　the　end　of　the　cord；　which　hangs　down　to　the　ground；　it　comes　free　from　the　branch　and　brings　down　the　bird。　Sometimes；　when　food　is　abundant　elsewhere；　the　hunter　sits　from　morning　till　night　under　his　tree　with　the　cord　in　his　hand；　and　even　for　two　or　three　whole　days　in　succession；　without　even　getting　a　bite；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　if　very　lucky；　he　may　get　two　or　three　birds　in　a　day。　There　are　only　eight　or　ten　men　at　Bessir　who　practise　this　art；　which　is　unknown　anywhere　else　in　the　island。　I　determined；　therefore；　to　stay　as　long　as　possible；　as　my　only　chance　of　getting　a　good　series　of　specimens；　and　although　I　was　nearly　starved；　everything　eatable　by　civilized　man　being　scarce　or　altogether　absent；　I　finally　succeeded。

The　vegetables　and　fruit　in　the　plantations　around　us　did　not　suffice　for　the　wants　of　the　inhabitants；　and　were　almost　always　dug　up　or　gathered　before　they　were　ripe。　It　was　very　rarely　we　could　purchase　a　little　fish；　fowls　there　were　none；　and　we　were　reduced　to　live　upon　tough　pigeons　and　cockatoos；　with　our　rice　and　sago；　and　sometimes　we　could　not　get　these。　Having　been　already　eight　months　on　this　voyage；　my　stock　of　all　condiments；　spices　and　butter；　was　exhausted；　and　I　found　it　impossible　to　eat　sufficient　of　my　tasteless　and　unpalatable　food　to　support　health。　I　got　very　thin　and　weak；　and　had　a　curious　disease　known　（I　have　since　heard）　as　brow…ague。　Directly　after　breakfast　every　morning　an　intense　pain　set　in　on　a　small　spot　on　the　right　temple。　It　was　a　severe　burning　ache；　as　bad　as　the　worst　toothache；　and　lasted　about　two　hours；　generally　going　off　at　noon。　When　this　finally　ceased；　I　had　an　attack　of　fever；　which　left　me　so　weak　and　so　unable　to　eat　our　regular　food；　that　I　feel　sure　my　life　was　saved　by　a　couple　of　tins　of　soup　which　I　had　long　reserved　for　some　such　extremity。　I　used　often　to　go　out　searching　after　vegetables；　and　found　a　great　treasure　in　a　lot　of　tomato　plants　run　wild；　and　bearing　little　fruits　about　the　size　of　gooseberries。　I　also　boiled　up　the　tops　of　pumpkin　plants　and　of　ferns；　by　way　of　greens；　and　occasionally　got　a　few　green　papaws。　The　natives；　when　hard　up　for　food；　live　upon　a　fleshy　seaweed；　which　they　boil　till　it　is　tender。　I　tried　this　also；　but　found　it　too　salt　and　bitter　to　be　endured。

Towards　the　end　of　September　it　became　absolutely　necessary　for　me　to　return；　in　order　to　make　our　homeward　voyage　before　the　end　of　the　east　monsoon。　Most　of　the　men　who　had　taken　payment　from　me　had　brought　the　birds　they　had　agreed　for。　One　poor　fellow　had　been　so　unfortunate　as　not　to　get　one；　and　he　very　honestly　brought　back　the　axe　he　had　received　in　advance；　another；　who　had　agreed　for　six；　brought　me　the　fifth　two　days　before　I　was　to　start；　and　went　off　immediately　to　the　forest　again　to　get　the　other。　He　did　not　return；　however；　and　we　loaded　our　boat；　and　were　just　on　the　point　of　starting；　when　he　came　running　down　after　us　holding　up　a　bird；　which　he　handed　to　me；　saying　with　great　satisfaction；　〃Now　I　owe　you　nothing。〃　These　were　remarkable　and　quite　unexpected　instances　of　honesty　among　savages；　where　it　would　have　been　very　easy　for　them　to　have　been　dishonest　without　fear　of　detection　or　punishment。

