the malay archipelago-2-第58章

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s　on　my　way；　and　had　come　to　my　assistance；　bringing　a　present　of　cocoa…nuts　and　vegetables。　Being　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　coast；　and　having　several　extra　men　to　assist　us；　he　managed　to　get　the　prau　along　by　rowing；　poling；　or　sailing；　and　by　night　had　brought　us　safely　into　harbour；　a　great　relief　after　our　tedious　and　unhappy　voyage。　We　had　been　already　eight　days　among　the　reefs　and　islands　of　Waigiou；　coming　a　distance　of　about　fifty　miles；　and　it　was　just　forty　days　since　we　had　sailed　from　Goram。

Immediately　on　our　arrival　at　Muka；　I　engaged　a　small　boat　and　three　natives　to　go　in　search　of　my　lost　men；　and　sent　one　of　my　own　men　with　them　to　make　sure　of　their　going　to　the　right　island。　In　ten　days　they　returned；　but　to　my　great　regret　and　disappointment；　without　the　men。　The　weather　had　been　very　bad；　and　though　they　had　reached　an　island　within　sight　of　that　in　which　the　men　were；　they　could　get　no　further。　They　had　waited　there　six　days　for　better　weather；　and　then；　having　no　more　provisions；　and　the　man　I　had　sent　with　them　being　very　ill　and　not　expected　to　live；　they　returned。　As　they　now　knew　the　island；　I　was　determined　they　should　make　another　trial；　and　（by　a　liberal　payment　of　knives；　handkerchiefs；　and　tobacco；　with　plenty　of　provisions）　persuaded　them　to　start　back　immediately；　and　make　another　attempt。　They　did　not　return　again　till　the　29th　of　July；　having　stayed　a　few　days　at　their　own　village　of　Bessir　on　the　way；　but　this　time　they　had　succeeded　and　brought　with　them　my　two　lost　men；　in　tolerable　health；　though　thin　and　weak。　They　had　lived　exactly　a　month　on　the　island　had　found　water；　and　had　subsisted　on　the　roots　and　tender　flower…stalks　of　a　species　of　Bromelia；　on　shell…fish。　and　on　a　few　turtles'　eggs。　Having　swum　to　the　island；　they　had　only　a　pair　of　trousers　and　a　shirt　between　them；　but　had　made　a　hut　of　palm…leaves；　and　had　altogether　got　on　very　well。　They　saw　that　I　waited　for　them　three　days　at　the　opposite　island；　but　had　been　afraid　to　cross；　lest　the　current　should　have　carried　them　out　to　sea；　when　they　would　have　been　inevitably　lost。　They　had　felt　sure　I　would　send　for　them　on　the　first　opportunity；　and　appeared　more　grateful　than　natives　usually　are　for　my　having　done　so；　while　I　felt　much　relieved　that　my　voyage；　though　sufficiently　unfortunate；　had　not　involved　loss　of　life。

CHAPTER　XXXVI。

WAIGIOU。

（JULY　TO　SEPTEMER　1860。）

THE　village　of　Muka；　on　the　south　coast　of　Waigiou；　consists　of　a　number　of　poor　huts；　partly　in　the　water　and　partly　on　shore；　and　scattered　irregularly　over　a　space　of　about　half　a　mile　in　a　shallow　bay。　Around　it　are　a　few　cultivated　patches；　and　a　good　deal　of　second…growth　woody　vegetation；　while　behind；　at　the　distance　of　about　half　a　mile；　rises　the　virgin　forest；　through　which　are　a　few　paths　to　some　houses　and　plantations　a　mile　or　two　inland。　The　country　round　is　rather　flat；　and　in　places　swampy；　and　there　are　one　or　two　small　streams　which　run　behind　the　village　into　the　sea　below　it。　Finding　that　no　house　could　be　had　suitable　to　my　purpose；　and　hawing　so　often　experienced　the　advantages　of　living　close　to　or　just　within　the　forest；　I　obtained　the　assistance　of　half…a…dozen　men；　and　having　selected　a　spot　near　the　path　and　the　stream；　and　close　to　a　fine　fig…　tree；　which　stood　just　within　the　forest；　we　cleared　the　ground　and　set　to　building　a　house。　As　I　did　not　expect　to　stay　here　so　long　as　I　had　done　at　Dorey；　I　built　a　long；　low；　narrow　shed；　about　seven　feet　high　on　one　side　and　four　on　the　other；　which　required　but　little　wood；　and　was　put　up　very　rapidly。　Our　sails；　with　a　few　old　attaps　from　a　deserted　but　in　the　village；　formed　the　walls；　and　a　quantity　of　〃cadjans；〃　or　palm…leaf　mats；　covered　in　the　roof。　On　the　third　day　my　house　was　finished；　and　all　my　things　put　in　and　comfortably　arranged　to　begin　work；　and　I　was　quite　pleased　at　having　got　established　so　quickly　and　in　such　a　nice　situation。

