the malay archipelago-2-第50部分

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the　lower　harbour。　Just　as　we　were　congratulating　ourselves　on　having　at　last　reached　it；　a　strong　south…east　squall　carne　on；　blowing　us　back；　and　rendering　it　impossible　for　us　to　enter。　Not　liking　the　idea　of　again　returning；　I　determined　on　trying　to　anchor；　and　succeeded　in　doing　so；　in　very　deep　water　and　close　to　the　reefs；　but　the　prevailing　winds　were　such　that；　should　we　not　hold；　we　should　have　no　difficulty　in　getting　out　to　sea。　By　the　time　the　squall　had　passed；　the　current　had　turned　against　us；　and　we　expected　to　have　to　wait　till　four　in　the　afternoon；　when　we　intended　to　enter　the　harbour。

Now；　however；　came　the　climax　of　our　troubles。　The　swell　produced　by　the　squall　made　us　jerk　our　cable　a　good　deal；　and　it　suddenly　snapped　low　down　in　the　water。　We　drifted　out　to　sea；　and　immediately　set　our　mainsail；　but　we　were　now　without　any　anchor；　and　in　a　vessel　so　poorly　manned　that　it　could　not　be　rowed　against　the　most　feeble　current　or　the　slightest　wind；　it　word　be　madness　to　approach　these　dangerous　shores　except　in　the　most　perfect　calm。　We　had　also　only　three　days'　food　left。　It　was　therefore　out　of　the　question　making　any　further　attempts　to　get　round　the　point　without　assistance；　and　I　at　once　determined　to　run　to　the　village　of　Gani…diluar；　about　ten　miles　further　north；　where　we　understood　there　was　a　good　harbour；　and　where　we　might　get　provisions　and　a　few　more　rowers。　Hitherto　winds　and　currents　load　invariably　opposed　our　passage　southward；　and　we　might　have　expected　them　to　be　favourable　to　us　now　we　had　turned　our　bowsprit　in　an　opposite　direction。　But　it　immediately　fell　calm；　and　then　after　a　time　a　westerly　land　breeze　set　in；　which　would　not　serve　us；　and　we　had　to　row　again　for　hours；　and　when　night　came　had　not　reached　the　village。　We　were　so　fortunate；　however；　as　to　find　a　deep　sheltered　cove　where　the　water　was　quite　smooth；　and　we　constructed　a　temporary　anchor　by　filling　a　sack　with　stones　from　our　ballast；　which　being　well　secured　by　a　network　of　rattans　held　us　safely　during　the　night。　The　next　morning　my　men　went　on　shore　to　cut　wood　suitable　for　making　fresh　anchors；　and　about　noon；　the　current　turning　in　our　favour；　we　proceeded　to　the　village；　where　we　found　an　excellent　and　well…protected　anchorage。

On　inquiry；　we　found　that　the　head　men　resided　at　the　other　Gani　on　the　western　side　of　the　peninsula；　and　it　was　necessary　to　send　messengers　across　（about　half　a　day's　journey）　to　inform　them　of　my　arrival；　and　to　beg　them　to　assist　me。　I　then　succeeded　in　buying　a　little　sago；　some　dried　deer…meat　and　cocoa…nuts；　which　at　once　relieved　our　immediate　want　of　something　to　eat。　At　night　we　found　our　bag　of　atones　still　held　us　very　well；　and　we　slept　tranquilly。

