the malay archipelago-2-第14节

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stay　a　while；　and　therefore　got　on　pretty　quickly；　changing　men　at　the　village　of　Laiemu；　and　arriving　in　a　heavy　rain　at　Ahtiago。　As　there　was　a　good　deal　of　surf　here；　and　likely　to　be　more　if　the　wind　blew　hard　during　the　night；　our　boats　were　pulled　up　on　the　beach；　and　after　supping　at　the　Orang…kaya's　house；　and　writing　down　a　vocabulary　of　the　language　of　the　Alfuros；　who　live　in　the　mountains　inland；　I　returned　to　sleep　in　the　boat。　Next　morning　we　proceeded；　changing　men　at　Warenama；　and　again　at　Hatometen；　at　both　of　which　places　there　was　much　surf　and　no　harbour；　so　that　the　men　had　to　go　on　shore　and　come　on　board　by　swimming。　Arriving　in　the　evening　of　March　7th　at　Batuassa；　the　first　village　belonging　to　the　Rajah　of　Tobo；　and　under　the　government　of　Banda；　the　surf　was　very　heavy；　owing　to　a　strong　westward　swell。　We　therefore　rounded　the　rocky　point　on　which　the　village　was　situated；　but　found　it　very　little　better　on　the　other　side。　We　were　obliged；　however；　to　go　on　shore　here；　and　waiting　till　the　people　on　the　beach　had　made　preparations；　by　placing　a　row　of　logs　from　the　water's　edge　on　which　to　pull　up　our　boats；　we　rowed　as　quickly　as　we　could　straight　on　to　them；　after　watching　till　the　heaviest　surfs　had　passed。　The　moment　we　touched　ground　our　men　all　jumped　out；　and；　assisted　by　those　on　shore；　attempted　to　haul　up　the　boat　high　and　dry；　but　not　having　sufficient　hands；　the　surf　repeatedly　broke　into　the　stern。　The　steepness　of　the　beach；　however；　prevented　any　damage　being　done；　and　the　other　boat　having　both　crews　to　haul　at　it；　was　got　up　without　difficulty。

The　next　morning；　the　water　being　low；　the　breakers　were　at　some　distance　from　shore；　and　we　had　to　watch　for　a　smooth　moment　after　bringing　the　boats　to　the　water's　edge；　and　so　got　safely　out　to　sea。　At　the　two　next　villages；　Tobo　and　Ossong；　we　also　took　in　fresh　men；　who　came　swimming　through　the　surf；　and　at　the　latter　place　the　Rajah　came　on　board　and　accompanied　me　to　Kissalaut；　where　he　has　a　house　which　he　lent　me　during　my　stay。　Here　again　was　a　heavy　surf；　and　it　was　with　great　difficulty　we　got　the　boats　safely　hauled　up。　At　Amboyna　I　had　been　promised　at　this　season　a　calm　sea　and　the　wind　off　shore；　but　in　this　case；　as　in　every　other；　I　had　been　unable　to　obtain　any　reliable　information　as　to　the　winds　and　seasons　of　places　distant　two　or　three　days'　journey。　It　appears；　however；　that　owing　to　the　general　direction　of　the　island　of　Ceram　（E。S。E。　and　W。N。W。）；　there　is　a　heavy　surf　and　scarcely　any　shelter　on　the　south　coast　during　the　west　monsoon；　when　alone　a　journey　to　the　eastward　can　be　safely　made；　while　during　the　east　monsoon；　when　I　proposed　to　return　along　the　north　coast　to　Wahai；　I　should　probably　find　that　equally　exposed　and　dangerous。　But　although　the　general　direction　of　the　west　monsoon　in　the　Banda　sea　causes　a　heavy　swell；　with　bad　surf　on　the　coast；　yet　we　had　little　advantage　of　the　wind；　for；　owing　I　suppose　to　the　numerous　bays　and　headlands；　we　had　contrary　south…east　or　even　due　east　winds　all　the　way；　and　had　to　make　almost　the　whole　distance　from　Amboyna　by　force　of　rowing。　We　had　therefore　all　the　disadvantages；　and　none　of　the　advantages；　of　this　west　monsoon；　which　I　was　told　would　insure　me　a　quick　and　pleasant　journey。

I　was　delayed　at　Kissa…laut　just　four　weeks；　although　after　the　first　three　days　I　saw　that　it　would　be　quite　useless　for　me　to　stay；　and　begged　the　Rajah　to　give　me　a　prau　and　men　to　carry　me　on　to　Goram。　But　instead　of　getting　one　close　at　hand；　he　insisted　on　sending　several　miles　off；　and　when　after　many　delays　it　at　length　arrived；　it　was　altogether　unsuitable　and　too　small　to　carry　my　baggage。　Another　was　then　ordered　to　be　brought　immediately；　and　was　promised　in　three　days；　but　doable　that　time　elapsed　and　none　appeared；　and　we　were　obliged　at　length　to　get　one　at　the　adjoining　village；　where　it　might　have　been　so　much　more　easily　obtained　at　first。　Then　came　caulking　and　covering　over；　and　quarrels　between　the　owner　and　the　Rajah's　men；　which　occupied　more　than　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　complexi