the malay archipelago-2-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


h　has　been　named　Megachile　Pluto　by　Mr。　B。　Smith。　I　collected　about　a　hundred　species　of　beetles　quite　new　to　me；　but　mostly　very　minute；　and　also　many　rare　and　handsome　ones　which　I　had　already　found　in　Batchian。　On　the　whole　I　was　tolerably　satisfied　with　my　seventeen　days'　excursion；　which　was　a　very　agreeable　one；　and　enabled　me　to　sea　a　good　deal　of　the　island。　I　had　hired　a　roomy　boat；　and　brought　with　me　a　small　table　and　my　rattan　chair。　These　were　great　comforts；　as；　wherever　there　was　a　roof；　I　could　immediately　instal　myself；　and　work　and　eat　at　ease。　When　I　could　not　find　accommodation　on　shore　I　slept　in　the　boat；　which　was　always　drawn　up　on　the　beach　if　we　stayed　for　a　few　days　at　one　spot。

On　my　return　to　Batchian　I　packed　up　my　collections；　and　prepared　for　my　return　to　Ternate。　When　I　first　came　I　had　sent　back　my　boat　by　the　pilot；　with　two　or　three　other　men　who　had　been　glad　of　the　opportunity。　I　now　took　advantage　of　a　Government　boat　which　had　just　arrived　with　rice　for　the　troops；　and　obtained　permission　to　return　in　her；　and　accordingly　started　on　the　13th　of　April；　having　resided　only　a　week　short　of　six　months　on　the　island　of　Batchian。　The　boat　was　one　of　the　kind　called　〃Kora…　kora；〃　quite　open；　very　low；　and　about　four　tons　burthen。　It　had　outriggers　of　bamboo　about　five　feet　off　each　side；　which　supported　a　bamboo　platform　extending　the　whole　length　of　the　vessel。　On　the　extreme　outside　of　this　sit　the　twenty　rowers；　while　within　was　a　convenient　passage　fore　and　aft。　The　middle　portion　of　the　boat　was　covered　with　a　thatch…house；　in　which　baggage　and　passengers　are　stowed；　the　gunwale　was　not　more　than　a　foot　above　water；　and　from　the　great　top　and　side　weight；　and　general　clumsiness；　these　boats　are　dangerous　in　heavy　weather；　and　are　not　unfrequently　lost。　A　triangle　mast　and　mat　sail　carried　us　on　when　the　wind　was　favourable；which　（as　usual）　it　never　was；　although；　according　to　the　monsoon；　it　ought　to　have　been。　Our　water；　carried　in　bamboos；　would　only　last　two　days；　and　as　the　voyage　occupied　seven；　we　had　to　touch　at　a　great　many　places。　The　captain　was　not　very　energetic；　and　the　men　rowed　as　little　as　they　pleased；　or　we　might　have　reached　Ternate　in　three　days；　having　had　fine　weather　and　little　wind　all　the　way。

There　were　several　passengers　besides　myself：　three　or　four　Javanese　soldiers；　two　convicts　whose　time　had　expired　（one；　curiously　enough；　being　the　man　who　had　stolen　my　cash…box　and　keys）；　the　schoolmaster's　wife　and　a　servant　going　on　a　visit　to　Ternate；　and　a　Chinese　trader　going　to　buy　goods。　We　had　to　sleep　all　together　in　the　cabin；　packed　pretty　close；　but　they　very　civilly　allowed　me　plenty　of　room　for　my　mattrass；　and　we　got　on　very　well　together。　There　was　a　little　cookhouse　in　the　bows；　where　we　could　boil　our　rice　and　make　our　coffee；　every　one　of　course　bringing　his　own　provisions；　and　arranging　his　meal…times　as　he　found　most　convenient。　The　passage　would　have　been　agreeable　enough　but　for　the　dreadful　〃tom…toms；〃　or　wooden　drums；　which　are　beaten　incessantly　while　the　men　are　rowing。　Two　men　were　engaged　constantly　at　them；　making　a　fearful　din　the　whole　voyage。　The　rowers　are　men　sent　by　the　Sultan　of　Ternate。　They　get　about　threepence　a　day；　and　find　their　own　provisions。　Each　man　had　a　strong　wooden　〃betel〃　box；　on　which　he　generally　sat；　a　sleeping…mat；　and　a　change　of　clothesrowing　naked；　with　only　a　sarong　or　a　waistcloth。　They　sleep　in　their　places；　covered　with　their　mat；　which　keeps　out　the　rain　pretty　well。　They　chew　betel　or　smoke　cigarettes　incessantly；　eat　dry　sago　and　a　little　salt　fish；　seldom　sing　while　rowing；　except　when　excited　and　wanting　to　reach　a　stopping…place；　and　do　not　talk　a　great　deal。　They　are　mostly　Malays；　with　a　sprinkling　of　Alfuros　from　Gilolo；　and　Papuans　from　Guebe　or　Waigiou。