The　country　round　about　Bessir　was　very　hilly　and　rugged；　bristling　with　jagged　and　honey…combed　coralline　rocks；　and　with　curious　little　chasms　and　ravines。　The　paths　often　passed　through　these　rocky　clefts；　which　in　the　depths　of　the　forest　were　gloomy　and　dark　in　the　extreme；　and　often　full　of　fine…leaved　herbaceous　plants　and　curious　blue…foliaged　Lycopodiaceae。　It　was　in　such　places　as　these　that　I　obtained　many　of　my　most　beautiful　small　butterflies；　such　as　Sospita　statira　and　Taxila　pulchra；　the　gorgeous　blue　Amblypodia　hercules；　and　many　others。　On　the　skirts　of　the　plantations　I　found　the　handsome　blue　Deudorix　despoena；　and　in　the　shady　woods　the　lovely　Lycaena　wallacei。　Here；　too；　I　obtained　the　beautiful　Thyca　aruna；　of　the　richest　orange　on　the　upper　side；　while　below　it　is　intense　crimson　and　glossy　black；　and　a　superb　specimen　of　a　green　Ornithoptera；　absolutely　fresh　and　perfect；　and　which　still　remains　one　of　the　glories　of　my　cabinet。

My　collection　of　birds；　though　not　very　rich　in　number　of　species；　was　yet　very　interesting。　I　got　another　specimen　of　the　rare　New　Guinea　kite　（Henicopernis　longicauda）；　a　large　new　goatsucker　（Podargus　superciliaris）；　and　a　most　curious　ground…　pigeon　of　an　entirely　new　genus；　and　remarkable　for　its　long　and　powerful　bill。　It　has　been　named　Henicophaps　albifrons。　I　was　also　much　pleased　to　obtain　a　fine　series　of　a　large　fruit…pigeon　with　a　protuberance　on　the　bill　（Carpophaga　tumida）；　and　to　ascertain　that　this　was　not；　as　had　been　hitherto　supposed；　a　sexual　character；　but　was　found　equally　in　male　and　female　birds。　I　collected　only　seventy…three　species　of　birds　in　Waigiou；　but　twelve　of　them　were　entirely　new；　and　many　others　very　rare；　and　as　I　brought　away　with　me　twenty…four　fine　specimens　of　the　Paradisea　rubra；　I　did　not　regret　my　visit　to　the　island；　although　it　had　by　no　means　answered　my　expectations。

CHAPTER　XXXVII。

VOYAGE　FROM　WAIGIOU　TO　TERNATE。

（SEPTEMBER　29　To　NOVEMBER　5；　1860。）

I　HAD　left　the　old　pilot　at　Waigiou　to　take　care　of　my　house　and　to　get　the　prau　into　sailing　orderto　caulk　her　bottom；　and　to　look　after　the　upper　works；　thatch；　and　ringing。　When　I　returned　I　found　it　nearly　ready；　and　immediately　began　packing　up　and　preparing　for　the　voyage。　Our　mainsail　had　formed　one　side　of　our　house；　but　the　spanker　and　jib　had　been　put　away　in　the　roof；　and　on　opening　them　to　see　if　any　repairs　were　wanted；　to　our　horror　we　found　that　some　rats　had　made　them　their　nest；　and　had　gnawed　through　them　in　twenty　places。　We　had　therefore　to　buy　matting　and　make　new　sails；　and　this　delayed　us　till　the　29th　of　September；　when　we　at　length　left　Waigiou。

It　took　us　four　days　before　we　could　get　clear　of　the　land；　having　to　pass　along　narrow　straits　beset　with　reefs　and　shoals；　and　full　of　strong　currents；　so　that　an　unfavourable　wind　stopped　us　altogether。　One　day；　when　nearly　clear；　a　contrary　tide　and　head　wind　drove　us　ten　miles　back　to　our　anchorage　of　the　night　before。　This　delay　made　us　afraid　of　running　short　of　water　if　we　should　be　becalmed　at　sea；　and　we　therefore　determined；　if　possible；　to　touch　at　the　island　where　our　men　had　been　lost；　and　which　lay　directly　in　our　proper　course。　The　wind　was；　however；　as　usual；　contrary；　being　S。S。W。　instead　of　S。S。E。；　as　it　should　have　been　at　this　time　of　the　year；　and　all　we　could　do　was　to　reach　the　island　of　Gagie；　where　we　came　to　an　anchor　by　moonlight　under　bare　volcanic　hills。　In　the　morning　we　tried　to　enter　a　deep　bay；　at　the　head　of　which　some　Galela　fishermen　told　us　there　was　water；　but　a　head…wind　prevented　us。　For　the　reward　of　a　handkerchief；　however；　they　took　us　to　the　place　in　their　boat；　and　we　filled　up　our　jars　and　bamboos。　We　then　went　round　to　their　camping…place　on　the　north　coast　of　the　island　to　try　and　buy　something　to　eat；　but　could　only　get　smoked　turtle　meat　as　black　and　as　hard　as　lumps　of　coal。