the malay archipelago-2-第22部分

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in　six　and　a　half　feet　long　by　five　and　a　half　wide；　I　had　all　to　myself；　and　it　was　the　snuggest　and　most　comfortable　little　place　I　ever　enjoyed　at　sea。　It　was　entered　by　a　low　sliding　door　of　thatch　on　one　side；　and　had　a　very　small　window　on　the　other。　The　floor　was　of　split　bamboo；　pleasantly　elastic；　raised　six　inches　above　the　deck；　so　as　to　be　quite　dry。　It　was　covered　with　fine　cane　mats；　for　the　manufacture　of　which　Macassar　is　celebrated；　against　the　further　wall　were　arranged　my　guncase；　insect…boxes；　clothes；　and　books；　my　mattress　occupied　the　middle；　and　next　the　door　were　my　canteen；　lamp；　and　little　store　of　luxuries　for　the　voyage；　while　guns；　revolver；　and　hunting　knife　hung　conveniently　from　the　roof。　During　these　four　miserable　days　I　was　quite　jolly　in　this　little　snuggery　more　so　than　I　should　have　been　if　confined　the　same　time　to　the　gilded　and　uncomfortable　saloon　of　a　first…class　steamer。　Then；　how　comparatively　sweet　was　everything　on　boardno　paint；　no　tar；　no　new　rope；　（vilest　of　smells　to　the　qualmish！）　no　grease；　or　oil；　or　varnish；　but　instead　of　these；　bamboo　and　rattan；　and　coir　rope　and　palm　thatch；　pure　vegetable　fibres；　which　smell　pleasantly　if　they　smell　at　all；　and　recall　quiet　scenes　in　the　green　and　shady　forest。

Our　ship　had　two　masts；　if　masts　they　can　be　called　c　which　were　great　moveable　triangles。　If　in　an　ordinary　ship　you　replace　the　shrouds　and　backstay　by　strong　timbers；　and　take　away　the　mast　altogether；　you　have　the　arrangement　adopted　on　board　a　prau。　Above　my　cabin；　and　resting　on　cross…beams　attached　to　the　masts；　was　a　wilderness　of　yards　and　spars；　mostly　formed　of　bamboo。　The　mainyard；　an　immense　affair　nearly　a　hundred　feet　long；　was　formed　of　many　pieces　of　wood　and　bamboo　bound　together　with　rattans　in　an　ingenious　manner。　The　sail　carried　by　this　was　of　an　oblong　shape；　and　was　hung　out　of　the　centre；　so　that　when　the　short　end　was　hauled　down　on　deck　the　long　end　mounted　high　in　the　air；　making　up　for　the　lowness　of　the　mast　itself。　The　foresail　was　of　the　same　shape；　but　smaller。　Both　these　were　of　matting；　and；　with　two　jibs　and　a　fore　and　aft　sail　astern　of　cotton　canvas；　completed　our　rig。

The　crew　consisted　of　about　thirty　men；　natives　of　Macassar　and　the　adjacent　coasts　and　islands。　They　were　　mostly　young；　and　were　short；　broad…faced；　good…humoured　looking　fellows。　Their　dress　consisted　generally　of　a　pair　of　trousers　only；　when　at　work；　and　a　handkerchief　twisted　round　the　head；　to　which　in　the　evening　they　would　add　a　thin　cotton　jacket。　Four　of　the　elder　men　were　〃jurumudis；〃　or　steersmen；　who　had　to　squat　（two　at　a

time）　in　the　little　steerage　before　described；　changing　every　six　hours。　Then　there　was　an　old　man；　the　〃juragan；〃　or　captain；　but　who　was　really　what　we　should　call　the　first　mate；　he　occupied　the　other　half　of　the　little　house　on　deck。　There　were　about　ten　respectable　men；　Chinese　or　Bugis；　whom　our　owner　used　to　call　〃his　own　people。〃　He　treated　them　very　well；　shared　his　meals　with　them；　and　spoke　to　them　always　with　perfect　politeness；　yet　they　were　most　of　them　a　kind　of　slave　debtors；　bound　over　by　the　police　magistrate　to　work　for　him　at　mere　nominal　wages　for　a　term　of　years　till　their　debts　were　liquidated。　This　is　a　Dutch　institution　in　this　part　of　the　world；　and　seems　to　work　well。　It　is　a　great　boon　to　traders；　who　can　do　nothing　in　these　thinly…　populated　regions　without　trusting　goods　to　agents　and　petty　dealers；　who　frequently　squander　them　away　in　gambling　and　debauchery。　The　lower　classes　are　almost　all　in　a　chronic　state　of　debt。　The　merchant　trusts　them　again　and　again；　till　the　amount　is　something　serious；　when　he　brings　them　to　court　and　has　their　services　allotted　to　him　for　its　liquidation。　The　debtors　seem　to　think　this　no　disgrace；　but　rather　enjoy　their　freedom　from　responsibility；　and　the　dignity　of　their　position　under　a　wealthy　and　well…known　merchant。　They　trade　a　little　on　their　own　account；　and　both　parties　seem　to　get　on　very　well　together。　The　plan　seems　a　more　sensible　one　than　that　which　we　adopt；　of　effectually　preventing　a　man　from　earning　anything　towards　paying　his　debts　by　shutting　him　up　in　a　jail。