One　afternoon　we　stayed　at　Makian；　many　of　the　men　went　on　shore；　and　a　great　deal　of　plantains；　bananas；　and　other　fruits　were　brought　on　board。　We　then　went　on　a　little　way；　and　in　the　evening　anchored　again。　When　going　to　bed　for　the　night；　I　put　out　my　candle；　there　being　still　a　glimmering　lamp　burning；　and；　missing　my　handkerchief；　thought　I　saw　it　on　a　box　which　formed　one　side　of　my　bed；　and　put　out　my　hand　to　take　it。　I　quickly　drew　back　on　feeling　something　cool　and　very　smooth；　which　moved　as　I　touched　it。　〃Bring　the　light；　quick；〃　I　cried；　〃here's　a　snake。〃　And　there　he　was；　sure　enough；　nicely　coiled　up；　with　his　head　just　raised　to　inquire　who　had　disturbed　him。　It　was　mow　necessary　to　catch　or　kill　him　neatly；　or　he　would　escape　among　the　piles　of　miscellaneous　luggage；　and　we　should　hardly　sleep　comfortably。　One　of　the　ex…convicts　volunteered　to　catch　him　with　his　hand　wrapped　up　in　a　cloth；　but　from　the　way　he　went　about　it　I　saw　he　was　nervous　and　would　let　the　thing　go；　so　I　would　mot　allow　him　to　make　the　attempt。　I　them　got　a　chopping…knife；　and　carefully　moving　my　insect　nets；　which　hung　just　over　the　snake　and　prevented　me　getting　a　free　blow；　I　cut　him　quietly　across　the　back；　holding　him　down　while　my　boy　with　another　knife　crushed　his　head。　On　examination；　I　found　he　had　large　poison　fangs；　and　it　is　a　wonder　he　did　not　bite　me　when　I　first　touched　him。

Thinking　it　very　unlikely　that　two　snakes　had　got　on　board　at　the　same　time；　I　turned　in　and　went　to　sleep；　but　having　all　the　time　a　vague　dreamy　idea　that　I　might　put　my　hand　on　another　one；　I　lay　wonderfully　still；　not　turning　over　once　all　night；　quite　the　reverse　of　my　usual　habits。　The　next　day　we　reached　Ternate；　and　I　ensconced　myself　in　my　comfortable　house；　to　examine　all　my　treasures；　and　pack　them　securely　for　the　voyage　home。

