the malay archipelago-1-第53节

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wing　to　a　week's　premature　rains　the　ground　was　all　flooded　when　I　returned；　and　the　plants　just　coming　into　ear　were　yellow　and　dead。　Not　a　grain　would　be　obtained　by　the　whole　village；　but　luckily　it　is　only　a　luxury；　not　a　necessity　of　life。　The　rain　was　the　signal　for　ploughing　to　begin；　in　order　to　sow　rice　on　all　the　flat　lands　between　us　and　the　town。　The　plough　used　is　a　rude　wooden　instrument　with　a　very　short　single　handle；　a　tolerably　well…shaped　coulter；　and　the　point　formed　of　a　piece　of　hard　palm…wood　fastened　in　with　wedges。　One　or　two　buffaloes　draw　it　at　a　very　slow　pace。　The　seed　is　sown　broadcast；　and　a　rude　wooden　harrow　is　used　to　smooth　the　surface。

By　the　beginning　of　December　the　regular　wet　season　had　set　in。　Westerly　winds　and　driving　rains　sometimes　continued　for　days　together；　the　fields　for　miles　around　were　under　water；　and　the　ducks　and　buffaloes　enjoyed　themselves　amazingly。　All　along　the　road　to　Macassar；　ploughing　was　daily　going　on　in　the　mud　and　water；　through　which　the　wooden　plough　easily　makes　its　way；　the　ploughman　holding　the　plough…handle　with　one　hand　while　a　long　bamboo　in　the　other　serves　to　guide　the　buffaloes。　These　animals　require　an　immense　deal　of　driving　to　get　them　on　at　all；　a　continual　shower　of　exclamations　is　kept　up　at　them；　and　〃Oh！　ah！　Gee！　ugh！〃　are　to　be　heard　in　various　keys　and　in　an　uninterrupted　succession　all　day　long。　At　night　we　were　favoured　with　a　different　kind　of　concert。　The　dry　ground　around　my　house　had　become　a　marsh　tenanted　by　frogs；　who　kept　up　a　most　incredible　noise　from　dusk　to　dawn。　They　were　somewhat　musical　too；　having　a　deep　vibrating　note　which　at　times　closely　resembles　the　tuning　of　two　or　three　bass…viols　in　an　orchestra。　In　Malacca　and　Borneo　I　had　heard　no　such　sounds　as　these；　which　indicates　that　the　frogs；　like　most　of　the　animals　of　Celebes；　are　of　species　peculiar　to　it。

My　kind　friend　and　landlord；　Mr。　Mesman；　was　a　good　specimen　of　the　Macassar…born　Dutchman。　He　was　about　thirty…five　years　of　age；　had　a　large　family；　and　lived　in　a　spacious　house　near　the　town；　situated　in　the　midst　of　a　grove　of　fruit　trees；　and　surrounded　by　a　perfect　labyrinth　of　offices；　stables；　and　native　cottages　occupied　by　his　numerous　servants；　slaves；　or　dependants。　He　usually　rose　before　the　sun；　and　after　a　cup　of　coffee　looked　after　his　servants；　horses；　and　dogs；　until　seven；　when　a　substantial　breakfast　of　rice　and　meat　was　ready　in　a　cool　verandah。　Putting　on　a　clean　white　linen　suit；　he　then　（trove　to　town　in　his　buggy；　where　he　had　an　office；　with　two　or　three　Chinese　clerks　who　looked　after　his　affairs。　His　business　was　that　of　a　coffee　and　opium　merchant。　He　had　a　coffee　estate　at　Bontyne；　and　a　small　prau　which　traded　to　the　Eastern　islands　near　New　Guinea；　for　mother…of…pearl　and　tortoiseshell。　About　one　he　would　return　home；　have　coffee　and　cake　or　fried　plantain；　first　changing　his　dress　for　a　coloured　cotton　shirt　and　trousers　and　bare　feet；　and　then　take　a　siesta　with　a　book。　About　four；　after　a　cup　of　tea；　he　would　walk　round　his　premises；　and　generally　stroll　down　to　Mamajam　to　pay　me　a　visit；　and　look　after　his　farm。