My　own　servants　were　three　in　number。　Ali；　the　Malay　boy　whom　I　had　picked　up　in　Borneo；　was　my　head　man。　He　had　already　been　with　me　a　year；　could　turn　his　hand　to　anything；　and　was　quite　attentive　and　trustworthy。　He　was　a　good　shot；　and　fond　of　shooting；　and　I　had　taught　him　to　skin　birds　very　well。　The　second；　named　Baderoon；　was　a　Macassar　lad；　also　a　pretty　good　boy；　but　a　desperate　gambler。　Under　pretence　of　buying　a　house　for　his　mother；　and　clothes；　for　himself；　he　had　received　four　months'　wages　about　a　week　before　we　sailed；　and　in　a　day　or　two　gambled　away　every　dollar　of　it。　He　had　come　on　board　with　no　clothes；　no　betel；　or　tobacco；　or　salt　fish；　all　which　necessary　articles　I　was　obliged　to　send　Ali　to　buy　for　him。　These　two　lads　were　about　sixteen；　I　should　suppose；　the　third　was　younger；　a　sharp　little　rascal　named　Baso；　who　had　been　with　me　a　month　or　two；　and　had　learnt　to　cook　tolerably。　He　was　to　fulfil　the　important　office　of　cook　and　housekeeper；　for　I　could　not　get　any　regular　servants　to　go　to　such　a　terribly　remote　country；　one　might　as　well　ask　a　chef　de　cuisine　to　go　to　Patagonia。

On　the　fifth　day　that　I　had　spent　on　board　（Dec。　15th）　the　rain　ceased；　and　final　preparations　were　made　for　starting。　Sails　were　dried　and　furled；　boats　were　constantly　coming　and　going；　and　stores　for　the　voyage；　fruit；　vegetables；　fish；　and　palm　sugar；　were　taken　on　board。　In　the　afternoon　two　women　arrived　with　a　large　party　of　friends　and　relations；　and　at　parting　there　was　a　general　noserubbing　（the　Malay　kiss）；　and　some　tears　shed。　These　were　promising　symptoms　for　our　getting　off　the　next　day；　and　accordingly；　at　three　in　the　morning；　the　owner　came　on　board；　the　anchor　was　immediately　weighed；　and　by　four　we　set　sail。　Just　as　we　were　fairly　off　and　clear　of　the　other　praus；　the　old　juragan　repeated　some　prayers；　all　around　responding　with　〃Allah　il　Allah；〃　and　a　few　strokes　on　a　gong　as　an　accompaniment；　concluding　with　all　wishing　each　other　〃Salaamat　jalan；〃　a　safe　and　happy　journey。　We　had　a　light　breeze；　a　calm　sea；　and　a　fine　morning；　a　prosperous　commencement　of　our　voyage　of　about　a　thousand　miles　to　the　far…famed　Aru　Islands。

The　wind　continued　light　and　variable　all　day；　with　a　calm　in　the　evening　before　the　land　breeze　sprang　up；　were　then　passing　the　island　of　〃Tanakaki　〃（foot　of　the　land）；　at　the　extreme　south　of　this　part　of　Celebes。　There　are　some　dangerous　rocks　here；　and　as　I　was　standing　by　the　bulwarks；　I　happened　to　spit　over　the　side；　one　of　the　men　begged　I　would　not　do　so　just　now；　but　spit　on　deck；　as　they　were　much　afraid　of　this　place。　Not　quite　comprehending；　I　made　him　repeat　his　request；　when；　seeing　he　was　in　earnest；　I　said；　〃Very　well；　I　suppose　there　are　'hantus'　（spirits）　here。〃　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃and　they　don't　like　anything　to　be　thrown　overboard；　many　a　prau　has　been　lost　by　doing　it。〃　Upon　which　I　promised　to　be　very　careful。　At　sunset　the　good　Mahometans　on　board　all　repeated　a　few　words　of　prayer　with　a　general　chorus；　reminding　me　of　the　pleasing　and　impressive　〃Ave。　Maria〃　of　Catholic　countries。

