the malay archipelago-2-第27节

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　compressed　and　projecting。　The　brows　are　protuberant　and　overhanging；　the　mouth　large　and　prominent；　while　the　nose　is　very　large；　the　apex　elongated　downwards；　the　ridge　thick；　and　the　nostrils　large。　It　is　an　obtrusive　and　remarkable　feature　in　the　countenance；　the　very　reverse　of　what　obtains　in　the　Malay　face。　The　twisted　beard　and　frizzly　hair　complete　this　remarkable　contrast。　Hero　then　I　had　reached　a　new　world；　inhabited　by　a　strange　people。　Between　the　Malayan　tribes；　among　whom　I　had　for　some　years　been　living；　and　the　Papuan　races；　whose　country　I　had　now　entered；　we　may　fairly　say　that　there　is　as　much　difference；　both　moral　and　physical；　as　between　the　red　Indians　of　South　America　and　the　negroes　of　Guinea　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　Atlantic。

Jan。　1st；　1857。…This　has　been　a　day　of　thorough　enjoyment。　I　have　wandered　in　the　forests　of　an　island　rarely　seen　by　Europeans。　Before　daybreak　we　left　our　anchorage；　and　in　an　hour　reached　the　village　of　Har；　where　we　were　to　stay　three　or　four　days。　The　range　of　hills　here　receded　so　as　to　form　a　small　bay；　and　they　were　broken　up　into　peaks　and　hummocks　with　intervening　flats　and　hollows。　A　broad　beach　of　the　whitest　sand　lined　the　inner　part　of　the　bay；　backed　by　a　mass　of　cocoa…nut　palms；　among　which　the　huts　were　concealed；　and　surmounted　by　a　dense　and　varied　growth　of　timber。　Canoes　and　boats　of　various　sizes　were　drawn　up　on　the　beach　and　one　or　two　idlers；　with　a　few　children　and　a　dog；　gazed　at　our　prau　as　we　came　to　an　anchor。

When　we　went　on　shore　the　first　thing　that　attracted　us　was　a　large　and　well…constructed　shed；　under　which　a　long　boat　was　being　built；　while　others　in　various　stages　of　completion　were　placed　at　intervals　along　the　beach。　　Our　captain；　who　wanted　two　of　moderate　size　for　the　trade　among　the　islands　at　Aru；　immediately　began　bargaining　for　them；　and　in　a　short　tine　had　arranged　the　nuns　number　of　brass　guns；　gongs；　sarongs；　handkerchiefs；　axes；　white　plates；　tobacco；　and　arrack；　which　he　was　to　give　for　a　hair　which　could　be　got　ready　in　four　days。　We　then　went　to　the　village；　which　consisted　only　of　three　or　four　huts；　situated　immediately　above　the　beach　on　an　irregular　rocky　piece　of　ground　overshadowed　with　cocoa…nuts；　palms；　bananas；　and　other　fruit　trees。　The　houses　were　very　rude；　black；　and　half　rotten；　raised　a　few　feet　on　posts　with　low　sides　of　bamboo　or　planks；　and　high　thatched　roofs。　They　had　small　doors　and　no　windows；　an　opening　under　the　projecting　gables　letting　the　smoke　out　and　a　little　light　in。　The　floors　were　of　strips　of　bamboo；　thin；　slippery；　and　elastic；　and　so　weak　that　my　feet　were　in　danger　of　plunging　through　at　every　step。　Native　boxes　of　pandanus…leaves　and　slabs　of　palm　pith；　very　neatly　constructed；　mats　of　the　same；　jars　and　cooking　pots　of　native　pottery；　and　a　few　European　plates　and　basins；　were　the　whole　furniture；　and　the　interior　was　throughout　dark　and　smoke…blackened；　and　dismal　in　the　extreme。