This　consisted　of　a　coffee　plantation　and　an　orchard　of　fruit　trees；　a　dozen　horses　and　a　score　of　cattle；　with　a　small　village　of　Timorese　slaves　and　Macassar　servants。　One　family　looked　after　the　cattle　and　supplied　the　house　with　milk；　bringing　me　also　a　large　glassful　every　morning；　one　of　my　greatest　luxuries。　Others　had　charge　of　the　horses；　which　were　brought　in　every　afternoon　and　fed　with　cut　grass。　Others　had　to　cut　grass　for　their　master's　horses　at　Macassarnot　a　very　easy　task　in　the　dry　season；　when　all　the　country　looks　like　baked　mud；　or　in　the　rainy　season；　when　miles　in　every　direction　are　flooded。　How　they　managed　it　was　a　mystery　to　me；　but　they　know　grass　must　be　had；　and　they　get　it。　One　lame　woman　had　charge　of　a　flock　of　ducks。　Twice　a　day　she　took　them　out　to　feed　in　the　marshy　places；　let　them　waddle　and　gobble　for　an　hour　or　two；　and　then　drove　them　back　and　shut　them　up　in　a　small　dark　shed　to　digest　their　meal；　whence　they　gave　forth　occasionally　a　melancholy　quack。　Every　night　a　watch　was　set；　principally　for　the　sake　of　the　horses　the　people　of　Goa；　only　two　miles　off；　being　notorious　thieves；　and　horses　offering　the　easiest　and　most　valuable　spoil。　This　enabled　me　to　sleep　in　security；　although　many　people　in　Macassar　thought　I　was　running　a　great　risk；　living　alone　in　such　a　solitary　place　and　with　such　bad　neighbours。

My　house　was　surrounded　by　a　kind　of　straggling　hedge　of　roses；　jessamines；　and　other　flowers；　and　every　morning　one　of　the　women　gathered　a　basketful　of　the　blossoms　for　Mr。　Mesman's　family。　I　generally　took　a　couple　for　my　own　breakfast　table；　and　the　supply　never　failed　during　my　stay；　and　I　suppose　never　does。　Almost　every　Sunday　Mr。　M。　made　a　shooting　excursion　with　his　eldest　son；　a　lad　of　fifteen；　and　I　generally　accompanied　him；　for　though　the　Dutch　are　Protestants；　they　do　not　observe　Sunday　in　the　rigid　manner　practised　in　England　and　English　colonies。　The　Governor　of　the　place　has　his　public　reception　every　Sunday　evening；　when　card…playing　is　the　regular　amusement。

On　December　13th　I　went　on　board　a　prau　bound　for　the　Aru　Islands；　a　journey　which　will　be　described　in　the　latter　part　of　this　work。

On　my　return；　after　a　seven　months'　absence；　I　visited　another　district　to　the　north　of　Macassar；　which　will　form　the　subject　of　the　next　chapter。

CHAPTER　XVI。

CELEBES。

（MACASSAR。　JULY　TO　NOVEMBER；　1857。）

I　REACHED　Macassar　again　on　the　11th　of　July；　and　established　myself　in　my　old　quarters　at　Mamajam；　to　sort；　arrange；　clean；　and　pack　up　my　Aru　collections。　This　occupied　me　a　month；　and　having　shipped　them　off　for　Singapore；　had　my　guns　repaired；　and　received　a　new　one　from　England；　together　with　a　stock　of　pins；　arsenic；　and　other　collecting　requisites。　I　began　to　feel　eager　for　work　again；　and　had　to　consider　where　I　should　spend　my　time　until　the　end　of　the　year；　I　had　left　Macassar　seven　months　before；　a　flooded　marsh　being　ploughed　up　for　the　rice…sowing。　The　rains　had　continued　for　five　months；　yet　now　all　the　rice　was　cut；　and　dry　and　dusty　stubble　covered　the　country　just　as　when　I　had　first　arrived　there。