Dec。　20th。…At　sunrise　we　were　opposite　the　Bontyne　mountain；　said　to　be　one　of　the　highest　in　Celebes。　In　the　afternoon　we　passed　the　Salayer　Straits　and　had　a　little　squall；　which　obliged　us　to　lower　our　huge　mast；　sails；　and　heavy　yards。　The　rest　of　the　evening　we　had　a　fine　west　wind；　which　carried　us　on　at　near　five　knots　an　hour；　as　much　as　our　lumbering　old　tub　can　possibly　go。

Dec。　21st。…A　heavy　swell　from　the　south…west　rolling　us　about　most　uncomfortably。　A　steady　wind　was　blowing　however；　and　we　got　on　very　well。

Dec。　22d。…The　swell　had　gone　down。　We　passed　Boutong；　a　large　island；　high；　woody；　and　populous；　the　native　place　of　some　of　our　crew。　A　small　prau　returning　from　Bali　to　the；　island　of　Goram　overtook　us。　The　nakoda　（captain）　was　known　to　our　owner。　They　had　been　two　years　away；　but　were　full　of　people；　with　several　black　Papuans　on　board。　At　6　P。M。　we　passed　Wangiwangi；　low　but　not　flat；　inhabited　and　subject　to　Boutong。　We　had　now　fairly　entered　the　Molucca　Sea。　After　dark　it　was　a　beautiful　sight　to　look　down　on　our　rudders；　from　which　rushed　eddying　streams　of　phosphoric　light　gemmed　with　whirling　sparks　of　fire。　It　resembled　（more　nearly　than　anything　else　to　which　I　can　compare　it）　one　of　the　large　irregular　nebulous　star…clusters　seen　through　a　good　telescope；　with　the　additional　attraction　of　ever…changing　form　and　dancing　motion。

Dec。　23d。…Fine　red　sunrise；　the　island　we　left　last　evening　barely　visible　behind　us。　The　Goram　prau　about　a　mile　south　of　us。　They　have　no　compass；　yet　they　have　kept　a　very　true　course　during　the　night。　Our　owner　tells　me　they　do　it　by　the　swell　of　the　sea；　the　direction　of　which　they　notice　at　sunset；　and　sail　by　it　during　the　night。　In　these　seas　they　are　never　（in　fine　weather）　more　than　two　days　without　seeing　land。　Of　course　adverse　winds　or　currents　sometimes　carry　them　away；　but　they　soon　fall　in　with　some　island；　and　there　are　always　some　old　sailors　on　board　who　know　it；　and　thence　take　a　new　course。　Last　night　a　shark　about　five　feet　long　was　caught；　and　this　morning　it　was　cut　up　and　cooked。　In　the　afternoon　they　got　another；　and　I　had　a　little　fried；　and　found　it　firm　and　dry；　but　very　palatable。　In　the　evening　the　sun　set　in　a　heavy　bank　of　clouds；　which；　as　darkness　came　on；　assumed　a　fearfully　black　appearance。　According　to　custom；　when　strong　wind　or　rain　is　expected；　our　large　sails　…were　furled；　and　with　their　yards　let　down　on　deck；　and　a　small　square　foresail　alone　kept　up。　The　great　mat　sails　are　most　awkward　things　to　manage　in　rough　weather。　The　yards　which　support　them　are　seventy　feet　long；　and　of　course　very　heavy；　and　the　only　way　to　furl　them　being　to　roll　up　the　sail　on　the　boom；　it　is　a　very　dangerous　thing　to　have　them　standing　when　overtaken　by　a　squall。　Our　crew；　though　numerous　enough　for　a　vessel　of　700　instead　of　one　of　70　tons；　have　it　very　much　their　own　way；　and　there　seems　to　be　seldom　more　than　a　dozen　at　work　at　a　time。　When　anything　important　is　to　be