the malay archipelago-2-第24节

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on；　fall　of　novel　sights　and　strange　adventures。　He　who　has　made　it　is　looked　up　to　as　an　authority；　and　it　remains　with　many　the　unachieved　ambition　of　their　lives。　I　myself　had　hoped　rather　than　expected　ever　to　reach　this　〃Ultima　Thule〃　of　the　East：　and　when　I　found　that　I　really　could　do　so　now；　had　I　but　courage　to　trust　myself　for　a　thousand　miles'　voyage　in　a　　Bugis　prau；　and　for　six　or　seven　months　among　lawless　traders　and　ferocious　savages；　I　felt　somewhat　as　I　did　when；　a　schoolboy；　I　was　for　the　first　time　allowed　to　travel　outside　the　stage…coach；　to　visit　that　scene　of　all　that　is　strange　and　new　and　wonderful　to　young　imaginations…London！

By　the　help　of　some　kind　friends　I　was　introduced　to　the　owner　of　one　of　the　large　praus　which　was　to　sail　in　a　few　days。　He　was　a　Javanese　half…caste；　intelligent；　mild；　and　gentlemanly　in　his　manners；　and　had　a　young　and　pretty　Dutch　wife；　whom　he　was　going　to　leave　behind　during　his　absence。　When　we　talked　about　passage　money　he　would　fix　no　sum；　but　insisted　on　leaving　it　entirely　to　me　to　pay　on　my　return　exactly　what　I　liked。　〃And　then；〃　said　he；　〃whether　you　give　me　one　dollar　or　a　hundred；　I　shall　he　satisfied；　and　shall　ask　no　more。〃

The　remainder　of　my　stay　was　fully　occupied　in　laying　in　stores；　engaging　servants；　and　making　every　other　preparation　for　an　absence　of　seven　months　from　even　the　outskirts　of　civilization。　On　the　morning　of　December　13th；　when　we　went　on　board　at　daybreak；　it　was　raining　hard。　We　set　sail　and　it　came　on　to　blow。　Our　boat　was　lost　astern；　our　sails　damaged；　and　the　evening　found　us　hack　again　in　Macassar　harbour。　We　remained　there　four　days　longer；　owing　to　its　raining　all　the　time；　thus　rendering　it　impossible　to　dry　and　repair　the　huge　mat　sails。　All　these　dreary　days　I　remained　on　board；　and　during　the　rare　intervals　when　it　didn't　rain；　made　myself　acquainted　with　our　outlandish　craft；　some　of　the　peculiarities　of　which　I　will　now　endeavour　to　describe。

