the malay archipelago-1-第68节

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e　of　the　necessary　conditions　of　its　truth　is　the　approximate　mental　and　social　unity　of　the　society　in　which　it　is　applied。　I　shall　again　refer　to　this　subject　in　my　chapter　on　Ternate；　one　of　the　most　celebrated　of　the　old　spice…islands。

The　natives　of　Banda　are　very　much　mixed；　and　it　is　probable　that　at　least　three…fourths　of　the　population　are　mongrels；　in　various　degrees　of　Malay；　Papuan；　Arab；　Portuguese；　and　Dutch。　The　first　two　form　the　bases　of　the　larger　portion；　and　the　dark　skins；　pronounced　features；　and　more　or　less　frizzly　hair　of　the　Papuans　preponderates。　There　seems　little　doubt　that　the　aborigines　of　Banda　were　Papuans；　and　a　portion　of　them　still　exists　in　the　Ke　islands；　where　they　emigrated　when　the　Portuguese　first　took　possession　of　their　native　island。　It　is　such　people　as　these　that　are　often　looked　upon　as　transitional　forms　between　two　very　distinct　races；　like　the　Malays　and　Papuans；　whereas　they　are　only　examples　of　intermixture。

The　animal　productions　of　Banda；　though　very　few；　are　interesting。　The　islands　have　perhaps　no　truly　indigenous　Mammalia　but　bats。　The　deer　of　the　Moluccas　and　the　pig　have　probably　been　introduced。　A　species　of　Cuscus　or　Eastern　opossum　is　also　found　at　Banda；　and　this　may　be　truly　indigenous　in　the　sense　of　not　having　been　introduced　by　man。　Of　birds；　during　my　three　visits　of　one　or　two　days　each；　I　collected　eight　kinds；　and　the　Dutch　collectors　have　added　a　few　others。　The　most　remarkable　is　a　fine　and　very　handsome　fruit…pigeon；　Carpophaga　concinna；　which　feeds　upon　the　nutmegs；　or　rather　on　the　mace；　and　whose　loud　booming　note　is　to　be　continually　heard。　This　bird　is　found　in　the　Ke　and　Matabello　islands　as　well　as　Banda；　but　not　in　Ceram　or　any　of　the　larger　islands；　which　are　inhabited　by　allied　but　very　distinct　species。　A　beautiful　small　fruit…dove；　Ptilonopus　diadematus；　is　also　peculiar　to　Banda。

CHAPTER　XX。

AMBOYNA

（DECEMBER　1857；　OCTOBER　1859；　FEBRUARY　1860。）

TWENTY　hours　from　Banda　brought　us　to　Amboyna；　the　capital　of　the　Moluccas；　and　one　of　the　oldest　European　settlements　in　the　East。　The　island　consists　of　two　peninsulas；　so　nearly　divided　by　inlets　of　the　sea；　as　to　leave　only　a　sandy　isthmus　about　a　mile　wide　near　their　eastern　extremity。　The　western　inlet　is　several　miles　long　and　forms　a　fine　harbour　on　the　southern　side　of　which　is　situated　the　town　of　Amboyna。　I　had　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Dr。　Mohnike；　the　chief　medical　officer　of　the　Moluccas；　a　German　and　a　naturalist。　I　found　that　he　could　write　and　read　English；　but　could　not　speak　it；　being　like　myself　a　bad　linguist；　so　we　had　to　use　French　as　a　medium　of　communication。　He　kindly　offered　me　a　room　during　my　stay　in　Amboyna；　and　introduced　me　to　his　junior；　Dr。　Doleschall；　a　Hungarian　and　also　an　entomolog？st。　He　was　an　intelligent　and　most　amiable　young　man　but　I　was　shocked　to　find　that　he　was　dying　of　consumption；　though　still　able　to　perform　the　duties　of　his　office。　In　the　evening　my　host　took　me　to　the　residence　of　the　Governor；　Mr。　Goldmann；　who　received　me　in　a　most　kind　and　cordial　manner；　and　offered　me　every　assistance。　The　town　of　Amboyna　consists　of　a　few　business　streets；　and　a　number　of　roads　set　out　at　right　angles　to　each　other；　bordered　by　hedges　of　flowering　shrubs；　and　enclosing　country　houses　and　huts　embossed　in　palms　and　fruit　trees。　Hills　and　mountains　form　the　background　in　almost　every　direction；　and　there　are　few　places　more　enjoyable　for　a　morning　or　evening　stroll　than　these　sandy　roads　and　shady　lanes　in　the　suburbs　of　the　ancient　city　of　Amboyna。

There　are　no　active　volcanoes　in　the　island；　nor　is　it　now　subject　to　frequent　earthquakes；　although　very　severe　ones　have　occurred　and　may　be　expected　again。　Mr。　William　Funnell；　in　his　voyage　with　Dampier　to　the　South　Seas　in　1705；　says：　〃Whilst　we　were　here；　（at　Amboyna）　we　had　a　great　earthquake；　which　continued　two　days；　in　which　time　it　did　a　great　deal　of　mischief；　for　the　ground　burst　open　in　many　places；　and　swallowed　up　several　houses　and　whole　families。　Several　of　the　people　were　dug　out　again；　but　most　of　them　dead；　and　many　had　their　legs　or　arms　broken　by　the　fall　of　the　houses。　The　castle　walls　were　rent　asunder　in　several　places；　and　we　thought　that　it　and　all　the　houses　would　have　fallen　down。　The　ground　where　we　were　swelled　like　a　wave　in　the　sea；　but　near　us　we　had　no　hurt　done。〃　There　are　also　numerous　records　of　eruptions　of　a　volcano　on　the　west　side　of　the　island。　In　1674　an　eruption　destroyed　a　village。　In　1694　there　was　another　eruption。　In　I797　much　vapour　and　heat　was　emitted。　Other　eruptions　occurred　in　1816　and　1820；　and　in　1824　a　new　crater　is　said　to　have　been　formed。　Yet　so　capricious　is　the　action　of　these　subterranean　fires；　that　since　the　last…named　epoch　all　eruptive　symptoms　have　so　completely　ceased；　that　I　was　assured　by　many　of　the　most　intelligent　European　inhabitants　of　Amboyna；　that　they　had　never　heard　of　any　such　thing　as　a　volcano　on　the　island。