The　next　day　（October　12th）；　my　men　set　to　work　making　anchors　and　oars。　The　native　Malay　anchor　is　ingeniously　constructed　of　a　piece　of　tough　forked　timber；　the　fluke　being　strengthened　by　twisted　rattans　binding　it　to　the　stem；　while　the　cross…piece　is　formed　of　a　long　flat　stone；　secured　in　the　same　manner。　These　anchors　when　well　made；　hold　exceedingly　arm；　and；　owing　to　the　expense　of　iron；　are　still　almost　universally　used　on　board　the　smaller　praus。　In　the　afternoon　the　head　men　arrived；　and　promised　me　as　many　rowers　as　I　could　put　on　the　prau；　and　also　brought　me　a　few　eggs　and　a　little　rice；　which　were　very　acceptable。　On　the　14th　there　was　a　north　wind　all　day；　which　would　have　been　invaluable　to　us　a　few　days　earlier；　but　which　was　now　only　tantalizing。　On　the　16th；　all　being　ready；　we　started　at　daybreak　with　two　new　anchors　and　ten　rowers；　who　understood　their　work。　By　evening　we　had　come　more　than　half…way　to　the　point；　and　anchored　for　the　night　in　a　small　bay。　At　three　the　next　morning　I　ordered　the　anchor　up；　but　the　rattan　cable　parted　close　to　the　bottom；　having　been　chafed　by　rocks；　and　we　then　lost　our　third　anchor　on　this　unfortunate　voyage。　The　day　was　calm；　and　by　noon　we　passed　the　southern　point　of　Gilolo；　which　had　delayed　us　eleven　days；　whereas　the　whole　voyage　during　this　monsoon　should　not　have　occupied　more　than　half　that　time。　Having　got　round　the　point　our　course　was　exactly　in　the　opposite　direction　to　what　it　had　been；　and　now；　as　usual；　the　wind　changed　accordingly；　coming　from　the　north　and　north…west；so　that　we　still　had　to　row　every　mile　up　to　the　village　of　Gani；　which　we　did　not　reach　till　the　evening　of　the　18th。　A　Bugis　trader　who　was　residing　there；　and　the　Senaji；　or　chief；　were　very　kind；　the　former　assisting　me　with　a　spare　anchor　and　a　cable；　and　making　me　a　present　of　some　vegetables；　and　the　latter　baking　fresh　sago　cakes　for　my　men；　and　giving　rue　a　couple　of　fowls；　a　bottle　of　oil；　and　some　pumpkins。　As　the　weather　was　still　very　uncertain；　I　got　four　extra　men　to　accompany　me　to　Ternate；　for　which　place　we　started　on　the　afternoon　of　the　20th。

We　had　to　keep　rowing　all　night；　the　land　breezes　being　too　weak　to　enable　us　to　sail　against　the　current。　During　the　afternoon　of　the　21st　we　had　an　hour's　fair　wind；　which　soon　changed　into　a　heavy　squall　with　rain；　and　my　clumsy　men　let　the　mainsail　get　taken　aback　and　nearly　upset　us；　tearing　the　sail；　and；　what　was　worse；　losing　an　hour's　fair　wind。　The　night　was　calm；　and　we　made　little　progress。

On　the　22d　we　had　light　head…winds。　A　little　before　noon　we　passed；　with　the　assistance　of　our　oars；　the　Paciencia　Straits；　the　narrowest　part　of　the　channel　between　Batchian　and　Gilolo。　These　were　well　named　by　the　early　Portuguese　navigators；　as　the　currents　are　very　strong；　and　there　are　so　many　eddies；　that　even　with　a　fair　wind　vessels　are　often　quite　unable　to　pass　through　them。　In　the　afternoon　a　strong　north　wind　（dead　ahead）　obliged　us　to　anchor　twice。　At　nigh　it　was　calm；　and　we　crept　along　slowly　with　our　oars。

On　the　23d　we　still　had　the　wind　ahead；　or　calms。　We　then　crossed　over　again　to　the　mainland　of　Gilolo　by　the　advice　of　our　Gani　men；　who　knew　the　coast　well。　Just　as　we　got　across　we　had　another　northerly　squall　with　rain；　and　had　to　anchor　on　the　edge　of　a　coral　reef　for　the　night。　I　called　up　my　men　about　three　on　the　morning　of　the　24th；　but　there　was　no　wind　to　help　us；　and　we　rowed　along　slowly。　At　daybreak　there　was　a　fair　breeze　from　the　south；　but　it　lasted　only　an　hour。　All　the　rest　of　the　day　we　had　nothing　but　calms；　light　winds　ahead；　and　squalls；　and　made　very　little　progress。