Accompanied　by　Ali　and　Baderoon；　I　now　attempted　to　make　some　explorations；　and　we　were　followed　by　a　train　of　boys　eager　to　see　what　we　were　going　to　do。　The　most　trodden　path　from　the　beach　led　us　into　a　shady　hollow；　where　the　trees　were　of　immense　height　and　the　undergrowth　scanty。　From　the　summits　of　these　trees　came　at　intervals　a　deep　booming　sound；　which　at　first　puzzled　us；　but　which　we　soon　found　to　proceed　from　some　large　pigeons。　My　boys　shot　at　them；　and　after　one　or　two　misses；　brought　one　down。　It　was　a　magnificent　bird　twenty　inches　long；　of　a　bluish　white　colour；　with　the　back　wings　and　tail　intense　metallic　green；　with　golden；　blue；　and　violet　reflexions；　the　feet　coral　red；　and　the　eyes　golden　yellow。　It　is　a　rare　species；　which　I　have　named　Carpophaga　concinna；　and　is　found　only　in　a　few　small　islands；　where；　however；　it　abounds。　It　is　the　same　species　which　in　the　island　of　Banda　is　called　the　nutmeg…pigeon；　from　its　habit　of　devouring　the　fruits；　the　seed　or　nutmeg　being　thrown　up　entire　and　uninjured。　Though　these　pigeons　have　a　narrow　beak；　yet　their　jaws　and　throat　are　so　extensible　that　they　can　swallow　fruits　of　very　large　size。　I　had　before　shot　a　species　much　smaller　than　this　one；　which　had　a　number　of　hard　globular　palm…fruits　in　its　crop；　each　more　than　an　inch　in　diameter。

A　little　further　the　path　divided　into　two；　one　leading　along　the　beach；　and　across　mangrove　and　sago　swamps　the　other　rising　to　cultivated　grounds。　We　therefore　returned；　and　taking　a　fresh　departure　from　the　village；　endeavoured　to　ascend　the　hills　and　penetrate　into　the　interior。　The　path；　however；　was　a　most　trying　one。　Where　there　was　earth；　it　was　a　deposit　of　reddish　clay　overlying　the　rock；　and　was　worn　so　smooth　by　the　attrition　of　naked　feet　that　my　shoes　could　obtain　no　hold　on　the　sloping　surface。　A　little　farther　we　came　to　the　bare　rock；　and　this　was　worse；　for　it　was　so　rugged　and　broken；　and　so　honeycombed　and　weatherworn　into　sharp　points　and　angles；　that　my　boys；　who　had　gone　barefooted　all　their　lives；　could　not　stand　it。　Their　feet　began　to　bleed；　and　I　saw　that　if　I　did　not　want　them　completely　lamed　it　would　be　wise　to　turn　lack。　My　own　shoes；　which　were　rather　thin；　were　but　a　poor　protection；　and　would　soon　have　been　cut　to　pieces；　yet　our　little　naked　guides　tripped　along　with　the　greatest　ease　and　unconcern；　and　seemed　much　astonished　at　our　effeminacy　in　not　being　able　to　take　a　walk　which　to　them　was　a　perfectly　agreeable　one。　During　the　rest　of　our　stay　in　the　island　we　were　obliged　to　confine　ourselves　to　the　vicinity　of　the　shore　and　the　cultivated　grounds；　and　those　more　level　portions　of　the　forest　where　a　little　soil　had　accumulated　and　the　rock　had　been　less　exposed　to　atmospheric　action。

