the malay archipelago-2-第40部分

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　few　and　scattered　as　to　be　nothing　amid　the　mass　of　green　and　flowerless　vegetation。　Yet　the　noble　Cycadaceae　and　screw…pines；　thirty　or　forty　feet　high；　the　elegant　tree　ferns；　the　lofty　palms；　and　the　variety　of　beautiful　and　curious　plants　which　everywhere　meet　the　eye；　attest　the　warmth　and　moisture　of　the　tropics；　and　the　fertility　of　the　soil。

It　is　true　that　Aru　seemed　to　me　exceptionally　poor　in　flowers；　but　this　is　only　an　exaggeration　of　a　general　tropical　feature；　for　my　whole　experience　in　the　equatorial　regions　of　the　west　and　the　east　has　convinced　me；　that　in　the　most　luxuriant　parts　of　the　tropics；　flowers　are　less　abundant；　on　the　average　less　showy；　and　are　far　less　effective　in　adding　colour　to　the　landscape　than　in　temperate　climates。　I　have　never　seen　in　the　tropics　such　brilliant　masses　of　colour　as　even　England　can　show　in　her　furze…clad　commons；　her　heathery　mountain…sides；　her　glades　of　wild　hyacinths；　her　fields　of　poppies；　her　meadows　of　buttercups　and　orchisescarpets　of　yellow；　purple；　azure…blue；　and　fiery　crimson；　which　the　tropics　can　rarely　exhibit。　We；　have　smaller　masses　of　colour　in　our　hawthorn　and　crab　trees；　our　holly　and　mountain…ash；　our　boom；　foxgloves；　primroses；　and　purple　vetches；　which　clothe　with　gay　colours　the　whole　length　and　breadth　of　our　land；　These　beauties　are　all　common。　They　are　characteristic　of　the　country　and　the　climate；　they　have　not　to　be　sought　for；　but　they　gladden　the　eye　at　every　step。　In　the　regions　of　the　equator；　on　the　other　hand；　whether　it　be　forest　or　savannah；　a　sombre　green　clothes　universal　nature。　You　may　journey　for　hours；　and　even　for　days；　and　meet　with　nothing　to　break　the　monotony。　Flowers　are　everywhere　rare；　and　anything　at　all　striking　is　only　to　be　met　with　at　very　distant　intervals。

The　idea　that　nature　exhibits　gay　colours　in　the　tropics；　and　that　the　general　aspect　of　nature　is　there　more　bright　and　varied　in　hue　than　with　us；　has　even　been　made　the　foundation　of　theories　of　art；　and　we　have　been　forbidden　to　use　bright　colours　in　our　garments；　and　in　the　decorations　of　our　dwellings；　because　it　was　supposed　that　we　should　be　thereby　acting　in　opposition　to　the　teachings　of　nature。　The　argument　itself　is　a　very　poor　one；　since　it　might　with　equal　justice　be　maintained；　that　as　we　possess　faculties　for　the　appreciation　of　colours；　we　should　make　up　for　the　deficiencies　of　nature　and　use　the　gayest　tints　in　those　regions　where　the　landscape　is　most　monotonous。　But　the　assumption　on　which　the　argument　is　founded　is　totally　false；　so　that　even　if　the　reasoning　were　valid；　we　need　not　be　afraid　of　outraging　nature；　by　decorating　our　houses　and　our　persons　with　all　those　gay　hues　which　are　so　lavishly　spread　over　our　fields　and　mountains；　our　hedges；　woods；　and　meadows。

