the malay archipelago-2-第19节

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elli　in　1861。　This　I　could　conveniently　do　by　means　of　the　Dutch　mail…steamers；　which　make　a　monthly　round　of　the　Moluccas。

We　arrived　at　the　harbour　of　Cajeli　on　the　4th　of　May；　a　gun　was　fired；　the　Commandant　of　the　fort　came　alongside　in　a　native　boat　to　receive　the　post…packet；　and　took　me　and　my　baggage　on　shore；　the　steamer　going　off　again　without　coming　to　an　anchor。　We　went　to　the　horse　of　the　Opzeiner；　or　overseer；　a　native　of　Amboyna　Bouru　being　too　poor　a　place　to　deserve　even　an　Assistant　Resident；　yet　the　appearance　of　the　village　was　very　far　superior　to　that　of　Delli；　which　possesses　〃His　Excellency　the　Governor；〃　and　the　little　fort；　in　perfect　order；　surrounded　by　neat　brass…　plots　and　straight　walks；　although　manned　by　only　a　dozen　Javanese　soldiers　with　an　Adjutant　for　commander；　was　a　very　Sebastopol　in　comparison　with　the　miserable　mud　enclosure　at　Delli；　with　its　numerous　staff　of　Lieutenants；　Captain；　and　Major。　Yet　this；　as　well　as　most　of　the　forts　in　the　Moluccas；　was　originally　built　by　the　Portuguese　themselves。　Oh！　Lusitania；　how　art　thou　fallen！

While　the　Opzeiner　was　reading　his　letters；　I　took　a　walk　round　the　village　with　a　guide　in　search　of　a　horse。　The　whole　place　was　dreadfully　damp　and　muddy；　being　built　in　a　swamp　with　not　a　spot　of　ground　raised　a　foot　above　it；　and　surrounded　by　swamps　on　every　side。　The　houses　were　mostly　well　built；　of　wooden　framework　filled　in　with　gaba…gaba　（leaf…stems　of　the　sago…palm）；　but　as　they　had　no　whitewash；　and　the　floors　were　of　bare　black　earth　like　the　roads；　and　generally　on　the　same　level；　they　were　extremely　damp　and　gloomy。　At　length　I　found　one　with　the　floor　raised　about　a　foot；　and　succeeded　in　making　a　bargain　with　the　owner　to　turn　out　immediately；　so　that　by　night　I　had　installed　myself　comfortably。　The　chairs　and　tables　were　left　for　me；　and　as　the　whole　of　the　remaining　furniture　in　the　house　consisted　of　a　little　crockery　and　a　few　clothes…boxes；　it　was　not　much　trouble　for　the　owners　to　move　into　the　house　of　some　relatives；　and　thus　obtain　a　few　silver　rupees　very　easily。　Every　foot　of　ground　between　the　homes　throughout　the　village　is　crammed　with　fruit　trees；　so　that　the　sun　and　air　have　no　chance　of　penetrating。　This　must　be　very　cool　and　pleasant　in　the　dry　season；　but　makes　it　damp　and　unhealthy　at　other　times　of　the　year。　Unfortunately　I　had　come　two　months　too　soon；　for　the　rains　were　not　yet　over；　and　mud　and　water　were　the　prominent　features　of　the　country。

About　a　mile　behind　and　to　the　east　of　the　village　the　hills　commence；　but　they　are　very　barren；　being　covered　with　scanty　coarse　grass　and　scattered　trees　of　the　Melaleuca　cajuputi；　from　the　leaves　of　which　the　celebrated　cajeput　oil　is　made。　Such　districts　are　absolutely　destitute　of　interest　for　the　zoologist。　A　few　miles　further　on　rose　higher　mountains；　apparently　well　covered　with　forest；　but　they　were　entirely　uninhabited　and　trackless；　and　practically　inaccessible　to　a　traveller　with　limited　time　and　means。　It　became　evident；　therefore；　that　I　must　leave　Cajeli　for　some　better　collecting　ground；　and　finding　a　man　who　was　going　a　few　miles　eastward　to　a　village　on　the　coast　where　he　said　there　were　hills　and　forest；　I　sent　my　boy　Ali　with　him　to　explore　and　report　on　the　capabilities　of　the　district。　At　the　same　time　I　arranged　to　go　myself　on　a　little　excursion　up　a　river　which　flows　into　the　bay　about　five　miles　north　of　the　town；　to　a　village　of　the　Alfuros；　or　indigenes；　where　I　thought　I　might　perhaps　find　a　good　collecting　ground。

