the malay archipelago-2-第26节

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u；　perhaps　forty　or　fifty　miles　distant；　its　mountains　wreathed　with　clouds；　while　its　lower　lands　were　still　invisible。　The　afternoon　was　fine；　and　the　wind　got　round　again　to　the　west；　but　although　this　is　really　the　west　monsoon；　there　is　no　regularity　or　steadiness　about　it；　calms　and　breezes　from　every　point　of　the　compass　continually　occurring。　The　captain；　though　nominally　a　Protestant；　seemed　to　have　no　idea　of　Christmas…day　as　a　festival。　Our　dinner　was　of　rice　and　curry　as　usual；　and　an　extra　glass　of　wine　was　all　I　could　do　to　celebrate　it。

Dec。　26th。Fine　view　of　the　mountains　of　Bouru；　which　we　have　now　approached　considerably。　Our　crew　seem　rather　a　clumsy　lot。　They　do　not　walk　the　deck　with　the　easy　swing　of　English　sailors；　but　hesitate　and　stagger　like　landsmen。　In　the　night　the　lower　boom　of　our　mainsail　broke；　and　they　were　all　the　morning　repairing　it。　It　consisted　of　two　bamboos　lashed　together；　thick　end　to　thin；　and　was　about　seventy　feet　long。　The　rigging　and　arrangement　of　these　praus　contrasts　strangely　with　that　of　European　vessels；　in　which　the　various　ropes　and　spars；　though　much　more　numerous；　are　placed　so　as　not　to　interfere　with　each　other's　action。　Here　the　case　is　quite　different；　for　though　there　are　no　shrouds　or　stays　to　complicate　the　matter；　yet　scarcely　anything　can　be　done　without　first　clearing　something　else　out　of　the　way。　The　large　sails　cannot　be　shifted　round　to　go　on　the　other　tack　without　first　hauling　down　the　jibs；　and　the　booms　of　the　fore　and　aft　sails　have　to　be　lowered　and　completely　detached　to　perform　the　same　operation。　Then　there　are　always　a　lot　of　ropes　foul　of　each　other；　and　all　the　sails　can　never　be　set　（though　they　are　so　few）　without　a　good　part　of　their　surface　having　the　wind　kept　out　of　them　by　others。　Yet　praus　are　much　liked　even　by　those　who　have　had　European　vessels；　because　of　their　cheapness　both　in　first　cost　and　in　keeping　up；　almost　all　repairs　can　be　done　by　the　crew；　and　very　few　European　stores　are　required。

Dec。　28th。This　day　we　saw　the　Banda　group；　the　volcano　first　appearing；a　perfect　cone；　having　very　much　the　outline　of　the　Egyptian　pyramids；　and　looking　almost　as　regular。　In　the　evening　the　smoke　rested　over　its　summit　like　a　small　stationary　cloud。　This　was　my　first　view　of　an　active　volcano；　but　pictures　and　panoramas　have　so　impressed　such　things　on　one's　mind；　that　when　we　at　length　behold　them　they　seem　nothing　extraordinary。

Dec。　30th。Passed　the　island　of　Teor；　and　a　group　near　it；　which　are　very　incorrectly　marked　on　the　charts。　Flying…fish　were　numerous　to…day。　It　is　a　smaller　species　than　that　of　the　Atlantic；　and　more　active　and　elegant　in　its　motions。　As　they　skim　along　the　surface　they　turn　on　their　sides；　so　as　fully　to　display　their　beautiful　fins；　taking　a　flight　of　about　a　hundred　yards；　rising　and　falling　in　n　most　graceful　manner。　At　a　little　distance　they　exactly　resemble　swallows；　and　no　one　who　sees　them　can　doubt　that　they　really　do　fly；　not　merely　descend　in　an　oblique　direction　from　the　height　they　gain　by　their　first　spring。　In　the　evening　an　aquatic　bird；　a　species　of　booby　（Sula　fiber。）　rested　on　our　hen…coop；　and　was　caught　by　the　neck　by　one　of　my　boys。

Dec。　31st；。At　daybreak　the　Ke　Islands　（pronounced　Kay）　were　in　sight；　where　we　are　to　stay　a　few　days。　About　noon　we　rounded　the　northern　point；　and　endeavoured　to　coast　along　to　the　anchorage；　but　being　now　on　the　leeward　side　of　the　island；　the　wind　came　in　violent　irregular　gusts；　and　then　leaving　us　altogether；　we　were　carried　back　by　a　strong　current。　Just　then　two　boats…load　of　natives　appeared；　and　our　owner　having　agreed　with　them　to　tow　us　into　harbour；　they　tried　to　do　so；　assisted　by　our　own　boat；　but　could　make　no　way。　We　were　therefore　obliged　to　anchor　in　a　very　dangerous　place　on　a　rocky　bottom；　and　we　were　engaged　till　nearly　dark　getting　hawsers　secured　to　some　rocks　under　water。　The　coast　of　Ke　along　which　we　had　passed　was　very　picturesque。　Light　coloured　limestone　rocks　rose　abruptly　from　the　water　to　the　height　of　several　hundred　feet；　everywhere　broken　into　jutting　peaks　and　pinnacles；　weather…worn　into　sharp　points　and　honeycombed　surfaces；　and　clothed　throughout　with　a　most　varied　and　luxuriant　vegetation。　The　cliffs　above　the　sea　offered　to　our　view　screw…pines　and　arborescent　Liliaceae　of　strange　forms；　mingled　with　shrubs　and　creepers；　while　the　higher　slopes　supported　a　dense　growth　of　forest　trees。　Here　and　there　little　bays　and　inlets　presented　beaches　of　dazzling　whiteness。　The　water　was　transparent　as　crystal；　and　tinged　the　rock…strewn　slope　which　plunged　steeply　into　its　unfathomable　depths　with　colours　varying　from　emerald　to　lapis…lazuli。　The　sea　was　calm　as　a　lake；　and　the　glorious　sun　of　the　tropics　threw　a　flood　of　golden　light　over　all。　The　scene　was　to　me　inexpressibly　delightful。　I　was　in　a　new　world；　and　could　dream　of　the　wonderful　productions　hid　in　those　rocky　forests；　and　in　those　azure　abysses。　But　few　European　feet　had　ever　trodden　the　shores　I　gazed　upon　its　plants；　and　animals；　and　men　were　alike　almost　unknown；　and　I　could　not　help　speculating　on　what　my　wanderings　there　for　a　few　days　might　bring　to　light。