It　was　a　vessel　of　about　seventy　tons　burthen；　and　shaped　something　like　a　Chinese　junk。　The　deck　sloped　considerably　downward　to　the　bows；　which　are　thus　the　lowest　part　of　the　ship。　There　were　two　large　rudders；　but　instead　of　being　planed　astern　they　were　hung　on　the　quarters　from　strong　cross　beams；　which　projected　out　two　or　three　feet　on　each　side；　and　to　which　extent　the　deck　overhung　the　sides　of　the　vessel　amidships。　The　rudders　were　not　hinged　but　hung　with　slings　of　rattan；　the　friction　of　which　keeps　them　in　any　position　in　which　they　are　placed；　and　thus　perhaps　facilitates　steering。　The　tillers　were　not　on　deck；　but　entered　the　vessel　through　two　square　openings　into　a　lower　or　half　deck　about　three　feet　high；　in　which　sit　the　two　steersmen。　In　the　after　part　of　the　vessel　was　a　low　poop；　about　three　and　a　half　feet　high；　which　forms　the　captain's　cabin；　its　furniture　consisting　of　boxes；　mats；　and　pillows。　In　front　of　the　poop　and　mainmast　was　a　little　thatched　house　on　deck；　about　four　feet　high　to　the　ridge；　and　one　compartment　of　this；　forming　a　cabin　six　and　a　half　feet　long　by　five　and　a　half　wide；　I　had　all　to　myself；　and　it　was　the　snuggest　and　most　comfortable　little　place　I　ever　enjoyed　at　sea。　It　was　entered　by　a　low　sliding　door　of　thatch　on　one　side；　and　had　a　very　small　window　on　the　other。　The　floor　was　of　split　bamboo；　pleasantly　elastic；　raised　six　inches　above　the　deck；　so　as　to　be　quite　dry。　It　was　covered　with　fine　cane　mats；　for　the　manufacture　of　which　Macassar　is　celebrated；　against　the　further　wall　were　arranged　my　guncase；　insect…boxes；　clothes；　and　books；　my　mattress　occupied　the　middle；　and　next　the　door　were　my　canteen；　lamp；　and　little　store　of　luxuries　for　the　voyage；　while　guns；　revolver；　and　hunting　knife　hung　conveniently　from　the　roof。　During　these　four　miserable　days　I　was　quite　jolly　in　this　little　snuggery　more　so　than　I　should　have　been　if　confined　the　same　time　to　the　gilded　and　uncomfortable　saloon　of　a　first…class　steamer。　Then；　how　comparatively　sweet　was　everything　on　boardno　paint；　no　tar；　no　new　rope；　（vilest　of　smells　to　the　qualmish！）　no　grease；　or　oil；　or　varnish；　but　instead　of　these；　bamboo　and　rattan；　and　coir　rope　and　palm　thatch；　pure　vegetable　fibres；　which　smell　pleasantly　if　they　smell　at　all；　and　recall　quiet　scenes　in　the　green　and　shady　forest。

Our　ship　had　two　masts；　if　masts　they　can　be　called　c　which　were　great　moveable　triangles。　If　in　an　ordinary　ship　you　replace　the　shrouds　and　backstay　by　strong　timbers；　and　take　away　the　mast　altogether；　you　have　the　arrangement　adopted　on　board　a　prau。　Above　my　cabin；　and　resting　on　cross…beams　attached　to　the　masts；　was　a　wilderness　of　yards　and　spars；　mostly　formed　of　bamboo。　The　mainyard；　an　immense　affair　nearly　a　hundred　feet　long；　was　formed　of　many　pieces　of　wood　and　bamboo　bound　together　with　rattans　in　an　ingenious　manner。　The　sail　carried　by　this　was　of　an　oblong　shape；　and　was　hung　out　of　the　centre；　so　that　when　the　short　end　was　hauled　down　on　deck　the　long　end　mounted　high　in　the　air；　making　up　for　the　lowness　of　the　mast　itself。　The　foresail　was　of　the　same　shape；　but　smaller。　Both　these　were　of　matting；　and；　with　two　jibs　and　a　fore　and　aft　sail　astern　of　cotton　canvas；　completed　our　rig。

The　crew　consisted　of　about　thirty　men；　natives　of　Macassar　and　the　adjacent　coasts　and　islands。　They　were　　mostly　young；　and　were　short；　broad…faced；　good…humoured　looking　fellows。　Their　dress　consisted　generally　of　a　pair　of　trousers　only；　when　at　work；　and　a　handkerchief　twisted　round　the　head；　to　which　in　the　evening　they　would　add　a　thin　cotton　jacket。　Four　of　the　elder　men　were　〃jurumudis；〃　or　steersmen；　who　had　to　squat　（two　at　a