The　island　of　Ke　（pronounced　exactly　as　the　letter　K；　but　erroneously　spelt　in　our　maps　Key　or　Ki）　is　long　and　narrow；　running　in　a　north　and　south　direction；　and　consists　almost　entirely　of　rock　and　mountain。　It　is　everywhere　covered　with　luxuriant　forests；　and　in　its　bays　and　inlets　the　sand　is　of　dazzling　whiteness；　resulting　from　the　decomposition　of　the　coralline　limestone　of　which　it　is　entirely　composed。　In　all　the　little　swampy　inlets　and　valleys　sago　trees　abound；　and　these　supply　the　main　subsistence　of　the　natives；　who　grow　no　rice；　and　have　scarcely　any　other　cultivated　products　but　cocoa…nuts；　plantains；　and　yams。　From　the　cocoa…nuts；　which　surround　every　hut；　and　which　thrive　exceedingly　on　the　porous　limestone　soil　and　under　the　influence　of　salt　breezes；　oil　is　made　which　is　sold　at　a　good　price　to　the　Aru　traders；　who　all　touch　here　to　lay　in　their　stuck　of　this　article；　as　well　as　to　purchase　boats　and　native　crockery。　Wooden　bowls；　pans；　and　trays　are　also　largely　made　here；　hewn　out　of　solid　blocks　of　wood　with　knife　and　adze；　and　these　are　carried　to　all　parts　of　the　Moluccas。　But　the　art　in　which　the　natives　of　Ke　pre…eminently　excel　is　that　of　boat　building。　Their　forests　supply　abundance　of　fine　timber；　though；　probably　not　more　so　than　many　other　islands；　and　from　some　unknown　causes　these　remote　savages　have　come　to　excel　in　what　seems　a　very　difficult　art。　Their　small　canoes　are　beautifully　formed；　broad　and　low　in　the　centre；　but　rising　at　each　end；　where　they　terminate　in　high…pointed　beaks　more　or　less　carved；　and　ornamented　with　a　plume　of　feathers。　They　are　not　hollowed　out　of　a　tree；　but　are　regularly　built　of　planks　running　from　ego　to　end；　and　so　accurately　fitted　that　it　is　often　difficult　to　find　a　place　where　a　knife…blade　can　be　inserted　between　the　joints。　The　larger　ones　are　from　20　to　30　tons　burthen；　and　are　finished　ready　for　sea　without　a　nail　or　particle　of　iron　being　used；　and　with　no　other　tools　than　axe；　adze；　and　auger。　These　vessels　are　handsome　to　look　at；　good　sailers；　and　admirable　sea…boats；　and　will　make　long　voyages　with　perfect　safety；　traversing　the　whole　Archipelago　from　New　Guinea　to　Singapore　in　seas　which；　as　every　one　who　has　sailed　much　in　them　can　testify；　are　not　so　smooth　and　tempest…free　as　word…　painting　travellers　love　to　represent　them。

The　forests　of　Ke　produce　magnificent　timber；　tall；　straight；　and　durable；　of　various　qualities；　some　of　which　are　said　to　be　superior　to　the　best　Indian　teak。　To　make　each　pair　of　planks　used　in　the　construction　of　the　larger　boats　an　entire　tree　is　consumed。　It　is　felled；　often　miles　away　from　the　shore；　cut　across　to　the　proper　length；　and　then　hewn　longitudinally　into　two　equal　portions。　Each　of　these　forms　a　plank　by　cutting　down　with　the　axe　to　a　uniform　thickness　of　three　or　four　inches；　leaving　at　first　a　solid　block　at　each　end　to　prevent　splitting。　Along　the　centre　of　each　plank　a　series　of　projecting　pieces　are　left；　standing　up　three　or　four　inches；　about　the　same　width；　and　a　foot　long；　these　are　of　great　importance　in　the　construction　of　the　vessel。　When　a　sufficient　number　of　planks　have　been　made；　they　are　laboriously　dragged　through　the　forest　by　three　or　four　men　each　to　the　beach；　where　the　boat　is　to　be　built。　A　foundation　piece；　broad　in　the　middle　and　rising　considerably　at　each　end；　is　first　laid　on　blocks　and　properly　shored　up。　The　edges　of　this　are　worked　true　and　smooth　with　the　adze；　and　a　plank；　properly　curved　and　tapering　at　each　end；　is　held　fir