the malay archipelago-2-第14部分

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not　get　back　to　our　starting…point　with　the　wind　as　it　was；　they　insisted　upon　returning。　We　accordingly　put　about；　and　found　that　we　could　lay　no　nearer　to　Uta　than　to　Teor；　however；　by　great　good　luck；　about　ten　o'clock　we　hit　upon　a　little　coral　island；　and　lay　under　its　lee　till　morning；　when　a　favourable　change　of　wind　brought　us　back　to　Uta；　and　by　evening　（April　18th　w　e　reached　our　first　anchorage　in　Matabello；　where　I　resolved　to　stay　a　few　days；　and　then　return　to　Goram。　It　way　with　much　regret　that　I　gave　up　my　trip　to　Ke　and　the　intervening　islands；　which　I　had　looked　forward　to　as　likely　to　make　up　for　my　disappointment　in　Ceram；　since　my　short　visit　on　my　voyage　to　Aru　had　produced　me　so　many　rare　and　beautiful　insects。

The　natives　of　Matabello　are　almost　entirely　occupied　in　making　cocoanut　oil；　which　they　sell　to　the　Bugis　and　Goram　traders；　who　carry　it　to　Banda　and　Amboyna。　The　rugged　coral　rock　seems　very　favourable　to　the　growth　of　the　cocoa…nut　palm；　which　abounds　over　the　whole　island　to　the　very　highest　points；　and　produces　fruit　all　the　year　round。　Along　with　it　are　great　numbers　of　the　areca　or　betel…nut　palm；　the　nuts　of　which　are　sliced；　dried；　and　ground　into　a　paste；　which　is　much　used　by　the　betel…chewing　Malays　and　Papuans。　A11　the　little　children　here　even　such　as　can　just　run　alone；　carried　between　their　lips　a　mass　of　the　nasty…　looking　red　paste；　which　is　even　more　disgusting　than　to　see　them　at　the　same　age　smoking　cigars；　which　is　very　common　even　before　they　are　weaned。　Cocoa…nuts；　sweet　potatoes；　an　occasional　sago　cake；　and　the　refuse　nut　after　the　oil　has　been　extracted　by　boiling；　form　the　chief　sustenance　of　these　people；　and　the　effect　of　this　poor　and　unwholesome　diet　is　seen　in　the　frequency　of　eruptions　and　scurfy　skin　diseases；　and　the　numerous　sores　that　disfigure　the　faces　of　the　children。

The　villages　are　situated　on　high　and　rugged　coral　peaks；　only　accessible　by　steep　narrow　paths；　with　ladders　and　bridges　over　yawning　chasms。　They　are　filthy　with　rotten　husks　and　oil　refuse；　and　the　huts　are　dark；　greasy；　and　dirty　in　the　extreme。　The　people　are　wretched　ugly　dirty　savages；　clothed　in　unchanged　rags；　and　living　in　the　most　miserable　manner；　and　as　every　drop　of　fresh　water　has　to　be　brought　up　from　the　beach；　washing　is　never　thought　of；　yet　they　are　actually　wealthy；　and　have　the　means　of　purchasing　all　the　necessaries　and　luxuries　of　life。　Fowls　are　abundant；　and　eggs　were　given　me　whenever　I　visited　the　villages；　but　these　are　never　eaten；　being　looked　upon　as　pets　or　as　merchandise。　Almost　all　of　the　women　wear　massive　gold　earrings；　and　in　every　village　there　are　dozens　of　small　bronze　cannon　lying　about　on　the　ground；　although　they　have　cost　on　the　average　perhaps　￡10　a　piece。　The　chief　men　of　each　village　came　to　visit　me；　clothed　in　robes　of　silk　and　flowered　satin；　though　their　houses　and　their　daily　fare　are　no　better　than　those　of　the　ether　inhabitants。　What　a　contrast　between　these　people　and　such　savages　as　the　best　tribes　of　bill。　Dyaks　in　Borneo；　or　the　Indians　of　the　Uaupes　in　South　America；　living　on　the　banks　of　clear　streams；　clean　in　their　persons　and　their　houses；　with　abundance　of　wholesome　food；　and　exhibiting　its　effect　in　healthy　shins　and　beauty　of　form　and　feature！　There　is　in　fact　almost　as　much　difference：　between　the　various　races　of　savage　as　of　civilized　peoples；　and　we　may　safely　affirm　that　the　better　specimens　of　the　former　are　much　superior　to　the　lower　examples　of　the　latter　class。