On　the　25th　we　drifted　out　to　the　middle　of　the　channel；　but　made　no　progress　onward。　In　the　afternoon　we　sailed　and　rowed　to　the　south　end　of　Kaióa；　and　by　midnight　reached　the　village。　I　determined　to　stay　here　a　few　days　to　rest　and　recruit；　and　in　hopes　of　getting　better　weather。　I　bought　some　onions　and　other　vegetables；　and　plenty　of　eggs；　and　my　men　baked　fresh　sago　cakes。　I　went　daily　to　my　old　hunting…ground　in　search　of　insects；　but　with　very　poor　success。　It　was　now　wet；　squally　weather；　and　there　appeared　a　stagnation　of　insect　life。　We　Staved　five　days；　during　which　time　twelve　persons　died　in　the　village；　mostly　from　simple　intermittent　fever；　of　the　treatment　of　which　the　natives　are　quite　ignorant。　During　the　whole　of　this　voyage　I　had　suffered　greatly　from　sunburnt　lips；　owing　to　having　exposed　myself　on　deck　all　day　to　loon　after　our　safety　among　the　shoals　and　reefs　near　Waigiou。　The　salt　in　the　air　so　affected　them　that　they　would　not　heal；　but　became　excessively　painful；　and　bled　at　the　slightest　touch；　and　for　a　long　time　it　was　with　great　difficulty　I　could　eat　at　all；　being　obliged　to　open　my　mouth　very　wide；　and　put　in　each　mouthful　with　the　greatest　caution。　I　kept　them　constantly　covered　with　ointment；　which　was　itself　very　disagreeable；　and　they　caused　me　almost　constant　pain　for　more　than　a　month；　as　they　did　not　get　well　till　I　had　returned　to　Ternate；　and　was　able　to　remain　a　week　indoors。

A　boat　which　left　for　Ternate；　the　day　after　we　arrived；　was　obliged　to　return　the　next　day；　on　account　of　bad　weather。　On　the　31st　we　went　out　to　the　anchorage　at　the　mouth　of　the　harbour；　so　as　to　be　ready　to　start　at　the　first　favourable　opportunity。

On　the　1st　of　November　I　called　up　my　men　at　one　in　the　morning；　and　we　started　with　the　tide　in　our　favour。　Hitherto　it　had　usually　been　calm　at　night；　but　on　this　occasion　we　had　a　strong　westerly　squall　with　rain；　which　turned　our　prau　broadside；　and　obliged　us　to　anchor。　When　it　had　passed　we　went　on　rowing　all　night；　but　the　wind　ahead　counteracted　the　current　in　our　favour；　and　we　advanced　but　little。　Soon　after　sunrise　the　wind　became　stronger　and　more　adverse；　and　as　we　had　a　dangerous　lee…shore　which　we　could　not　clear；　we　had　to　put　about　and　get　an　offing　to　the　W。S。W。　This　series　of　contrary　winds　and　bad　weather　ever　since　we　started；　not　having　had　a　single　day　of　fair　wind；　was　very　remarkable。　My　men　firmly　believed　there　was　something　unlucky　in　the　boat；　and　told　me　I　ought　to　have　had　a　certain　ceremony　gone　through　before　starting；　consisting　of　boring　a　hole　in　the　bottom　and　pouring　some　kind　of　holy　oil　through　it。　It　must　be　remembered　that　this　was　the　season　of　the　south…east　monsoon；　and　yet　we　had　not　had　even　half　a　day's　south…east　wind　since　we　left　Waigiou。　Contrary　winds；　squalls；　and　currents　drifted　us　about　the　rest　of　the　day　at　their　pleasure。　The　night　was　equally　squally　and　changeable；　and　kept　us　hard　at　work　taking　in　and　making　sail；　and　rowing　in　the　intervals。

Sunrise　on　the　2d　found　us　in　the　middle　of　the　ten…mile　channel　between　Kaióa　and　Makian。　Squalls　and　showers　succeeded　each　other　during　the　morning。　At　noon　there　was　a　dead　calm；　after　which　a　light　westerly　breeze　enabled　us　to　reach　a　village　on　Makian　in　the　evening。　Here　I　bought　some　pumelos　（Citrus　decumana）；　kanary…nuts；　and　coffee；　and　let　my　men　have　a　night's　sleep。

The　morning　of　the　3d　was　fine；　and　we　rowed　slowly　along　the　coast　of　Makian。　The　captain　of　a　small　prau　at　anchor；　seeing　me　on　deck　and　guessing　who　I　was；　made　signals　for　us　to　stop；　and　brought　me　a　letter　from　Charles　Allen；　who　informed　me　he　had　been　at　Ternate　twenty　days；　and　was　anxiously　waiting　my　arrival。　This　was　good　news；　as　I　was　equally　anxious　about　him；　and　it　cheered　up　my　spirits。　A　light　southerly　wind　now　sprung　up；　and　we　thought　we　were　going