登陆注册
5370200000002

第2章

V. THE PAPUAN GROUP: comprising the great island of New Guinea, with the Aru Islands, Mysol, Salwatty, Waigiou, and several others. The Ke Islands are described with this group on account of their ethnology, though zoologically and geographically they belong to the Moluccas.

The chapters relating to the separate islands of each of these groups are followed by one on the Natural History of that group;and the work may thus be divided into five parts, each treating one of the natural divisions of the Archipelago.

The first chapter is an introductory one, on the Physical Geography of the whole region; and the last is a general sketch of the paces of man in the Archipelago and the surrounding countries. With this explanation, and a reference to the maps which illustrate the work, I trust that my readers will always know where they are, and in what direction they are going.

I am well aware that my book is far too small for the extent of the subjects it touches upon. It is a mere sketch; but so far as it goes, I have endeavoured to make it an accurate one. Almost the whole of the narrative and descriptive portions were written on the spot, and have had little more than verbal alterations.

The chapters on Natural History, as well as many passages in other parts of the work, have been written in the hope of exciting an interest in the various questions connected with the origin of species and their geographical distribution. In some cases I have been able to explain my views in detail; while in others, owing to the greater complexity of the subject, I have thought it better to confine myself to a statement of the more interesting facts of the problem, whose solution is to be found in the principles developed by Mr. Darwin in his various works.

The numerous illustrations will, it is believed, add much to the interest and value of the book. They have been made from my own sketches, from photographs, or from specimens--and such, only subjects that would really illustrate the narrative or the descriptions, have been chosen.

I have to thank Messrs. Walter and Henry Woodbury, whose acquaintance I had the pleasure of making in Java, for a number of photographs of scenery and of natives, which have been of the greatest assistance to me. Mr. William Wilson Saunders has kindly allowed me to figure the curious horned flies; and to Mr. Pascoe I am indebted for a loan of two of the very rare Longicorns which appear in the plate of Bornean beetles. All the other specimens figured are in my own collection.

As the main object of all my journeys was to obtain specimens of natural history, both for my private collection and to supply duplicates to museums and amateurs, I will give a general statement of the number of specimens I collected, and which reached home in good condition. I must premise that I generally employed one or two, and sometimes three Malay servants to assist me; and for nearly half the time had the services of an English lad, Charles Allen. I was just eight years away from England, but as I travelled about fourteen thousand miles within the Archipelago, and made sixty or seventy separate journeys, each involving some preparation and loss of time, I do not think that more than six years were really occupied in collecting.

I find that my Eastern collections amounted to:

310 specimens of Mammalia.

100 specimens of Reptiles.

8,050 specimens of Birds.

7,500 specimens of Shells.

13,100 specimens of Lepidoptera.

83,200 specimens of Coleoptera.

13,400 specimens of other Insects.

125,660 specimens of natural history in all.

It now only remains for me to thank all those friends to whom Iam indebted for assistance or information. My thanks are more especially due to the Council of the Royal Geographical Society, through whose valuable recommendations I obtained important aid from our own Government and from that of Holland; and to Mr. William Wilson Saunders, whose kind and liberal encouragement in the early portion of my journey was of great service to me. I am also greatly indebted to Mr. Samuel Stevens (who acted as my agent), both for the care he took of my collections, and for the untiring assiduity with which he kept me supplied, both with useful information and with whatever necessaries I required.

I trust that these, and all other friends who have been in any way interested in my travels and collections, may derive from the perusal of my book, some faint reflexion of the pleasures Imyself enjoyed amid the scenes and objects it describes.

THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO.