It　is　very　easy　to　see　what　has　led　to　this　erroneous　view　of　the　nature　of　tropical　vegetation。　In　our　hothouses　and　at　our　flower…shows　we　gather　together　the　finest　flowering　plants　from　the　most　distant　regions　of　the　earth；　and　exhibit　them　in　a　proximity　to　each　other　which　never　occurs　in　nature。　A　hundred　distinct　plants；　all　with　bright；　or　strange；　or　gorgeous　flowers；　make　a　wonderful　show　when　brought　together；　but　perhaps　no　two　of　these　plants　could　ever　be　seen　together　in　a　state　of　nature；　each　inhabiting　a　distant　region　or　a　different　station。　Again；　all　moderately　warm　extra…European　countries　are　mixed　up　with　the　tropics　in　general　estimation；　and　a　vague　idea　is　formed　that　whatever　is　preeminently　beautiful　must　come　from　the　hottest　parts　of　the　earth。　But　the　fact　is　quite　the　contrary。　Rhododendrons　and　azaleas　are　plants　of　temperate　regions；　the　grandest　lilies　are　from　temperate　Japan；　and　a　large　proportion　of　our　most　showy　flowering　plants　are　natives　of　the　Himalayas；　of　the　Cape；　of　the　United　States；　of　Chili；　or　of　China　and　Japan；　all　temperate　regions。　True；　there　are　a　great　number　of　grand　and　gorgeous　flowers　in　the　tropics；　but　the　proportion　they　bear　to　the　mass　of　the　vegetation　is　exceedingly　small；　so　that　what　appears　an　anomaly　is　nevertheless　a　fact；　and　the　effect　of　flowers　on　the　general　aspect　of　nature　is　far　less　in　the　equatorial　than　in　the　temperate　regions　of　the　earth。

CHAPTER　XXXIV。

NEW　GUINEA。DOREY；

（MARCH　TO　JULY　1858。）

AFTER　my　return　from　Gilolo　to　Ternate；　in　March　1858；　I　made　arrangements　for　my　long…wished…for　voyage　to　the　mainland　of　New　Guinea；　where　I　anticipated　that　my　collections　would　surpass　those　which　I　had　formed　at　the　Aru　Islands。　The　poverty　of　Ternate　in　articles　used　by　Europeans　was　shown；　by　my　searching　in　vain　through　all　the　stores　for　such　common　things　as　flour；　metal　spoons；　wide…mouthed　phials；　beeswax；　a　penknife；　and　a　stone　or　metal　pestle　and　mortar。　I　took　with　me　four　servants：　my　head　man　Ali；　and　a　Ternate　lad　named　Jumaat　（Friday）；　to　shoot；　Lahagi；　a　steady　middle…aged　man；　to　cut　timber　and　assist　me　in　insect…collecting；　and　Loisa；　a　Javanese　cook。　As　I　knew　I　should　have　to　build　a　house　at　Dorey；　where　I　was　going；　I　took　with　me　eighty　cadjans；　or　waterproof　mats；　made　of　pandanus　leaves；　to　cover　over　my　baggage　on　first　landing；　and　to　help　to　roof　my　house　afterwards。

We　started　on　the　25th　of　March　in　the　schooner　Hester　Helena；　belonging　to　my　friend　Mr。　Duivenboden；　and　bound　on　a　trading　voyage　along　the　north　coast　of　New　Guinea。　Having　calms　and　light　airs；　we　were　three　days　reaching　Gane；　near　the　south　end　of　Gilolo；　where　we　stayed　to　fill。　up　our　water…casks　and　buy　a　few　provisions。　We　obtained　fowls；　eggs；　sago；　plantains；　sweet　potatoes；　yellow　pumpkins；　chilies；　fish；　and　dried　deer's　meat；　and　on　the　afternoon　of　the　29th　proceeded　on　our　voyage　to　Dorey　harbour。　We　found　it；　however；　by　no　means　easy　to　get　along；　for　so　near　to　the　equator　the　monsoons　entirely　fail　of　their　regularity；　and　after　passing　the　southern　point　of　Gilolo　we　had　calms；　light　puffs　of　wind；　and　contrary　currents；　which　kept　us　for　five　days　in　sight　of　the　same　islands　between　it　and　Poppa。　A　squall　them　brought　us　on　to　the　entrance　of　Dampier's　Straits；　where　we　were　again　becalmed；　and　were　three　more　days　creeping　through　them。　Several　native　canoes　now　came　off　to　us　from　Waigiou　on　one　side；　and　Batanta　on　the　other；　bringing　a　few　common　shells；　palm…leaf　mats；　cocoa…nuts；　and　pumpkins。　They　were　very　extravagant　in　their　demands；　being　accustomed　to　sell　their　trifles　to　whalers　and　China　ships；　whose　crews　will　purchase　anything　at　ten　times　its　value。　My　only　purchases　were　a　float　belonging　to　a　turtle…spear；　carved　to　resemble　a　bird；　and　a　very　well　made　palm…leaf　box；　for　which　articles　I　gave　a　copper　ring　and　a　yard　of　calico。　The　canoes　were　very　narrow　and　furnished　with　an　outrigger；　and　in　some　of　them　there　was　only　one　man；　who　seemed　to　think　nothing　of　coming　out　alone　eight　or　ten　miles　from　shore。　The　people　were　Papuans；　much　resembling　the　natives　of　Aru。

