the malay archipelago-2-第17章

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　secure　in　every　wind。　Having　eaten　nothing　since　the　previous　morning；　we　cooked　our　breakfast　comfortably　on　shore；　and　left　about　noon；　coasting　along　the　two　islands　of　this　group；　which　lie　in　the　same　line；　and　are　separated　by　a　narrow　channel。　Both　seem　entirely　formed　of　raised　coral　rock；　but　them　has　been　a　subsequent　subsidence；　as　shaven　by　the　barrier　reef　which　extends　all　along　them　at　varying　distances　from　the　shore；　This　reef　is　sometimes　only　marked　by　a。　line　of　breakers　when　there　is　a　little　swell　on　the　sea；　in　other　places　there　is　a　ridge　of　dead　coral　above　the　water；　which　is　here　and　there　high　enough　to　support　a　few　low　bushes。　This　was　the　first　example　I　had　met　with　of　a　true　barrier　reef　due　to　subsidence；　as　has　been　so　clearly　shown　by　Mr。　Darwin。　In　a　sheltered　archipelago　they　will　seldom　be　distinguishable；　from　the　absence　of　those　huge　rolling　waves　and　breakers　which　in　the　wide　ocean　throw　up　a　barrier　of　broken　coral　far　above　the　usual　high…water　mark；　while　here　they　rarely　rise　to　the　surface。

On　reaching　the　end　of　the　southern　island；　called　Uta；　we　were　kept　waiting　two　days　for　a　wind　that　would　enable　us　to　pass　over　to　the　next　island；　Teor；　and　I　began　to　despair　of　ever　reaching　Ke；　and　determined　on　returning。　We　left　with　a　south　wind；　which　suddenly　changed　to　north…east；　and　induced　me　to　turn　again　southward　in　the　hopes　that　this　was　the　commencement　of　a　few　days'　favourable　weather。　We　sailed　on　very　well　in　the　direction　of　Teor　for　about　an　hour；　after　which　the　wind　shifted　to　WSW。；　and　we　were　driven　much　out　of　our　course；　and　at　nightfall　found　ourselves　in　the　open　sea；　and　full　ten　miles　to　leeward　of　our　destination。　My　men　were　now　all　very　much　frightened；　for　if　we　went　on　we　might　be　a。　week　at　sea　in　our　little　open　boat；　laden　almost　to　the　water's　edge；　or　we　might　drift　on　to　the　coast　of　New　Guinea；　in　which　case　we　should　most　likely　all　be　murdered。　I　could　not　deny　these　probabilities；　and　although　I　showed　them　that　we　could　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　i