同类推荐
  • 王艮尺牍

    王艮尺牍

    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。
  • 东周列国志下

    东周列国志下

    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。
  • 下第述怀

    下第述怀

    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。
  • 小儿初生诸疾门

    小儿初生诸疾门

    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。
  • 厥门

    厥门

    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
  • 兽世迷情:嫁个兽人好种田

    兽世迷情:嫁个兽人好种田

    【系统女强文】她是一只浸淫网文十年的书虫,因为一不小心瞎说了句大实话,曝光了蠢作者低收入的内幕,然后被蠢作者诅咒,一睁眼居然进入了兽人世界,成为了稀有的O型雌性,从此被一群兽人争着要她做他们的伴侣……虎王:“我救了你,还带你去森林玩,你做我的伴侣好不好?”狮王:“我给你准备最丰盛的食物,让你天天都有肉吃,你嫁给我好不好?”狼王:“我一见你就爱上了你,今生非你不娶,你愿不愿意做我的伴侣?”鹰王:“嫁给我,做我的伴侣,我会带你飞飞哦~”
  • 春花秋实铸身心(指导学生身心健康发展故事集)

    春花秋实铸身心(指导学生身心健康发展故事集)

    学生时代,是一个充满理想的季节,也是人体发育的转折关键期,这一时期,如何正确认识和对待自己的生理变化,怎样面对生活和生理的各种烦恼,是决定青少年身心是否健康的关键。
  • 美国国家安全局秘史

    美国国家安全局秘史

    2013年,美国中央情报局(CIA)前雇员斯诺登将美国国家安全局(NSA)推到了风口浪尖,世界上最大的情报机构的秘密也被曝光在众人面前。在本书中,NSA的前世今生,美国情报发展史将被抽丝剥茧地展开在你面前。
  • 通缉犯逃遁案

    通缉犯逃遁案

    1892年晚秋,有个机会又让我得以跟好友福尔摩斯一起精彩地侦破另一起案件。我妻子最近身体状况欠佳,我费了好大劲儿才说服她在她的老同学凯特?怀特尼陪同下去瑞士休养一阵。料想您还记得凯特?怀特尼这个姓名吧,她曾经在我以前发表的那个以《歪唇男子》为题的案件中出现过。近来我的医疗业务相当兴旺,使我一连好几个月都在繁忙操劳,自己也真想度个假休息休息。但是我并不想离开本职工作太久,无意到阿尔卑斯山中住很长一段时间。后来我答应妻子我也陪她到那里去短暂休息一周或十天,她这才同意下来。当时我有个老病号病情相当严重,直到八月底过后才转危为安开始康复,我就放心地把业务委托给一位临时代理的医生,开始琢磨到哪儿去度假最佳。
  • 我的男友是小鲜肉

    我的男友是小鲜肉

    高能学霸校花×当红演技派小鲜肉的恋爱甜文。女主内心强大不作不虐不纠结,男主钢铁直男可苏可撩可瞎掰。炒CP,卖人设,演网剧,上综艺,拍电影,演艺圈的套路可谓山路一百零八弯。他问“你为什么要学法学?”她答“为了保护你,怕你签卖身契。”粉丝疯狂,流量压身;他身在娱乐圈怎么可能单凭幸运而独善其身。聚少离多,学业为重;她和当红小鲜肉秘密恋爱怎么可能只有甜甜甜。因为来之不易,所以分外珍惜。让我们穿越镜头和人海,好好谈一场恋爱吧。
  • 孙子遗说

    孙子遗说

    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。
  • 如意顺心意

    如意顺心意

    如果回到过去,你会怎么选择人生?林悦表示只想找到疼她爱她的老公,然后过自己美美的小日子。可是为啥老公貌似变了属性?那怎么办?
  • 剑域神帝

    剑域神帝

    一人一剑从混沌中来,骑帝兽鲲鹏,争霸九州,杀穿虚空万界,走向永恒的不朽……
  • 毗耶娑问经

    毗耶娑问经

    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。
  • 妖孽男配逆袭记

    妖孽男配逆袭记

    谁说穿越重生这事只有女人能做,他个大老爷们也照样来了一把。上辈子连男配的边儿也没摸到,就被三震出局,挂了。穿越之后,重振雄风,卷土再来。瞧他如何一步步逆转剧情,屌丝变王子,荣登男主宝座。