It　had　been　so　far　fine　weather；　but　in　the　night　it　rained　hard；　and　we　found　our　mat　roof　would　not　keep　out　water。　It　first　began　to　drop；　and　then　to　stream　over　everything。　I　had　to　get　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　secure　my　insect…boxes；　rice；　and　other　perishable　articles；　and　to　find　a　dry　place　to　sleep　in；　for　my　bed　was　soaked。　Fresh　leaks　kept　forming　as　the　rain　continued；　and　w　e　all　passed　a　very　miserable　and　sleepless　night。　In　the　morning　the　sun　shone　brightly；　and　everything　was　put　out　to　dry。　We　tried　to　find　out　why　the　mats　leaked；　and　thought　we　had　discovered　that　they　had　been　laid　on　upside　down。　Having　shifted　there　all；　and　got　everything　dry　and　comfortable　by　the　evening；　we　again　went　to　bed；　and　before　midnight　were　again　awaked　by　torrent　of　rain　and　leaks　streaming　in　upon　us　as　bad　as　ever。　There　was　no　more　sleep　for　us　that　night；　and　the　next　day　our　roof　was　again　taken　to　pieces；　and　we　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　fault　was　a　want　of　slope　enough　in　the　roof　for　mats；　although　it　would　be　sufficient　for　the　usual　attap　thatch。　I　therefore　purchased　a　few　new　and　some　old　attaps；　and　in　the　parts　these　would　not　cover　we　put　the　mats　double；　and　then　at　last　had　the　satisfaction　of　finding　our　roof　tolerably　water…tight。

I　was　now　able　to　begin　working　at　the　natural　history　of　the　island。　When　I　first　arrived　I　was　surprised　at　being　told　that　there　were　no　Paradise　Birds　at　Muka；　although　there　were　plenty　at　Bessir；　a　place　where　the　natives　caught　them　and　prepared　the　skins。　I　assured　the　people　I　had　heard　the　cry　of　these　birds　close　to　the　village；　but　they　world　not　believe　that　I　could　know　their　cry。　However；　the　very　first　time　I　went　into　the　forest　I　not　only　heard　but　saw　them；　and　was　convinced　there　were　plenty　about；　but　they　were　very　shy；　and　it　was　some　time　before　we　got　any。　My　hunter　first　shot　a　female；　and　I　one　day　got　very　close　to　a　fine　male。　He　was；　as　I　expected；　the　rare　red　species；　Paradisea　rubra；　which　alone　inhabits　this　island；　and　is　found　nowhere　else。　He　was　quite　low　down；　running　along　a　bough　searching　for　insects；　almost　like　a　woodpecker；　and　the　long　black　riband…like　filaments　in　his　tail　hung　down　in　the　most　graceful　double　curve　imaginable。　I　covered　him　with　my　gun；　and　was　going　to　use　the　barrel　which　had　a　very　small　charge　of　powder　and　number　eight　shot；　so　as　not　to　injure　his　plumage；　but　the　gun　missed　fire；　and　he　was　off　in　an　instant　among　the　thickest　jungle。　Another　day　we　saw　no　less　than　eight　fine　males　at　different　times；　and　fired　four　times　at　them；　but　though　other　birds　at　the　same　distance　almost　always　dropped；　these　all　got　away；　and　I　began　to　think　we　were　not　to　get　this　magnificent　species。　At　length　the　fruit　ripened　on　the　fig…tree　close　by　my　house；　and　many　birds　came　to　feed　on　it；　and　one　morning；　as　I　was　taking　my　coffee；　a　male　Paradise　Bird　was　seen　to　settle　on　its　top。　I　seized　my　gun；　ran　under　the　tree；　and；　gazing　up；　could　see　it　flying　across　from　branch　to　branch；　seizing　a　fruit　here　and　another　there；　and　then；　before　I　could　get　a　sufficient　aim　to　shoot　at　such　a　height　（for　it　was　one　of　the　loftiest　trees　of　the　tropics）；　it　was　away　into　the　forest。　They　now　visited　the　tree　every　morning；　but　they　stayed　so　short　a　time；　their　motions　were　so　rapid；　and　it　was　so　difficult　to　see　them；　owing　to　the　lower　trees；　which　impeded　the　view；　that　it　was　only　after　several　days'　watching；　and　one　or　two　misses；　that　I　brought　down　my　birda　male　in　the　most　magnificent　plumage。

This　bird　differs　very　much　from　the　two　large　species　which　I　had　already　obtained；　and；　although　it　wants　the　grace　imparted　by　their　long　golden　trains；　is　in　many　respects　more　remarkable　and　more　beautiful。　The　head；　back；　and　shoulders　are　clothed　with　a　richer　yellow；　the　deep　metallic　green　colour　of　the　throat　extends　further　over　the　head；　and　the　feathers　are　elongated　on　the　forehead　into　two　little　erectile　crests。　The　side　plumes　are　shorter；　but　are　of　a　rich　red　colour；　terminating　in　delicate　white　points；　and　the　middle　tail…　feathers　are　represented　by　two　long　rigid　glossy　ribands；　which　are　black；　thin；　and　semi…cylindrical；　and　droop　gracefully　in　a　spiral　curve。　Several　other　int