CHAPTER　XXV。

CERAM；　GORAM；　AND　THE　MATABELLO　ISLANDS。

（OCTOBER　1859　To　JUNE　1860。）

I　LEFT　Amboyna　for　my　first　visit　to　Ceram　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　October　29th；　after　having　been　delayed　several　days　by　the　boat's　crew；　who　could　not　be　got　together。　Captain　Van　der　Beck；　who　gave　me　a　passage　in　his　boat；　had　been　running　after　them　all　day；　and　at　midnight　we　had　to　search　for　two　of　my　men　who　had　disappeared　at　the　last　moment。　One　we　found　at　supper　in　his　own　house；　and　rather　tipsy　with　his　parting　libations　of　arrack；　but　the　other　was　gone　across　the　bay；　and　we　were　obliged　to　leave　without　him。　We　stayed　some　hours　at　two　villages　near　the　east　end　of　Amboyna；　at　one　of　which　we　had　to　discharge　some　wood　for　the　missionaries'　house；　and　on　the　third　afternoon　reached　Captain　Van　der　Beck's　plantation；　situated　at　Hatosua；　in　that　part　of　Ceram　opposite　to　the　island　of　Amboyna。　This　was　a　clearing　in　flat　and　rather　swampy　forest；　about　twenty　acres　in　extent；　and　mostly　planted　with　cacao　and　tobacco。　Besides　a　small　cottage　occupied　by　the　workmen；　there　was　a　large　shed　for　tobacco　drying；　a　corner　of　which　was　offered　me；　and　thinking　from　the　look　of　the　place　that　I　should　find…　good　collecting　ground　here；　I　fitted　up　temporary　tables；　benches；　and　beds；　and　made　all　preparations　for　some　weeks'　stay。　A　few　days；　however；　served　to　show　that　I　should　be　disappointed。　Beetles　were　tolerably　abundant；　and　I　obtained　plenty　of　fine　long…horned　Anthribidae　and　pretty　Longicorns；　but　they　were　mostly　the　same　species　as　I　had　found　during　my　first　short　visit　to　Amboyna。　There　were　very　few　paths　in　the　forest；　which　seemed　poor　in　birds　and　butterflies；　and　day　after　day　my　men　brought　me　nothing　worth　notice。　I　was　therefore　soon　obliged　to　think　about　changing　my　locality；　as　I　could　evidently　obtain　no　proper　notion　of　the　productions　of　the　almost　entirely　unexplored　island　of　Ceram　by　staying　in　this　place。

I　rather　regretted　leaving；　because　my　host　was　one　of　the　most　remarkable　men　and　most　entertaining　companions　I　had　ever　met　with。　He　was　a　Fleeting　by　birth；　and；　like　so　many　of　his　countrymen；　had　a　wonderful　talent　for　languages。　When　quite　a　youth　he　had　accompanied　a　Government　official　who　was　sent　to　report　on　the　trade　and　commerce　of　the　Mediterranean；　and　had　acquired　the　colloquial　language　of　every　place　they　stayed　a　few　weeks　at。　He　had　afterwards　made　voyages　to　St。　Petersburg；　and　to　other　parts　of　Europe；　including　a　few　weeks　in　London；　and　had　then　come　out　to　the　past；　where　he　had　been　for　some　years　trading　and　speculating　in　the　various　islands。　He　now　spoke　Dutch；　French；　Malay；　and　Javanese；　all　equally　well；　English　with　a　very　slight　accent；　but　with　perfect　fluency；　axed　a　most　complete　knowledge　of　idiom；　in　which　I　often　tried　to　puzzle　him　in　vain。　German　and　Italian　were　also　quite　familiar　to　him；　and　his　acquaintance　with　European　languages　included　Modern　Greek；　Turkish；　Russian；　and　colloquial　Hebrew　and　Latin。　As　a　test　of　his　power；　I　may　mention　that　he　had　made　a　voyage　to　the　out…of…　the…way　island　of　Salibaboo；　and　had　stayed　there　trading　a　few　weeks。　As　I　was　collecting　vocabularies；　he　told　me　he　thought　he　could　remember　some　words；　and　dictated　considerable　number。　Some　time　after　I　met　with　a　short　list　of　words　taken　down　in　those　islands；　and　in　every　case　they　agreed　with　those　he　had　given　me。　He　used　to　sing　a　Hebrew　drinking…song；　which　he　had　learned　from　some　Jews　with　whom　he　had　once　travelled；　and　astonished　by　joining　in　their　co