登陆注册
5370200000148

第148章

It was not till the 24th of February, 1860, that I started again, intending to pass from village to village along the coast, staying where I found a suitable locality. I had a letter from the Governor of the Moluccas, requesting all the chiefs to supply me with boats and men to carry me on my journey. The first boat took me in two days to Amahay, on the opposite side of the bay to Awaiya. The chief here, wonderful to relate, did not make any excuses for delay, but immediately ordered out the boat which was to carry me on, put my baggage on hoard, set up mast and sails after dark, and had the men ready that nigh; so that we were actually on our way at five the next morning,--a display of energy and activity I scarcely ever saw before in a native chief on such an occasion. We touched at Cepa, and stayed for the night at Tamilan, the first two Mahometan villages on the south coast of Ceram. The next day, about noon, we reached Hoya, which was as Far as my present boat and crew were going to take me. The anchorage is about a mile east of the village, which is faced by coral reefs, and we had to wait for the evening tide to move up and unload the boat into the strange rotten wooden pavilion kept for visitors.

There was no boat here large enough to take my baggage; and although two would have done very well, the Rajah insisted upon sending four. The reason of this I found was, that there were four small villages under his rule, and by sending a boat from each he would avoid the difficult task of choosing two and letting off the others. I was told that at the next village of Teluti there were plenty of Alfuros, and that I could get abundance of Tories and other birds. The Rajah declared that black and yellow Tories and black cockatoos were found there; but I am inclined to think he knew very well he was telling me lies, and that it was only a scheme to satisfy me with his plan of taking me to that village, instead of a day's journey further on, as I desired. Here, as at most of the villages, I was asked for spirits, the people being mere nominal Mahometans, who confine their religion almost entirely to a disgust at pork, and a few other forbidden articles of food. The next morning, after much trouble, we got our cargoes loaded, and had a delightful row across the deep bay of Teluti, with a view of the grand central mountain-range of Ceram. Our four boats were rowed by sixty men, with flags flying and tom-toms beating, as well as very vigorous shouting and singing to keep up their spirits. The sea way smooth, the morning bright, and the whole scene very exhilarating. On landing, the Orang-kaya and several of the chief men, in gorgeous silk jackets, were waiting to receive us, and conducted me to a house prepared for my reception, where Idetermined to stay a few days, and see if the country round produced anything new.

My first inquiries were about the lories, but I could get very little satisfactory information. The only kinds known were the ring-necked lory and the common red and green lorikeet, both common at Amboyna. Black Tories and cockatoos were quite unknown.

The Alfuros resided in the mountains five or six days' journey away, and there were only one or two live birds to be found in the village, and these were worthless. My hunters could get nothing but a few common birds; and notwithstanding fine mountains, luxuriant forests, and a locality a hundred miles eastward, I could find no new insects, and extremely few even of the common species of Amboyna and West Ceram. It was evidently no use stopping at such a place, and I was determined to move on as soon as possible.

The village of Teluti is populous, but straggling and very dirty.

Sago trees here cover the mountain side, instead of growing as usual in low swamps; but a closer examination shows that they grow in swampy patches, which have formed among the loose rocks that cover the ground, and which are kept constantly full of moisture by the rains, and by the abundance of rills which trickle down among them. This sago forms almost the whole subsistence of the inhabitants, who appear to cultivate nothing but a few small patches of maize and sweet potatoes. Hence, as before explained, the scarcity of insects. The Orang-kaya has fine clothes, handsome lamps, and other expensive European goods, yet lives every day on sago and fish as miserably as the rest.