One　of　the　few　luxuries　of　Matabello　is　the　palm　wine；　which　is　the　fermented　sap　from　the　flower　stains　of　the　cocoa…net。　It　is　really　a　very　mice　drink；　more　like　cyder　than　beer；　though　quite　as　intoxicating　as　the　latter。　Young　cocoa…nuts　are　also　very　abundant；　so　that　anywhere　in　the　island　it　is　only　necessary　to　go　a　few　yards　to　find　a　delicious　beverage　by　climbing　up　a　tree　for　it。　It　is　the　water　of　the　young　fruit　that　is　drunk；　before　the　pulp　has　hardened；　it　is　then　more　abundant；　clear；　and　refreshing；　and　the　thin　coating　of　gelatinous　pulp　is　thought　a　treat　luxury。　The　water　of　full…brown　cocoa…nuts　is　always　thrown　away　as　undrinkable；　although　it　is　delicious　in　comparison　with　that　of　the　old　dry　nuts　which　alone　we　obtain　in　this　country。　The　cocoa…nut　pulp　I　did　not　like　at　first；　but　fruits　are　so　scarce；　except　at　particular　seasons；　that　one　soon　learns　to　appreciate　anything　of　a　fruity　nature。

Many　persons　in　Europe　are　under　the　impression　that　　　　fruits　of　delicious　flavour　abound　in　the　tropical　forests；　and　they　will　no　doubt　be　surprised　to　learn　that　the　truly　wild　fruits　of　this　brand　and　luxuriant　archipelago；　the　vegetation　of　which　will　vie　with　that　of　any　part　of　the　world；　are　in　almost　every　island　inferior　in　abundance　and　duality　to　those　of　Britain。　Wild　strawberries　and　raspberries　are　found　in　some　places；　but　they　arc　such　poor　tasteless　things　as　to　be　hardly　worth　eating；　and　there　is　nothing　to　compare　with　our　blackberries　and　whortleberries。　The　kanary…nut　may　be　considered　equal　to　a　hazel…nut；　but　I　have　met　with　nothing　else　superior　to　our　crabs；　oar　haws；　beech…nuts；　wild　plums；　and　　acorns；　fruits　which　would　be　highly　esteemed　by　the　natives　of　these　islands；　and　would　form　an　important　part　of　their　sustenance。　All　the　fine　tropical　fruits　are　as　much　cultivated　productions　as　our　apples；　peaches；　and　plums；　and　their　wild　prototypes；　when　found；　are　generally　either　tasteless　or　uneatable。

The　people　of　Matabello；　like　those　of　most　of　the　Mahometan　villages　of　East　Ceram　and　Goram；　amused　me　much　by　their　strange　ideas　concerning　the　Russian　war。　They　believe　that　the　Russians　were　not　only　most　thoroughly　beaten　by　the　Turks；　but　were　absolutely　conquered；　and　all　converted　to　Islamism！　And　they　can　hardly　be　convinced　that　such　is　not　the　case；　and　that　had　it　not　been　for　the　assistance　of　France　and　England；　the　poor　Sultan　world　have　fared　ill。　Another　of　their　motions　is；　that　the　Turks　are　the　largest　and　strongest　people　in　the　worldin　fact　a　race　of　giants；　that　they　eat　enormous　quantities　of　meat；　and　are　a　most　ferocious　and　irresistible　nation。　Whence　such　strangely　incorrect　opinions　could　have　arisen　it　is　difficult　to　understand；　unless　they　are　derived　from　Arab　priests；　or　hadjis　returned　from　Mecca；　who　may　have　heard　of　the　ancient　prowess　of　the　Turkish　armies　when　they　made　all　Europe　tremble；　and　suppose　that　their　character　and　warlike　capacity　must　be　the　same　at　the　present　time。

GORAM

A　steady　south…east　wind　having　set　in；　we　returned　to　Manowolko　on　the　25th　of　April；　and　the　day　after　crossed　over　to　Ondor；　the　chief　village　of　Goram。

