the malay archipelago-1-第35节

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ce　the　epoch　of　the　first　disturbance；　several　distinct　elevations　and　depressions　may　have　taken　place；　and　the　islands　may　have　been　more　than　once　joined　with　each　other　or　with　the　main　land；　and　again　separated。　Successive　waves　of　immigration　may　thus　have　modified　their　animal　productions；　and　led　to　those　anomalies　in　distribution　which　are　so　difficult　to　account　for　by　any　single　operation　of　elevation　or　submergence。　The　form　of　Borneo；　consisting　of　radiating　mountain　chains　with　intervening　broad　alluvial　valleys；　suggests　the　idea　that　it　has　once　been　much　more　submerged　than　it　is　at　present　（when　it　would　have　somewhat　resembled　Celebes　or　Gilolo　in　outline）；　and　has　been　increased　to　its　present　dimensions　by　the　filling　up　of　its　gulfs　with　sedimentary　matter；　assisted　by　gradual　elevation　of　the　land。　Sumatra　has　also　been　evidently　much　increased　in　size　by　the　formation　of　alluvial　plains　along　its　northeastern　coasts。

There　is　one　peculiarity　in　the　productions　of　Java　that　is　very　puzzling：the　occurrence　of　several　species　or　groups　characteristic　of　the　Siamese　countries　or　of　India；　but　which　do　not　occur　in　Borneo　or　Sumatra。　Among　Mammals　the　Rhinoceros　javanicus　is　the　most　striking　example；　for　a　distinct　species　is　found　in　Borneo　and　Sumatra；　while　the　Javanese　species　occurs　in　Burma　and　even　in　Bengal。　Among　birds；　the　small　ground…dove；　Geopelia　striata；　and　the　curious　bronze…coloured　magpie；　Crypsirhina　varians；　are　common　to　Java　and　Siam；　while　there　are　in　Java　species　of　Pteruthius；　Arrenga；　Myiophonus；　Zoothera；　Sturnopastor；　and　Estrelda；　the　near　allies　of　which　are　found　in　various　parts　of　India；　while　nothing　like　them　is　known　to　inhabit　Borneo　or　Sumatra。

Such　a　curious　phenomenon　as　this　can　only　be　understood　by　supposing　that；　subsequent　to　the　separation　of　Java；　Borneo　became　almost　entirely　submerged；　and　on　its　re…elevation　was　for　a　time　connected　with　the　Malay　peninsula　and　Sumatra；　but　not　with　Java　or　Siam。　Any　geologist　who　knows　how　strata　have　been　contorted　and　tilted　up；　and　how　elevations　and　depressions　must　often　have　occurred　alternately；　not　once　or　twice　only；　but　scores　and　even　hundreds　of　times；　will　have　no　difficulty　in　admitting　that　such　changes　as　have　been　here　indicated；　are　not　in　themselves　improbable。　The　existence　of　extensive　coal…beds　in　Borneo　and　Sumatra；　of　such　recent　origin　that　the　leaves　which　abound　in　their　shales　are　scarcely　distinguishable　from　those　of　the　forests　which　now　cover　the　country；　proves　that　such　changes　of　level　actually　did　take　place；　and　it　is　a　matter　of　much　interest；　both　to　the　geologist　and　to　the　philosophic　naturalist；　to　be　able　to　form　some　conception　of　the　order　of　those　changes；　and　to　understand　how　they　may　have　resulted　in　the　actual　distribution　of　animal　life　in　these　countries；　a　distribution　which　often　presents　phenomena　so　strange　and　contradictory；　that　without　taking　such　changes　into　consideration　we　are　unable　even　to　imagine　how　they　could　have　been　brought　about。

CHAPTER　X。

BALI　AND　LOMBOCK。

（JUNE；　JULY；　1856。）

THE　islands　of　Bali　and　Lombock；　situated　at　the　eastern　end　of　Java；　are　particularly　interesting。　They　are　the　only　islands　of　the　whole　Archipelago　in　which　the　Hindu　religion　still　maintains　itselfand　they　form　the　extreme　points　of　the　two　great　zoological　divisions　of　the　Eastern　hemisphere；　for　although　so　similar　in　external　appearance　and　in　all　physical　features；　they　differ　greatly　in　their　natural　productions。　It　was　after　having　spent　two　years　in　Borneo；　Malacca　and　Singapore；　that　I　made　a　somewhat　involuntary　visit　to　these　islands　on　my　way　to　Macassar。　Had　I　been　able　to　obtain　a　passage　direct　to　that　place　from　Singapore；　I　should　probably　never　have　gone　near　them；　and　should　have　missed　some　of　the　most　important　discoveries　of　my　whole　expedition　the　East。

It　was　on　the　13th　of　June；　1856；　after　a　twenty　days'　passage　from　Singapore　in　the　〃Kembang　Djepoon〃　（Rose　of　Japan）；　a　schooner　belonging　to　a　Chinese　merchant；　manned　by　a　Javanese　crew；　and　commanded　by　an　English　captain；　that　we　cast　anchor　in　the　dangerous　roadstead　of　Bileling　on　the　north　side　of　the　island　of　Bali。　Going　on　shore　with　the　captain　and　the　Chinese　supercargo；　I　was　at　once　introduced　to　a　novel　and　interesting　scene。　We　went　first　to　the　house　of　the　Chinese　Bandar；　or　chief　merchant；　where　we　found　a　number　of　natives；　well　dressed；　and　all　conspicuously　armed　with　krisses；　displaying　their　large　handles　of　ivory　or　gold；　or　beautifully　grained　and　polished　wood。