After　much　inquiry　I　determined　to　visit　the　district　of　Maros；　about　thirty　miles　north　of　Macassar；　where　Mr。　Jacob　Mesman；　a　brother　of　my　friend；　resided；　who　had　kindly　offered　to　find　me　house…room　and　give　me　assistance　should　I　feel　inclined　to　visit　him。　I　accordingly　obtained　a　pass　from　the　Resident；　and　having　hired　a　boat　set　off　one　evening　for　Maros。　My　boy　Ali　was　so　ill　with　fever　that　I　was　obliged　to　leave　him　in　the　hospital；　under　the　care　of　my　friend　the　German　doctor；　and　I　had　to　make　shift　with　two　new　servants　utterly　ignorant　of　everything。　We　coasted　along　during　the　night；　and　at　daybreak　entered　the　Maros　river；　and　by　three　in　the　afternoon　reached　the　village。　I　immediately　visited　the　Assistant　Resident；　and　applied　for　ten　men　to　carry　my　baggage；　and　a　horse　for　myself。　These　were　promised　to　be　ready　that　night；　so　that　I　could　start　as　soon　as　I　liked　in　the　morning。　After　having　taken　a　cup　of　tea　I　took　my　leave；　and　slept　in　the　boat。　Some　of　the　men　came　at　night　as　promised；　but　others　did　not　arrive　until　the　next　morning。　It　took　some　time　to　divide　my　baggage　fairly　among　them；　as　they　all　wanted　to　shirk　the　heavy　boxes；　and　would　seize　hold　of　some　light　article　and　march　off　with　it；　until　made　to　come　back　and　wait　until　the　whole　had　been　fairly　apportioned。　At　length　about　eight　o'clock　all　was　arranged；　and　we　started　for　our　walk　to　Mr。　M。's　farm。

The　country　was　at　first　a　uniform　plain　of　burned…up　rice…　grounds；　but　at　a　few　miles'　distance　precipitous　hills　appeared；　backed　by　the　lofty　central　range　of　the　peninsula。　Towards　these　our　path　lay；　and　after　having　gone　six　or　eight　miles　the　hills　began　to　advance　into　the　plain　right　and　left　of　us；　and　the　ground　became　pierced　here　and　there　with　blocks　and　pillars　of　limestone　rock；　while　a　few　abrupt　conical　hills　and　peaks　rose　like　islands。　Passing　over　an　elevated　tract　forming　the　shoulder　of　one　of　the　hills；　a　picturesque　scene　lay　before　us。　We　looked　down　into　a　little　valley　almost　entirely　surrounded　by　mountains；　rising　abruptly　in　huge　precipices；　and　forming　a　succession　of　knolls　and　peaks　aid　domes　of　the　most　varied　and　fantastic　shapes。　In　the　very　centre　of　the　valley　was　a　large　bamboo　house；　while　scattered　around　were　a　dozen　cottages　of　the　same　material。

I　was　kindly　received　by　Mr。　Jacob　Mesman　in　an　airy　saloon　detached　from　the　house；　and　entirely　built　of　bamboo　and　thatched　with　grass。　After　breakfast　he　took　me　to　his　foreman's　house；　about　a　hundred　yards　off；　half　of　which　was　given　up　to　me　until　I　should　decide　where　to　have　a　cottage　built　for　my　own　use。　I　soon　found　that　this　spot　was　too　much　exposed　to　the　wind　and　dust；　which　rendered　it　very　difficult　to　work　with　papers　or　insects。　It　was　also　dreadfully　hot　in　the　afternoon；　and　after　a　few　days　I　got　a　sharp　attack　of　fever；　which　determined　me　to　move。　I　accordingly　fixed　on　a　place　about　a　mile　off；　at　the　foot　of　a　forest…cover