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elli in 1861。 This I could conveniently do by means of the Dutch mail…steamers; which make a monthly round of the Moluccas。
We arrived at the harbour of Cajeli on the 4th of May; a gun was fired; the Commandant of the fort came alongside in a native boat to receive the post…packet; and took me and my baggage on shore; the steamer going off again without coming to an anchor。 We went to the horse of the Opzeiner; or overseer; a native of Amboyna Bouru being too poor a place to deserve even an Assistant Resident; yet the appearance of the village was very far superior to that of Delli; which possesses 〃His Excellency the Governor;〃 and the little fort; in perfect order; surrounded by neat brass… plots and straight walks; although manned by only a dozen Javanese soldiers with an Adjutant for commander; was a very Sebastopol in comparison with the miserable mud enclosure at Delli; with its numerous staff of Lieutenants; Captain; and Major。 Yet this; as well as most of the forts in the Moluccas; was originally built by the Portuguese themselves。 Oh! Lusitania; how art thou fallen!
While the Opzeiner was reading his letters; I took a walk round the village with a guide in search of a horse。 The whole place was dreadfully damp and muddy; being built in a swamp with not a spot of ground raised a foot above it; and surrounded by swamps on every side。 The houses were mostly well built; of wooden framework filled in with gaba…gaba (leaf…stems of the sago…palm); but as they had no whitewash; and the floors were of bare black earth like the roads; and generally on the same level; they were extremely damp and gloomy。 At length I found one with the floor raised about a foot; and succeeded in making a bargain with the owner to turn out immediately; so that by night I had installed myself comfortably。 The chairs and tables were left for me; and as the whole of the remaining furniture in the house consisted of a little crockery and a few clothes…boxes; it was not much trouble for the owners to move into the house of some relatives; and thus obtain a few silver rupees very easily。 Every foot of ground between the homes throughout the village is crammed with fruit trees; so that the sun and air have no chance of penetrating。 This must be very cool and pleasant in the dry season; but makes it damp and unhealthy at other times of the year。 Unfortunately I had come two months too soon; for the rains were not yet over; and mud and water were the prominent features of the country。
About a mile behind and to the east of the village the hills commence; but they are very barren; being covered with scanty coarse grass and scattered trees of the Melaleuca cajuputi; from the leaves of which the celebrated cajeput oil is made。 Such districts are absolutely destitute of interest for the zoologist。 A few miles further on rose higher mountains; apparently well covered with forest; but they were entirely uninhabited and trackless; and practically inaccessible to a traveller with limited time and means。 It became evident; therefore; that I must leave Cajeli for some better collecting ground; and finding a man who was going a few miles eastward to a village on the coast where he said there were hills and forest; I sent my boy Ali with him to explore and report on the capabilities of the district。 At the same time I arranged to go myself on a little excursion up a river which flows into the bay about five miles north of the town; to a village of the Alfuros; or indigenes; where I thought I might perhaps find a good collecting ground。
The Rajah of Cajeli; a good…tempered old man; offered to accompany me; as the village was under his government; and we started one morning early; in a long narrow boat with eight rowers。 In about two hours we entered the river; and commenced our inland journey against a very powerful current。 The stream was about a hundred yards wide; and was generally bordered with high grass; and occasionally bushes and palm…trees。 The country round was flat and more or less swampy; with scattered trees and shrubs。 At every bend we crossed the river to avoid the strength of the current; and arrived at our landing…place about four o'clock in a torrent of rain。 Here we waited for an hour; crouching under a leaky mat till the Alfuros arrived who had been sent for from the village to carry my baggage; when we set off along a path of whose extreme muddiness I had been warned before starting。
I turned up my trousers as high as possible; grasped a stoat stick to prevent awkward falls; and then boldly plunged into the first mud…hole; which was immediately succeeded by another and another。 The marl or mud and water was knee…deep with little intervals of firmer ground between; making progression exceedingly difficult。 The path was bordered with high rigid grass; brewing in dense clumps separated by water; so that nothing was to be gained by leaving the beaten track; and we were obliged to go floundering on; never knowing where our feet would rest; as the mud was now a few inches; now two feet deep; and the bottom very uneven; so that the foot slid down to the lowest part; and made it difficult to keep one's balance。 One step would be upon a concealed stick or log; almost dislocating the ankle; while the next would plunge into soft mud above the knee。 It rained all the way; and the long grass; six feet high; met over the path; so that we could not see a step of the way ahead; and received a double drenching。 Before we got to the village it was dark; and we had to cross over a small but deep and swollen stream by a narrow log of wood; which was more than a foot under water。 There was a slender shaking stick for a handrail; and it was nervous work feeling in the dark in the rushing water for a safe place on which to place the advanced foot。 After au hour of this most disagreeable and fatiguing walk we reached the village; followed by the men with our guns; ammunition; boxes; and bedding all more or less soaked。 We consoled ourselves with some hot tea and cold fowl; and went early to bed。
The next morning was clear and fine; and I set out soon after sunrise to explore the neighbourhood。 The village had evidently been newly formed; and consisted of a single straight street of very miserable huts totally deficient in every comfort; and as bare and cheerless inside as out。 It was situated on a little elevated patch of coarse gravelly soil; covered with the usual high rigid grass; which came up close to the backs of the houses。 At a short distance in several directions were patches of forest; but all on low and swampy ground。 I made one attempt along the only path I could find; but soon came upon a deep mud…hole; and found that I must walk barefoot if at all; so I returned and deferred further exploration till after breakfast。 I then went on into the jungle and found patches of sago…palms and a low forest vegetation; but the paths were everywhere full of mud…holes; and intersected by muddy streams and tracts of swamp; so that walking was not pleasurable; and too much attention to one's steps was not favourable to insect catching; which requires above everything freedom of motion。 I shot a few birds; and caught a few butterflies; but all were the same as I had already obtained about Cajeli。
On my return to the village I was told that the same kind of ground extended for many miles in every direction; and I at once decided that Wayapo was not a suitable place to stay at。 The next morning early we waded back again through the mud and long wet grass to our boat; and by mid…day reached Cajeli; where I waited Ali's return to decide on my future movements。 He came the following day; and gave a very bad account of Pelah; where he had been。 There was a little brush and trees along the beach; and hills inland covered with high grass and cajuputi treesmy dread and abhorrence。 On inquiring who could give me trustworthy information; I was referred to the Lieutenant of the Burghers; who had travelled all round the island; and was a very intelligent fellow。 I asked him to tell me if he knew of any part of Bouru where there was no 〃kusu…kusu;〃 as the coarse grass of the country is called。 He assured me that a good deal of the south coast was forest land; while along the north was almost entirely swamp and grassy hills。 After minute inquiries; I found that the forest country commenced at a place called Waypoti; only a few miles beyond Pelah; but that; as the coast beyond that place was exposed to the east monsoon and dangerous for praus; it was necessary to walk。 I immediately went to the Opzeiner; and he called the Rajah。 We had a consultation; and arranged for a boat to take me the next evening but one; to Pelah; whence I was to proceed on foot; the Orang…kaya going the day before to call the Alfuros to carry my baggage。
The journey was made as arranged; and on May 19th we arrived at Waypoti; having walked about ten miles along the beach; and through stony forest bordering the sea; with occasional plunges of a mile or two into the interior。 We found no village; but scattered houses and plantations; with hilly country pretty well covered with forest; and looking rather promising。 A low hut with a very rotten roof; showing the sky through in several places; was the only one