When　we　had　got　out　of　the　Straits；　and　were　fairly　in　the　great　Pacific　Ocean；　we　had　a　steady　wind　for　the　first　time　since　leaving　Ternate；　but　unfortunately　it　was　dead　ahead；　and　we　had　to　beat　against　it；　tacking　on　and　off　the　coast　of　New　Guinea。　I　looked　with　intense　interest　on　those　rugged　mountains；　retreating　ridge　behind　ridge　into　the　interior；　where　the　foot　of　civilized　man　had　never　trod。　There　was　the　country　of　the　cassowary　and　the　tree…kangaroo；　and　those　dark　forests　produced　the　most　extraordinary　and　the　most　beautiful　of　the　feathered　inhabitants　of　the　earththe　varied　species　of　Birds　of　Paradise。　A　few　days　more　and　I　hoped　to　be　in　pursuit　of　these；　and　of　the　scarcely　less　beautiful　insects　which　accompany　them。　We　had　still；　however；　for　several　days　only　calms　and　light　head…winds；　and　it　was　not　till　the　l0th　of　April　that　a　fine　westerly　breeze　set　in；　followed　by　a　squally　night；　which　kept　us　off　the　entrance　of　Dorey　harbour。　The　next　morning　we　entered；　and　came　to　anchor　off　the　small　island　of　Mansinam；　on　which　dwelt　two　German　missionaries；　Messrs。　Otto　and　Geisler。　The　former　immediately　came　on　board　to　give　us　welcome；　and　invited　us　to　go　on　shore　and　breakfast　with　him。　We　were　then　introduced　to　his　companion　who　was　suffering　dreadfully　from　an　abscess　on　the　heel；　which　had　confined　him　to　the　house　for　six　monthsand　to　his　wife；　a　young　German　woman；　who　had　been　out　only　three　months。　Unfortunately　she　could　speak　no　Malay　or　English；　and　had　to　guess　at　our　compliments　on　her　excellent　breakfast　by　the　justice　we　did　to　it。

These　missionaries　were　working　men；　and　had　been　sent　out；　as　being　more　useful　among　savages　than　persons　of　a　higher　class。　They　had　been　here　about　two　years；　and　Mr。　Otto　had　already　learnt　to　speak　the　Papuan　language　with　fluency；　and　had　begun　translating　some　portions　of　the　Bible。　The　language；　however；　is　so　poor　that　a　considerable　number　of　Malay　words　have　to　be　used；　and　it　is　very　questionable　whether　it　is　possible　to　convey　any　idea　of　such　a　book；　to　a　people　in　so　low　a　state　of　civilization。　The　only　nominal　converts　yet　made　are　a　few　of　the　women；　and　some　few　of　the　children　attend　school；　and　are　being　taught　to　read；　but　they　make　little　progress。　There　is　one　feature　of　this　mission　which　I　believe　will　materially　interfere　with　its　moral　effect。　The　missionaries　are　allowed　to　trade　to　eke　out　the　very　small　salaries　granted　them　from　Europe；　and　of　course　are　obliged　to　carry　out　the　trade　principle　of　buying　cheap　and　selling　dear；　in　order　to　make　a　profit。　Like　all　savages　the　natives　are　quite　careless　of　the　future；　and　when　their　small　rice　crops　are　gathered　they　bring　a　large　portion　of　it　to　the　missionaries；　and　sell　it　for　knives；　beads；　axes；　tobacco；　or　any　other　articles　they　may　require。　A　few　months　later；　in　the　wet　season；　when　food　is　scarce；　they　come　to　buy　it　back　again；　and　give　in　exchange　tortoiseshell；　tripang；　wild　nutmegs；　or　other　produce。　Of　course　the　rice　is　sold　at　a　much　higher　rate　than　it　was　bought；　as　is　perfectly　fair　and　just　and　the　operation　is　on　the　whole　thoroughly　beneficial　to　the　natives；　who　would　otherwise　consume　and　waste　their　food　when　it　was　abundant；　and　then　starveyet　I　cannot　imagine　that　the　natives　see　it　in　this　light。