During　the　few　days　that　elapsed　before　I　could　make　arrangements　　to　visit　the　interior；　I　enjoyed　myself　much　in　the　society　of　the　two　doctors；　both　amiable　and　well…educated　men；　and　both　enthusiastic　entomologists；　though　obliged　to　increase　their　collections　almost　entirely　by　means　of　native　collectors。　Dr。　Doleschall　studied　chiefly　the　flies　and　spiders；　but　also　collected　butterflies　and　moths；　and　in　his　boxes　I　saw　grand　specimens　of　the　emerald　Ornithoptera　priamus　and　the　azure　Papilio　Ulysses；　with　many　more　of　the　superb　butterflies　of　this　rich　island。　Dr。　Mohnike　confined　himself　chiefly　to　the　beetles；　and　had　formed　a　magnificent　collection　during　many　years　residence　in　Java；　Sumatra；　Borneo；　Japan；　and　Amboyna。　The　Japanese　collection　was　especially　interesting；　containing　both　the　fine　Carabi　of　northern　countries；　and　the　gorgeous　Buprestidae　and　Longicorns　of　the　tropics。　The　doctor　made　the　voyage　to　Jeddo　by　land　from　Nagasaki；　and　is　well　acquainted　with　the　character；　manners；　and　customs　of　the　people　of　Japan；　and　with　the　geology；　physical　features；　and　natural　history　of　the　country。　He　showed　me　collections　of　cheap　woodcuts　printed　in　colours；　which　are　sold　at　less　than　a　farthing　each；　and　comprise　an　endless　variety　of　sketches　of　Japanese　scenery　and　manners。　Though　rude；　they　are　very　characteristic；　and　often　exhibit　touches　of　great　humour。　He　also　possesses　a　large　collection　of　coloured　sketches　of　the　plants　of　Japan；　made　by　a　Japanese　lady；　which　are　the　most　masterly　things　I　have　ever　seen。　Every　stem；　twig；　and　leaf　is　produced　by　single　touches　of　the　brush；　the　character　and　perspective　of　very　complicated　plants　being　admirably　given；　and　the　articulations　of　stem　and　leaves　shown　in　a　most　scientific　manner。

Having　made　arrangements　to　stay　for　three　weeks　at　a　small　hut　on　a　newly　cleared　plantation　in　the　interior　of　the　northern　half　of　the　island；　I　with　some　difficulty　obtained　a　boat　and　men　to　take　me　across　the　waterfor　the　Amboynese　are　dreadfully　lazy。　Passing　up　the　harbour；　in　appearance　like　a　fine　river；　the　clearness　of　the　water　afforded　me　one　of　the　most　astonishing　and　beautiful　sights　I　have　ever　beheld。　The　bottom　was　absolutely　hidden　by　a　continuous　series　of　corals；　sponges；　actinic；　and　other　marine　productions　of　magnificent　dimensions；　varied　forms；　and　brilliant　colours。　The　depth　varied　from　about　twenty　to　fifty　feet；　and　the　bottom　was　very　uneven；　rocks　and　chasms　and　little　hills　and　valleys；　offering　a　variety　of　stations　for　the　growth　of　these　animal　forests。　In　and　out　among　them；　moved　numbers　of　blue　and　red　and　yellow　fishes；　spotted　and　banded　and　striped　in　the　most　striking　manner；　while　great　orange　or　rosy　transparent　medusa　floated　along　near　the　surface。　It　was　a　sight　to　gaze　at　for　hours；　and　no　description　can　do　justice　to　its　surpassing　beauty　and　interest。　For　once；　the　reality　exceeded　the　most　glowing　accounts　I　had　ever　read　of　the　wonders　of　a　coral　sea。　There　is　perhaps　no　spot　in　the　world　richer　in　marine　productions；　corals；　shells　and　fishes；　than　the　harbour　of　Amboyna。

From　the　north　side　of　the　harbour；　a　good　broad　path　passes　through　swamp　clearing　and　forest；　over　hill　and　valley；　to　the　farther　side　of　the　island；　the　coralline　rock　constantly　protruding　through　the　deep　red　earth　which　fills　all　the　hollows；　and　is　more　or　less　spread　over　the　plains　and　hill…　sides。　The　forest　vegetation　is　here　of　the　most　luxuriant　character；　ferns　and　palms　abound；　and　the　climbing　rattans　were　more　abundant　than　I　had　ever　seen　them；　forming　tangled　festoons　over　almost　every　large　forest　tree。　The　cottage　I　was　to　occupy　was　situated　in　a　large　clearing　of　about　a　hundred　acres；　part　of　which　was　already　planted　with　young　cacao…trees　and　plantains　to　shade　them；　while　the　rest　was　covered　with　dead　and　half…　burned　forest　trees；　and　on　one　side　there　was　a　tract　where　the　trees　had　been　recently　felled　and　were　not　yet　burned。　The　path　by　which　I　had　arrived　continued　along　one　side　of　this　clearing；　and　then　again　entering　the　virgin　forest　passed　over　hill　and　dale　to　the　northern　aide　of　the　island。

My　abode　was　merely　a　little　thatched　hut；　consisting　of　an　open　verandah　in　front　and　a　sma