The　Rajah　of　Cajeli；　a　good…tempered　old　man；　offered　to　accompany　me；　as　the　village　was　under　his　government；　and　we　started　one　morning　early；　in　a　long　narrow　boat　with　eight　rowers。　In　about　two　hours　we　entered　the　river；　and　commenced　our　inland　journey　against　a　very　powerful　current。　The　stream　was　about　a　hundred　yards　wide；　and　was　generally　bordered　with　high　grass；　and　occasionally　bushes　and　palm…trees。　The　country　round　was　flat　and　more　or　less　swampy；　with　scattered　trees　and　shrubs。　At　every　bend　we　crossed　the　river　to　avoid　the　strength　of　the　current；　and　arrived　at　our　landing…place　about　four　o'clock　in　a　torrent　of　rain。　Here　we　waited　for　an　hour；　crouching　under　a　leaky　mat　till　the　Alfuros　arrived　who　had　been　sent　for　from　the　village　to　carry　my　baggage；　when　we　set　off　along　a　path　of　whose　extreme　muddiness　I　had　been　warned　before　starting。

I　turned　up　my　trousers　as　high　as　possible；　grasped　a　stoat　stick　to　prevent　awkward　falls；　and　then　boldly　plunged　into　the　first　mud…hole；　which　was　immediately　succeeded　by　another　and　another。　The　marl　or　mud　and　water　was　knee…deep　with　little　intervals　of　firmer　ground　between；　making　progression　exceedingly　difficult。　The　path　was　bordered　with　high　rigid　grass；　brewing　in　dense　clumps　separated　by　water；　so　that　nothing　was　to　be　gained　by　leaving　the　beaten　track；　and　we　were　obliged　to　go　floundering　on；　never　knowing　where　our　feet　would　rest；　as　the　mud　was　now　a　few　inches；　now　two　feet　deep；　and　the　bottom　very　uneven；　so　that　the　foot　slid　down　to　the　lowest　part；　and　made　it　difficult　to　keep　one's　balance。　One　step　would　be　upon　a　concealed　stick　or　log；　almost　dislocating　the　ankle；　while　the　next　would　plunge　into　soft　mud　above　the　knee。　It　rained　all　the　way；　and　the　long　grass；　six　feet　high；　met　over　the　path；　so　that　we　could　not　see　a　step　of　the　way　ahead；　and　received　a　double　drenching。　Before　we　got　to　the　village　it　was　dark；　and　we　had　to　cross　over　a　small　but　deep　and　swollen　stream　by　a　narrow　log　of　wood；　which　was　more　than　a　foot　under　water。　There　was　a　slender　shaking　stick　for　a　handrail；　and　it　was　nervous　work　feeling　in　the　dark　in　the　rushing　water　for　a　safe　place　on　which　to　place　the　advanced　foot。　After　au　hour　of　this　most　disagreeable　and　fatiguing　walk　we　reached　the　village；　followed　by　the　men　with　our　guns；　ammunition；　boxes；　and　bedding　all　more　or　less　soaked。　We　consoled　ourselves　with　some　hot　tea　and　cold　fowl；　and　went　early　to　bed。