CHAPTER　XXIX

THE　KE　ISLANDS。

（JANUARY　1857）

THE　native　boats　that　had　come　to　meet　us　were　three　or　four　in　number；　containing　in　all　about　fifty　men。

They　were　long　canoes；　with　the　bow　and　stern　rising　up　into　a　beak　six　or　night　feet　high；　decorated　with　shells　and　waving　plumes　of　cassowaries　hair。　I　now　had　my　first　view　of　Papuans　in　their　own　country；　and　in　less　than　five　minutes　was　convinced　that　the　opinion　already　arrived　at　by　the　examination　of　a　few　Timor　and　New　Guinea　slaves　was　substantially　correct；　and　that　the　people　I　now　had　an　opportunity　of　comparing　side　by　side　belonged　to　two　of　the　most　　distinct　and　strongly　marked　races　that　the　earth　contains。　Had　I　been　blind；　I　could　have　been　certain　that　these　islanders　were　not　Malays。　The　loud；　rapid；　eager　tones；　the　incessant　motion；　the　intense　vital　activity　manifested　in　speech　and　action；　are　the　very　antipodes　of　the　quiet；　unimpulsive；　unanimated　Malay　These　Ke　men　came　up　singing　and　shouting；　dipping　their　paddles　deep　in　the　water　and　throwing　up　clouds　of　spray；　as　they　approached　nearer　they　stood　up　in　their　canoes　and　increased　their　noise　and　gesticulations；　and　on　coming　alongside；　without　asking　leave；　and　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　the　greater　part　of　them　scrambled　up　on　our　deck　just　as　if　they　were　come　to　take　possession　of　a　captured　vessel。　Then　commenced　a　scene　of　indescribable　confusion。　These　forty　black；　naked；　mop…headed　savages　seemed　intoxicated　with　joy　and　excitement。　Not　one　of　them　could　remain　still　for　a　moment。　Every　individual　of　our　crew　was　in　turn　surrounded　and　examined；　asked　for　tobacco　or　arrack；　grinned　at　and　deserted　for　another。　All　talked　at　once；　and　our　captain　was　regularly　mobbed　by　the　chief　men；　who　wanted　to　be　employed　to　tow　us　in；　and　who　begged　vociferously　to　be　paid　in　advance。　A　few　presents　of　tobacco　made　their　eyes　glisten；　they　would　express　their　satisfaction　by　grins　and　shouts；　by　rolling　on　deck；　or　by　a　headlong　leap　overboard。　Schoolboys　on　an　unexpected　holiday；　Irishmen　at　a　fair；　or　mid…shipmen　on　shore；　would　give　but　a　faint　idea　of　the　exuberant　animal　enjoyment　of　these　people。

Under　similar　circumstances　Malays　could　not　behave　as　these　Papuans　did。　If　they　came　on　board　a　vessel　（after　asking　permission）；　not　a　word　would　be　at　first　spoken；　except　a　few　compliments；　and　only　after　some　time；　and　very　cautiously；　world　any　approach　be　made　to　business。　One　would　speak　at　a　time；　with　a　low　voice　and　great　deliberation；　and　the　mode　of　making　a　bargain　would　be　by　quietly　refusing　all　your　offers；　or　even　going　away　without　saying　another　word　about　the　matter；　unless　advanced　your　price　to　what　they　were　willing　to　accept。　Our　crew；　many　of　whom　had　not　made　the　voyage　before；　seemed　quite　scandalized　at　such　unprecedented　bad　manners；　and　only　very　gradually　made　any　approach　to　fraternization　with　the　black　fellows。　They　reminded　me　of　a　party　of　demure　and　well…behaved　children　suddenly　broken　in　upon　by　a　lot　of　wild　romping；　riotous　boys；　whose　conduct　seems　most　extraordinary　and　very　naughty。　These　moral　features　are　more　striking　and　more　conclusive　of　absolute　diversity　than　oven　the　physical　contrast　presented　by　the　two　races；　though　that　is　sufficiently　remarkable。　The　sooty　blackness　of　the　skin；　the　mop…like　head　of　frizzly　hair；　and；　most　important　of　all；　the　marked　form　of　countenance　of　quite　a　different　type　from　that　of　the　Malay；　are　what　we　cannot　believe　to　result　from　mere　climatal　or　other　modifying　influences　on　one　and　the　same　race。　The　Malay　face　is　of　the　Mongolian　type；　broad　and　somewhat　flat。　The　brows　are　depressed；　the　mouth　wide；　but　not　projecting；　and　the　nose　small　and　well　formed　but　for　the　great　dilatation　of　the　nostrils。　The　face　is　smooth；　and　rarely　develops　the　trace　of　a　beard；　the　hair　black；　coarse；　and　perfectly　straight。　The　Papuan；　on　the　other　hand；　has　a　face　which　we　may　say　is　compressed　and　projecting。　The　brows　are　protuberant　and　overhanging；　the　mouth　large　and　prominent