同类推荐
  • 本草分经

    本草分经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 小亨集

    小亨集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明镜公案

    明镜公案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 二薇亭诗集

    二薇亭诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 寄僧寓题

    寄僧寓题

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 李开复:一堂死亡课

    李开复:一堂死亡课

    李开复似乎天生有种调动舆论热情的能力。他一直以科学家的理性和精准设计着自己的人生程序。从科学家到跨国公司职业经理人,从网络大V到青年导师,他走马灯似的变换着形象。然而再精密的程序都会出Bug——他没算到自己会与死亡交手。如今从癌症中逐渐康复的李开复,在褪去包装后,重新反思人生。"
  • 幻想娱乐帝国

    幻想娱乐帝国

    离婚、破产……原画师范哲,被生活一脚踹到了谷底,转眼却收获系统,拍电影电视,做动画做游戏。当《英雄联盟》被搬上大荧幕;当各种热门小说被改编成电视剧、电影;当国产顶级游戏横空出世……这是一条娱乐大亨之路!——已有完本作品《最终猎杀》、《帝国之心》,感兴趣的读者可以看看。
  • 寄从兄璞

    寄从兄璞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 论语与算盘

    论语与算盘

    《论语》代表的是中国传统文化的源头,也是儒家文化的根基;“算盘”意指商人的经营管理,追求赚钱之术、获取财富之道。涩泽荣一先生用一生作为实践,从道德修养与物质财富的关系出发,解读人心社会与商业经营的和谐之道,颠覆了鄙视金钱利益的传统观念,创造性地提出“义利合一”、“士魂商才”的现代儒商根本精神基础。
  • 老婆请负责

    老婆请负责

    重生前,她是楚公子同居了四年的临时情人,唯一的妹妹横刀夺爱,红玫瑰转眼成蚊子血,她愤然坐上飞往洛杉矶的班机,不料却发生了空难。重生后,她拿了李家小姐的身份,成了杜家大少规规矩矩的少年妻子,偏偏明月光却是那男人眼里食之无味的白米饭,忍气吞声只有被欺负的份。可惜,她不是懦弱无能的李家小姐,施施然签下杜家副总杜北扬送来了离婚协议书,新的生活在招手,可是新的问题又来了——莫名其妙的饥渴症开始纠缠她,五脏庙一个劲儿地叫嚣着,吃吃吃!白白的米饭她不爱,香香的肉肉不够味,为什么她想要扑倒吃掉的会是——臭烘烘的男人?她想要吃男人也就罢了,为什么男人们一个个洗干净了就等着被吃?红杏出墙还敢跑来深情忏悔的前同居人?风流薄幸还敢跑来继续纠缠的总裁前夫?通通的倒胃口有没有?还不如做了杜北扬的临时夫妻,吃干抹净不留渣外加不用负责!什么,临时夫妻要转永久关系?这个么。。。再考虑考虑吧。。。本文是综合狗血,甜蜜,外加小虐的现代言情,女主纪微然将冲破一切艰难险阻,战胜所有小三情妇,放弃众多的美味佳肴,最终抱得美食归~
  • 末日之压力星球

    末日之压力星球

    生存的压力,足以把人逼疯。当人类接受不了的时候,就是新的一轮淘汰
  • 江山做嫁:女皇,求包养

    江山做嫁:女皇,求包养

    这大概就是个暴君对某君一见钟情然后使尽毕生智商成功上位的故事吧!女猪脚:江轻染男猪脚:殷煜欢迎入坑~
  • 孩子不可以

    孩子不可以

    这是一本有关儿童安全的小百科全书内容涵盖生活的各个方面针对现代社会有关儿童安全方面的各种隐患从实际生活入手……
  • 假若

    假若

    个性飞扬的高中生们,在亲眼目睹家庭破裂,恋人背叛,闺蜜惨死,与梦想失之交臂等等生命中的不速之客后,还会以怎样的姿态面对生活呢?假若,他们不曾相遇,青春真的会少了些许痛楚吗?那些与我们有关的日子,是苦涩还是甘甜呢?
  • 刘晏:大唐财相和他的国富论

    刘晏:大唐财相和他的国富论

    刘晏何许人也?在中国历史上,他比肩春秋的管仲、战国的商鞅、西汉的桑弘羊、宋朝的王安石、明朝的张居正,是“中国古代六大经济改革家”之一。他是唐朝的理财圣手,精于计算的铁算盘。安史之乱后,他受命于危难之际,主管中央的财政、经济工作。他力图变法吸收了管仲、商鞅、桑弘羊的变法经验,在漕运、盐政、赋税、铸钱和常平诸方面推行一系列改革,使濒于崩溃的唐朝经济得以复苏,国运得以中兴。