The　next　morning　was　clear　and　fine；　and　I　set　out　soon　after　sunrise　to　explore　the　neighbourhood。　The　village　had　evidently　been　newly　formed；　and　consisted　of　a　single　straight　street　of　very　miserable　huts　totally　deficient　in　every　comfort；　and　as　bare　and　cheerless　inside　as　out。　It　was　situated　on　a　little　elevated　patch　of　coarse　gravelly　soil；　covered　with　the　usual　high　rigid　grass；　which　came　up　close　to　the　backs　of　the　houses。　At　a　short　distance　in　several　directions　were　patches　of　forest；　but　all　on　low　and　swampy　ground。　I　made　one　attempt　along　the　only　path　I　could　find；　but　soon　came　upon　a　deep　mud…hole；　and　found　that　I　must　walk　barefoot　if　at　all；　so　I　returned　and　deferred　further　exploration　till　after　breakfast。　I　then　went　on　into　the　jungle　and　found　patches　of　sago…palms　and　a　low　forest　vegetation；　but　the　paths　were　everywhere　full　of　mud…holes；　and　intersected　by　muddy　streams　and　tracts　of　swamp；　so　that　walking　was　not　pleasurable；　and　too　much　attention　to　one's　steps　was　not　favourable　to　insect　catching；　which　requires　above　everything　freedom　of　motion。　I　shot　a　few　birds；　and　caught　a　few　butterflies；　but　all　were　the　same　as　I　had　already　obtained　about　Cajeli。

On　my　return　to　the　village　I　was　told　that　the　same　kind　of　ground　extended　for　many　miles　in　every　direction；　and　I　at　once　decided　that　Wayapo　was　not　a　suitable　place　to　stay　at。　The　next　morning　early　we　waded　back　again　through　the　mud　and　long　wet　grass　to　our　boat；　and　by　mid…day　reached　Cajeli；　where　I　waited　Ali's　return　to　decide　on　my　future　movements。　He　came　the　following　day；　and　gave　a　very　bad　account　of　Pelah；　where　he　had　been。　There　was　a　little　brush　and　trees　along　the　beach；　and　hills　inland　covered　with　high　grass　and　cajuputi　treesmy　dread　and　abhorrence。　On　inquiring　who　could　give　me　trustworthy　information；　I　was　referred　to　the　Lieutenant　of　the　Burghers；　who　had　travelled　all　round　the　island；　and　was　a　very　intelligent　fellow。　I　asked　him　to　tell　me　if　he　knew　of　any　part　of　Bouru　where　there　was　no　〃kusu…kusu；〃　as　the　coarse　grass　of　the　country　is　called。　He　assured　me　that　a　good　deal　of　the　south　coast　was　forest　land；　while　along　the　north　was　almost　entirely　swamp　and　grassy　hills。　After　minute　inquiries；　I　found　that　the　forest　country　commenced　at　a　place　called　Waypoti；　only　a　few　miles　beyond　Pelah；　but　that；　as　the　coast　beyond　that　place　was　exposed　to　the　east　monsoon　and　dangerous　for　praus；　it　was　necessary　to　walk。　I　immediately　went　to　the　Opzeiner；　and　he　called　the　Rajah。　We　had　a　consultation；　and　arranged　for　a　boat　to　take　me　the　next　evening　but　one；　to　Pelah；　whence　I　was　to　proceed　on　foot；　the　Orang…kaya　going　the　day　before　to　call　the　Alfuros　to　carry　my　baggage。

The　journey　was　made　as　arranged；　and　on　May　19th　we　arrived　at　Waypoti；　having　walked　about　ten　miles　along　the　beach；　and　through　stony　forest　bordering　the　sea；　with　occasional　plunges　of　a　mile　or　two　into　the　interior。　We　found　no　village；　but　scattered　houses　and　plantations；　with　hilly　country　pretty　well　covered　with　forest；　and　looking　rather　promising。　A　low　hut　with　a　very　rotten　roof；　showing　the　sky　through　in　several　places；　was　the　only　one