The　Chinamen　had　given　up　their　national　costume　and　adopted　the　Malay　dress；　and　could　then　hardly　be　distinguished　from　the　natives　of　the　islandan　indication　of　the　close　affinity　of　the　Malayan　and　Mongolian　races。　Under　the　thick　shade　of　some　mango…　trees　close　by　the　house；　several　women…merchants　were　selling　cotton　goods；　for　here　the　women　trade　and　work　for　the　benefit　of　their　husbands；　a　custom　which　Mahometan　Malays　never　adopt。　Fruit；　tea；　cakes；　and　sweetmeats　were　brought　to　us；　many　questions　were　asked　about　our　business　and　the　state　of　trade　in　Singapore；　and　we　then　took　a　walk　to　look　at　the　village。　It　was　a　very　dull　and　dreary　place；　a　collection　of　narrow　lanes　bounded　by　high　mud　walls；　enclosing　bamboo　houses；　into　some　of　which　we　entered　and　were　very　kindly　received。

During　the　two　days　that　we　remained　here；　I　walked　out　into　the　surrounding　country　to　catch　insects；　shoot　birds；　and　spy　out　the　nakedness　or　fertility　of　the　land。　I　was　both　astonished　and　delighted；　for　as　my　visit　to　Java　was　some　years　later；　I　had　never　beheld　so　beautiful　and　well　cultivated　a　district　out　of　Europe。　A　slightly　undulating　plain　extends　from　the　seacoast　about　ten　or　twelve　miles　inland；　where　it　is　bounded　by　a　wide　range　of　wooded　and　cultivated　hills。　Houses　and　villages；　marked　out　by　dense　clumps　of　cocoa…nut　palms；　tamarind　and　other　fruit　trees；　are　dotted　about　in　every　direction；　while　between　then　extend　luxuriant　rice…grounds；　watered　by　an　elaborate　system　of　irrigation　that　would　be　the　pride　of　the　best　cultivated　parts　of　Europe。　The　whole　surface　of　the　country　is　divided　into　irregular　patches；　following　the　undulations　of　the　ground；　from　many　acres　to　a　few　perches　in　extent；　each　of　which　is　itself　perfectly　level；　but　stands　a　few　inches　or　several　feet　above　or　below　those　adjacent　to　it。　Every　one　of　these　patches　can　be　flooded　or　drained　at　will　by　means　of　a　system　of　ditches　and　small　channels；　into　which　are　diverted　the　whole　of　the　streams　that　descend　from　the　mountains。　Every　patch　now　bore　crops　in　various　stages　of　growth；　some　almost　ready　for　cutting；　and　all　in　the　most　flourishing　condition　and　of　the　most　exquisite　green　tints。

The　sides　of　the　lanes　and　bridle　roads　were　often　edged　with　prickly　Cacti　and　a　leafless　Euphorbia；　but　the　country　being　so　highly　cultivated　there　was　not　much　room　for　indigenous　vegetation；　except　upon　the　sea…beach。　We　saw　plenty　of　the　fine　race　of　domestic　cattle　descended　from　the　Bos　banteng　of　Java；　driven　by　half　naked　boys；　or　tethered　in　pasture…grounds。　They　are　large　and　handsome　animals；　of　a　light　brown　colour；　with　white　legs；　and　a　conspicuous　oval　patch　behind　of　the　same　colour。　Wild　cattle　of　the　same　race　are　said　to　be　still　found　in　the　mountains。　In　so　well…cultivated　a　country　it　was　not　to　be　expected　that　I　could　do　much　in　natural　history；　and　my　ignorance　of　how　important　a　locality　this　was　for　the　elucidation　of　the　geographical　distribution　of　animals；　caused　me　to　neglect　obtaining　some　specimens　which　I　never　met　with　again。　One　of　these　was　a　weaver　bird　with　a　bright　yellow　head；　which　built　its　bottle…shaped　nests　by　dozens　on　some　trees　near　the　beach。　It　was　the　Ploceus　hypoxantha；　a　native　of　Java；　and　here；　at　the　extreme　limits　of　its　range　westerly；　I　shot　and　preserved　specimens　of　a　wagtail…thrush；　an　oriole；　and　some　starlings；　all　species　found　in　Java；　and　some　of　them　peculiar　to　that　island。　I　also　obtained　some　beautiful　butterflies；　richly　marked　with　black　and　orange　on　a　white　ground；　and　which　were　the　most　abundant　insects　in　the　country　lanes。　Among　these　was　a　new　species；　which　I　have　named　Pieris　tamar。

Leaving　Bileling；　a　pleasant　sail　of　two　days　brought　us　to　Ampanam　in　the　island　of　Lombock；　where　I　proposed　to　remain　till　I　could　obtain　a　passage　to　Macassar。　We　enjoyed　superb　views　of　the　twin　volcanoes　of　Bali　and　Lombock；　each　about　eight　thousand　feet　high；　which　form　magnificent　objects　at　sunrise　and　sunset；　when　they　rise　out　of　the　mists　and　clouds　that　surround　their　bases；　glowing　with　the　rich　and　changing　tints　of　these　the　most　charming　moments　in　a　tropical　day。

The　bay　or　roadstead　of　Ampanam　is　extensive；　and　being　at　this　season　sheltered　from　the　prevalent　southeasterly　winds；　was　as　smooth　as　a　lake。　The　beach　of　black　volcanic　sand　is　very　steep；　and　there　is　at　all　times；　a　heavy　surf　upon　it；　which　during　spring…tides　increases　to　such　an　extent　that　it　is　often　impossible　for　boats　to　land；　and　many　serious　accidents　have　occurred。　Where　we　lay　anchored；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　shore；　not　the　slightest　swell　was