time）　in　the　little　steerage　before　described；　changing　every　six　hours。　Then　there　was　an　old　man；　the　〃juragan；〃　or　captain；　but　who　was　really　what　we　should　call　the　first　mate；　he　occupied　the　other　half　of　the　little　house　on　deck。　There　were　about　ten　respectable　men；　Chinese　or　Bugis；　whom　our　owner　used　to　call　〃his　own　people。〃　He　treated　them　very　well；　shared　his　meals　with　them；　and　spoke　to　them　always　with　perfect　politeness；　yet　they　were　most　of　them　a　kind　of　slave　debtors；　bound　over　by　the　police　magistrate　to　work　for　him　at　mere　nominal　wages　for　a　term　of　years　till　their　debts　were　liquidated。　This　is　a　Dutch　institution　in　this　part　of　the　world；　and　seems　to　work　well。　It　is　a　great　boon　to　traders；　who　can　do　nothing　in　these　thinly…　populated　regions　without　trusting　goods　to　agents　and　petty　dealers；　who　frequently　squander　them　away　in　gambling　and　debauchery。　The　lower　classes　are　almost　all　in　a　chronic　state　of　debt。　The　merchant　trusts　them　again　and　again；　till　the　amount　is　something　serious；　when　he　brings　them　to　court　and　has　their　services　allotted　to　him　for　its　liquidation。　The　debtors　seem　to　think　this　no　disgrace；　but　rather　enjoy　their　freedom　from　responsibility；　and　the　dignity　of　their　position　under　a　wealthy　and　well…known　merchant。　They　trade　a　little　on　their　own　account；　and　both　parties　seem　to　get　on　very　well　together。　The　plan　seems　a　more　sensible　one　than　that　which　we　adopt；　of　effectually　preventing　a　man　from　earning　anything　towards　paying　his　debts　by　shutting　him　up　in　a　jail。

My　own　servants　were　three　in　number。　Ali；　the　Malay　boy　whom　I　had　picked　up　in　Borneo；　was　my　head　man。　He　had　already　been　with　me　a　year；　could　turn　his　hand　to　anything；　and　was　quite　attentive　and　trustworthy。　He　was　a　good　shot；　and　fond　of　shooting；　and　I　had　taught　him　to　skin　birds　very　well。　The　second；　named　Baderoon；　was　a　Macassar　lad；　also　a　pretty　good　boy；　but　a　desperate　gambler。　Under　pretence　of　buying　a　house　for　his　mother；　and　clothes；　for　himself；　he　had　received　four　months'　wages　about　a　week　before　we　sailed；　and　in　a　day　or　two　gambled　away　every　dollar　of　it。　He　had　come　on　board　with　no　clothes；　no　betel；　or　tobacco；　or　salt　fish；　all　which　necessary　articles　I　was　obliged　to　send　Ali　to　buy　for　him。　These　two　lads　were　about　sixteen；　I　should　suppose；　the　third　was　younger；　a　sharp　little　rascal　named　Baso；　who　had　been　with　me　a　month　or　two；　and　had　learnt　to　cook　tolerably。　He　was　to　fulfil　the　important　office　of　cook　and　housekeeper；　for　I　could　not　get　any　regular　servants　to　go　to　such　a　terribly　remote　country；　one　might　as　well　ask　a　chef　de　cuisine　to　go　to　Patagonia。

On　the　fifth　day　that　I　had　spent　on　board　（Dec。　15th）　the　rain　ceased；　and　final　preparations　were　made　for　starting。　Sails　were　dried　and　furled；　boats　were　constantly　coming　and　going；　and　stores　for　the　voyage；　fruit；　vegetables；　fish；　and　palm　sugar；　were　taken　on　board。　In　the　afternoon　two　women　arrived　with　a　large　party　of　friends　and　relations；　and　at　parting　there　was　a　general　noserubbing　（the　Malay　kiss）；　and　some　tears　shed。　These　were　promising　symptoms　for　our　getting　off　the　next　day；　and　accordingly；　at　three　in　the　morning；　the　owner　came　on　board；　the　anchor　was　immediately　weighed；　and　by　four　we　set　sail。　Just　as　we　were　fairly　off　and　clear　of　the　other　praus；　the　old　juragan　repeated　some　prayers；　all　around　responding　with　〃Allah　il　Allah；〃　and　a　few　strokes　on　a　gong　as　an　accompaniment；　concluding　with　all　wishing　each　other　〃Salaamat　jalan；〃　a　safe　and　happy