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f my country。 Then； as they could not pronounce it satisfactorily； they insisted that I was deceiving them； and that it was a name of my own invention。 One funny old man； who bore a ludicrous resemblance； to a friend of mine at home； was almost indignant。 〃Ung…lung！ 〃said he； 〃who ever heard of such a name？ang langanger…lungthat can't be the name of your country； you are playing with us。〃 Then he tried to give a convincing illustration。 〃My country is Wanumbaianybody can say Wanumbai。 I'm an ‘ orang…Wanumbai； but； N…glung！ who ever heard of such a name？ Do tell us the real name of your country； and then when you are gone we shall know how to talk about you。〃 To this luminous argument and remonstrance I could oppose nothing but assertion； and the whole party remained firmly convinced that I was for some reason or other deceiving them。 They then attacked me on another pointwhat all the animals and birds and insects and shells were preserved so carefully for。 They had often asked me this before； and I had tried to explain to them that they would be stuffed； and made to look as if alive； and people in my country would go to look at them。 But this was not satisfying； in my country there must be many better things to look at； and they could not believe I would take so much trouble with their birds and beasts just for people to look at。 They did not want to look at them； and we； who made calico and glass and knives； and all sorts of wonderful things； could not want things from Aru to look at。 They had evidently been thinking about it； and had at length got what seemed a very satisfactory theory； for the same old man said to me； in a low； mysterious voice； 〃What becomes of them when you go on to the sea？〃 〃Why； they are all packed up in boxes；〃 said I 〃What did you think became of them？〃 〃They all come to life again； don't they？〃 said he； and though I tried to joke it off； and said if they did we should have plenty to eat at sea； he stuck to his opinion； and kept repeating； with an air of deep conviction； 〃Yes； they all come to life again； that's what they dothey all come to life again。〃
After a little while； and a good deal of talking among themselves； he began again〃I know all about itoh yes！ Before you came we had rain every dayvery wet indeed； now； ever since you have been here； it is fine hot weather。 Oh； yes！ I know all about it； you can't deceive me。〃 And so I was set down as a conjurer； and was unable to repel the charge。 But the conjurer was completely puzzled by the next question： 〃What；〃 said the old man； 〃is the great ship； where the Bugis and Chinamen go to sell their things？ It is always in the great seaits name is Jong； tell us all about it。〃 In vain I inquired what they knew about it； they knew nothing but that it was called 〃Jong；〃 and was always in the sea； and was a very great ship； and concluded with； 〃Perhaps that is your country？〃 Finding that I could not or would not tell them anything about 〃Jong；〃 there came more regrets that I would not tell them the real name of my country； and then a long string of compliments； to the effect that I was a much better sort of a person than the Bugis and Chinese； who sometimes came to trade with them； for I gave them things for nothing； and did not try to cheat them。 How long would I stop？ was the next earnest inquiry。 Would I stay two or three months？ They would get me plenty of birds and animals； and I might soon finish all the goods I had brought； and then； said the old spokesman； 〃Don't go away； but send for more things from Dobbo； and stay here a year or two。〃 And then again the old story； 〃Do tell us the name of your country。 We know the Bugis men； and the Macassar men； and the Java men； and the China men； only you； we don't know from what country you come。 Ung…lung！ it can't be； I know that is not the name of your country。〃 Seeing no end to this long talk； I said I was tired； and wanted to go to sleep； so after begging one a little bit of dry fish for his supper； and another a little salt to eat with his sagothey went off very quietly； and I went outside and took a stroll round the house by moonlight； thinking of the simple people and the strange productions of Aru； and then turned in under my mosquito curtain； to sleep with a sense of perfect security in the midst of these good…natured savages。
We now had seven or eight days of hot and dry weather； which reduced the little river to a succession of shallow pools connected by the smallest possible thread of trickling water。 If there were a dry season like that of Macassar； the Aru Islands would be uninhabitable； as there is no part of them much above a hundred feet high； and the whole being a mass of porous coralline rock； allows the surface water rapidly to escape。 The only dry season they have is for a month or two about September or October； and there is then an excessive scarcity of water； so that sometimes hundreds of birds and other animals die of drought。 The natives then remove to houses near the sources of the small streams； where； in the shady depths of the forest； a small quantity of water still remains。 Even then many of them have to go miles for their water； which they keep in large bamboos and use very sparingly。 They assure me that they catch and kill game of all kinds； by watching at the water holes or setting snares around them。 That would be the time for me to make my collections； but the want of water would be a terrible annoyance； and the impossibility of getting away before another whole year had passed made it out of the question。
Ever since leaving Dobbo I had suffered terribly from insects； who seemed here bent upon revenging my long…continued persecution of their race。 At our first stopping…place sand…flies were very abundant at night； penetrating to every part of the body； and producing a more lasting irritation than mosquitoes。 My feet and ankles especially suffered； and were completely covered with little red swollen specks； which tormented me horribly。 On arriving here we were delighted to find the house free from sand… flies or mosquitoes； but in the plantations where my daily walks led me； the day…biting mosquitoes swarmed； and seemed especially to delight in attaching my poor feet。 After a month's incessant punishment； those useful members rebelled against such treatment and broke into open insurrection； throwing out numerous inflamed ulcers； which were very painful； and stopped me from walking。 So I found myself confined to the house； and with no immediate prospect of leaving it。 Wounds or sores in the feet are especially difficult to heal in hot climates； and I therefore dreaded them more than any other illness。 The confinement was very annoying； as the fine hot weather was excellent for insects； of which I had every promise of obtaining a fine collection； and it is only by daily and unremitting search that the smaller kinds； and the rarer and more interesting specimens； can be obtained。 When I crawled down to the river…side to bathe； I often saw the blue…winged Papilio ulysses； or some other equally rare and beautiful insect； but there was nothing for it but patience； and to return quietly to my bird…skinning； or whatever other work I had indoors。 The stings and bites and ceaseless irritation caused by these pests of the tropical forests； would be borne uncomplainingly； but to be kept prisoner by them in so rich and unexplored a country where rare and beautiful creatures are to be met with in every forest ramblea country reached by such a long and tedious voyage； and which might not in the present century be again visited for the same purposeis a punishment too severe for a naturalist to pass over in silence。
I had； however； some consolation in the birds my boys brought home daily； more especially the Paradiseas； which they at length obtained in full plumage。 It was quite a relief to my mind to get these； for I could hardly have torn myself away from Aru had I not obtained specimens。
But what I valued almost as much as the birds themselves was the knowledge of their habits； which I was daily obtaining both from the accounts of my hunters； and from the conversation of the natives。 The birds had now commenced what the people here call their 〃sacaleli；〃 or dancing…parties； in certain trees in the forest； which are not fruit trees as I at first imagined； but which have an immense tread of spreading branches and large but scattered leaves； giving a clear space for the birds to play and exhibit their plumes。 On one of these trees a dozen or twenty full…plumaged male birds assemble together； raise up their wings； stretch out their necks； and elevate their exquisite plumes； keeping them in a continual vibration。 Between whiles they fly across from branch to branch in great excitement； so that the whole tree is filled with waving plumes in every variety of attitude and motion。 （See Frontispiece。） The bird itself is nearly as large as a crow； and is of a rich coffee brown colour。 The head and neck is of a pure straw yellow above and rich metallic green beneath。 The long plumy tufts of golden orange feathers spring from the sides beneath each wing； and when the bird is in repose are partly concealed by them。 At the time of its excitement； however； the wings are raised vertically over tile back；