the malay archipelago-1-第78章
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the house （running so quick that the creature seemed quite confounded）； and tried to strike its head against a tree。 He missed however； and let go； and the snake got under a dead trunk close by。 It was again poked out； and again the Bourn man caught hold of its tail； and running away quickly dashed its head with a swing against a tree； and it was then easily killed with a hatchet。 It was about twelve feet long and very thick； capable of doing much mischief and of swallowing a dog or a child。
I did not get a great many birds here。 The most remarkable were the fine crimson lory； Eos rubraa brush…tongued parroquet of a vivid crimson colour； which was very abundant。 Large flocks of them came about the plantation； and formed a magnificent object when they settled down upon some flowering tree； on the nectar of which lories feed。 I also obtained one or two specimens of the fine racquet…tailed kingfisher of Amboyna； Tanysiptera nais； one of the most singular and beautiful of that beautiful family。 These birds differ from all other kingfishers （which have usually short tails） by having the two middle tail…feathers immensely lengthened and very narrowly webbed； but terminated by a spoon… shaped enlargement； as in the motmots and some of the humming… birds。 They belong to that division of the family termed king… hunters； living chiefly on insects and small land…molluscs； which they dart down upon and pick up from the ground； just as a kingfisher picks a fish out of the water。 They are confined to a very limited area； comprising the Moluccas； New Guinea and Northern Australia。 About ten species of these birds are now known； all much resembling each other； but yet sufficiently distinguishable in every locality。 The Amboynese species； of which a very accurate representation is here given； is one of the largest and handsomest。 It is full seventeen inches long to the tips of the tail…feathers； the bill is coral red； the under… surface pure white； the back and wings deep purple； while the shoulders； head and nape； and some spots on the upper part of the back and wings； are pure azure blue； the tail is white； with the feathers narrowly blue…edged； but the narrow part of the long feathers is rich blue。 This was an entirely new species； and has been well named after an ocean goddess； by Mr。 R。 G。 Gray。
On Christmas eve I returned to Amboyna； where I stayed about ten days with my kind friend Dr。 Mohnike。 Considering that I had been away only twenty days； and that on five or six of those I was prevented doing any thing by wet weather and slight attacks of fever； I had made a very nice collection of insects； comprising a much larger proportion of large and brilliant species than I had ever before obtained in so short a time。 Of the beautiful metallic Buprestidae I had about a dozen handsome species； yet in the doctor's collection I observed four or five more very fine ones； so that Amboyna is unusually rich in this elegant group。
During my stay here I had a good opportunity of seeing how Europeans live in the Dutch colonies； and where they have adopted customs far more in accordance with the climate than we have done in our tropical possessions。 Almost all business is transacted in the morning between the hours of seven and twelve； the afternoon being given up to repose； and the evening to visiting。 When in the house during the heat of the day； and even at dinner； they use a loose cotton dress； only putting on a suit of thin European…made clothes for out of doors and evening wear。 They often walk about after sunset bareheaded； reserving the black hat for visits of ceremony。 Life is thus made far more agreeable； and the fatigue and discomfort incident to the climate greatly diminished。 Christmas day is not made much of； but on New Year's day official and complimentary visits are paid； and about sunset we went to the Governor's； where a large party of ladies and gentlemen were assembled。 Tea and coffee were handed around； as is almost universal during a visit； as well as cigars； for on no occasion is smoking prohibited in Dutch colonies； cigars being generally lighted before the cloth is withdrawn at dinner； even though half the company are ladies。 I here saw for the first time the rare black lory from New Guinea； Chalcopsitta atra。 The plumage is rather glossy； and slightly tinged with yellowish and purple； the bill and feet being entirely black。
The native Amboynese who reside in the city are a strange half… civilized； half…savage lazy people； who seem to be a mixture of at least three racesPortuguese； Malay； and Papuan or Ceramese； with an occasional cross of Chinese or Dutch。 The Portuguese element decidedly predominates in the old Christian population； as indicated by features； habits； and the retention of many Portuguese words in the Malay； which is now their language。 They have a peculiar style of dress which they wear among themselves； a close…fitting white shirt with black trousers； and a black frock or upper shirt。 The women seem to prefer a dress entirely black。 On festivals and state occasions they adopt the swallow… tail coat； chimneypot hat； and their accompaniments； displaying all the absurdity of our European fashionable dress。 Though now Protestants； they preserve at feasts and weddings the processions and music of the Catholic Church； curiously mixed up with the gongs and dances of the aborigines of the country。 Their language has still much more Portuguese than Dutch in it； although they have been in close communication with the latter nation for more than two hundred and fifty years； even many names of birds； trees and other natural objects； as well as many domestic terms； being plainly Portuguese。 ＇The following are a few of the Portuguese words in common use by the Malay…speaking natives of Amboyna and the other Molucca islands： Pombo （pigeon）； milo （maize）； testa （forehead）； horas （hours）； alfinete （pin）； cadeira （chair）； lenco （handkerchief）； fresco （cool）； trigo （flour）； sono （sloop）； familia （family）； histori （talk）； vosse （you）； mesmo （even）； cunhado （brother…in…law）； senhor （sir）； nyora for signora （madam）。 None of them； however； have the least notion that these words belong to a European language。＇ This people seems to have had a marvellous power of colonization； and a capacity for impressing their national characteristics on every country they conquered； or in which they effected a merely temporary settlement。 In a suburb of Amboyna there is a village of aboriginal Malays who are Mahometans； and who speak a peculiar language allied to those of Ceram； as well as Malay。 They are chiefly fishermen； and are said to be both more industrious and more honest than the native Christians。
I went on Sunday； by invitation； to see a collection of shells and fish made by a gentleman of Amboyna。 The fishes are perhaps unrivalled for variety and beauty by those of any one spot on the earth。 The celebrated Dutch ichthyologist； Dr。 Blecker； has given a catalogue of seven hundred and eighty species found at Amboyna； a number almost equal to those of all the seas and rivers of Europe。 A large proportion of them are of the most brilliant colours； being marked with bands and spots of the purest yellows； reds； and blues； while their forms present all that strange and endless variety so characteristic of the inhabitants of the ocean。 The shells are also very numerous； and comprise a number of the finest species in the world。 The Mactras and Ostreas in particular struck me by the variety and beauty of their colours。 Shells have long been an object of traffic in Amboyna； many of the natives get their living by collecting and cleaning them； and almost every visitor takes away a small collection。 The result is that many of the commoner…sorts have lost all value in the eyes of the amateur； numbers of the handsome but very common cones； cowries； and olives sold in the streets of London for a penny each； being natives of the distant isle of Amboyna； where they cannot be bought so cheaply。 The fishes in the collection were all well preserved in clear spirit in hundreds of glass jars； and the shells were arranged in large shallow pith boxes lined with paper； every specimen being fastened down with thread。 I roughly estimated that there were nearl