Around　this　island　extends；　with　few　interruptions；　an　encircling　coral　reef　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　shore；　visible　as　a　stripe　of　pale　green　water；　but　only　at　very　lowest　ebb…tides　showing　any　rock　above　the　surface。　There　are　several　deep　entrances　through　this　reef；　and　inside　it　there　is　hood　anchorage　in　all　weathers。　The　land　rises　gradually　to　a　moderate　height；　and　numerous　small　streams　descend　on　all　sides。　The　mere　existence　of　these　streams　would　prove　that　the　island　was　not　entirely　coralline；　as　in　that　case　all　the　water　would　sink　through　the　porous　rock　as　it　does　at　Manowolko　and　Matabello；　but　we　have　more　positive　proof　in　the　pebbles　and　stones　of　their　beds；　which　exhibit　a　variety　of　stratified　crystalline　rocks。　About　a　hundred　yards　from　the　beach　rises　a　wall　of　coral　rock；　ten　or　twenty　feet　high；　above　which　is　an　undulating　surface　of　rugged　coral；　which　slopes　downward　towards　the　interior；　and　then　after　a　slight　ascent　is　bounded　by　a　second　wall　of　coral。　Similar　walls　occur　higher　up；　and　coral　is　found　on　the　highest　part　of　the　island。

This　peculiar　structure　teaches　us　that　before　the　coral　was　formed　land　existed　in　this　spot；　that　this　land　sunk　gradually　beneath　the　waters；　but　with　intervals　of　rest；　during　which　encircling　reef's　were　formed　around　it　at　different　elevations；　that　it　then　rose　to　above　its　present　elevation；　and　is　now　again　sinking。　We　infer　this；　because　encircling　reefs　are　a　proof　of　subsidence；　and　if　the　island　were　again　elevated　about　a　hundred　feet；　what　is　now　the　reef　and　the　shallow　sea　within　it　would　form　a　wall　of　coral　rock；　and　an　undulating　coralline　plain；　exactly　similar　to　those　that　still　exist　at　various　altitudes　up　to　the　summit　of　the　island。　We　learn　also　that　these　changes　have　taken　place　at　a　comparatively　recent　epoch；　for　the　surface　of　the　coral　has　scarcely　suffered　from　the　action　of　the　weather；　and　hundreds　of　sea…shells；　exactly　resembling　those　still　found　upon　the　beach；　and　many　of　them　retaining　their　gloss　and　even　their　colour；　are　scattered　over　the　surface　of　the　island　to　near　its　summit。

Whether　the　Goram　group　formed　originally　part　of　New　Guinea　or　of　Ceram　it　is　scarcely　possible　to　determine；　and　its　productions　will　throw　little　light　upon　the　question；　if；　as　I　suppose；　the　islands　have　been　entirely　submerged　within　the　epoch　of　existing　species　of　animals；　as　in　that　case　it　must　owe　its　present　fauna　and　flora　to　recent　immigration　from　surrounding　lands；　and　with　this　view　its　poverty　in　species　very　well　agrees。　It　possesses　much　in　common　with　East　Ceram；　but　at　the　same　time　has　a　good　deal　of　resemblance　to　the　Ke　Islands　and　Banda。　The　fine　pigeon；　Carpophaga　concinna；　inhabits　Ke；　Banda；　11…Iatabello；　and　Goram；　and　is　replaced　by　a　distinct　species；　C。　neglecta；　in　Ceram。　The　insects　of　these　four　islands　have　also　a　common　faciesfacts　which　seem　to　indicate　that　some　more　extensive　land　has　recently　disappeared　from　the　area　they　now　occupy；　and　has　supplied　them　with　a　few　of　its　peculiar　productions。

The　Goram　people　（among　whom　I　stayed　a　month）　are　a　race　of　traders。　Every　year　they　visit　the　Tenimber；　Ke；　and　Aru　Islands；　the　whole　north…west　coast　of　New　Guinea　from　Oetanata　to　Salwatty；　and　the　island　of　Waigiou　and　Mysol。　They　also　extend　their　voyages　to　Tidore　and　Ternate；　as　well　as　to　Banda　and　Amboyna；　Their　praus　are　all　made　by　that　wonderful　race　of　boatbuilders；　the　Ke。　islanders；　who　annually　turn　out　some　hundreds　of　boats；　large　and　small；　which　can　hardly　be　surp