the malay archipelago-2-第8章

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Malays。　Some　national　customs　are　retained；　and　the　Malay；　which　is　their　only　language；　contains　a　large　number　of　Portuguese　words　and　idioms。　The　third　race　consists　of　the　Galela　men　from　the　north　of　Gilolo；　a　singular　people；　whom　I　have　already　described；　and　the　fourth　is　a　colony　from　Tomóre；　in　the　eastern　peninsula　of　Celebes。　These　people　were　brought　here　at　their　own　request　a　few　years　ago；　to　avoid　extermination　by　another　tribe。　They　have　a　very　light　complexion；　open　Tartar　physiognomy；　low　stature；　and　a　language　of　the　Bugis　type。　They　are　an　industrious　agricultural　people；　and　supply　the　town　with　vegetables。　They　make　a　good　deal　of　bark　cloth；　similar　to　the　tapa　of　the　Polynesians；　by　cutting　down　the　proper　trees　and　taping　off　large　cylinders　of　bark；　which　is　beaten　with　mallets　till　it　separates　from　the　wood。　It　is　then　soaked；　and　so　continuously　and　regularly　beaten　out　that　it　becomes　as　thin　and　as　tough　as　parchment。　In　this　foam　it　is　much　used　for　wrappers　for　clothes；　and　they　also　make　jackets　of　it；　sewn　neatly　together　and　stained　with　the　juice　of　another　kind　of　bark；　which　gives　it　a　dark　red　colour　and　renders　it　nearly　waterproof。

Here　are　four　very　distinct　kinds　of　people　who　may　all　be　seen　any　day　in　and　about　the　town　of　Batchian。　Now　if　we　suppose　a　traveller　ignorant　of　Malay；　picking　up　a　word　or　two　here　and　there　of　the　〃Batchian　language；〃　and　noting　down　the　〃physical　and　moral　peculiarities；　manners；　and　customs　of　the　Batchian　people〃（for　there　are　travellers　who　do　all　this　in　four…and…　twenty　hours）what　an　accurate　and　instructive　chapter　we　should　have'　what　transitions　would　be　pointed　out；　what　theories　of　the　origin　of　races　would　be　developed　while　the　next　traveller　might　flatly　contradict　every　statement　and　arrive　at　exactly　opposite　conclusions。

Soon　after　I　arrived　here　the　Dutch　Government　introduced　a　new　copper　coinage　of　cents　instead　of　doits　（the　100th　instead　of　the　120th　part　of　a　guilder）；　and　all　the　old　coins　were　ordered　to　be　sent　to　Ternate　to　be　changed。　I　sent　a　bag　containing　6；000　doits；　and　duly　received　the　new　money　by　return　of　the　boat。　Then　Ali　went　to　bring　it；　however；　the　captain　required　a　written　order；　so　I　waited　to　send　again　the　next　day；　and　it　was　lucky　I　did　so；　for　that　night　my　house　was　entered；　all　my　boxes　carried　out　and　ransacked；　and　the　various　articles　left　on　the　road　about　twenty　yards　off；　where　we　found　them　at　five　in　the　morning；　when；　on　getting　up　and　finding　the　house　empty；　we　rushed　out　to　discover　tracks　of　the　thieves。　Not　being　able　to　find　the　copper　money　which　they　thought　I　had　just　received；　they　decamped；　taking　nothing　but　a　few　yards　of　cotton　cloth　and　a　black　coat　and　trousers；　which　latter　were　picked　up　a　few　days　afterwards　hidden　in　the　grass。　There　was　no　doubt　whatever　who　were　the　thieves。　Convicts　are　employed　to　guard　the　Government　stores　when　the　boat　arrives　from　Ternate。　Two　of　them　watch　all　night；　and　often　take　the　opportunity　to　roam　about　and　commit　robberies。

The　next　day　I　received　my　money；　and　secured　it　well　in　a　strong　box　fastened　under　my　bed。　I　took　out　five　or　six　hundred　cents　for　daily　expenses；　and　put　them　in　a　small　japanned　box；　which　always　stood　upon　my　table。　In　the　afternoon　I　went　for　a　short　walk；　and　on　my　return　this　box　and　my　keys；　which　I　had　carelessly　left　on　the　table；　were　gone。　Two　of　my　boys　were　in　the　house；　but　had　heard　nothing。　I　immediately　gave　information　of　the　two　robberies　to　the　Director　at　the　mines　and　to　the　Commandant　at　the　fort；　and　got　for　answer；　that　if　I　caught　the　thief　in　the　act　I　might　shoot　him。　By　inquiry　in　the　village；　we　afterwards　found　that　one　of　the　convicts　who　was　on　duty　at　the　Government　rice…store　in　the　village　had　quitted　his　guard；　was　seen　to　pass　over　the　bridge　towards　my　house；　was　seen　again　within　two　hundred　yards　of　my　house；　and　on　returning　over　the　bridge　into　the　village　carried　something　under　his　arm；　carefully　covered　with　his　sarong。　My　box　was　stolen　between　the　hours　he　was　seen　going　and　returning；　and　it　was　so　small　as　to　be　easily　carried　in　the　way　described。　This　seemed　pretty　clear　circumstantial　evidence。　I　accused　the　man　and　brought　the　witnesses　to　the　Commandant。　The　man　was　examined；　and　confessed　having　gone　to　the　river　close　to　my　house　to　bathe；　but　said　he　had　gone　no　farther；　having　climbed　up　a　cocoa…nut　tree　and　brought　home　two　nuts；　which　he　had　covered　over；　_because　he　was　ashamed　to　be　seen　carrying　them！_　This　explanation　was　thought　satisfactory；　and　he　was　acquitted。　I　lost　my　cash　and　my　box；　a　seal　I　much　valued；　with　other　small　articles；　and　all　my　keys…　the　severest　loss　by　far。　Luckily　my　large　cash…box　was　left　locked；　but　so　were　others　which　I　required　to　open　immediately。　There　was；　however；　a　very　clever　blacksmith　employed　to　do　ironwork　for　the　mines；　and　he　picked　my　locks　for　me　when　I　required　them；　and　in　a　few　days　made　me　new　keys；　which　I　used　all　the　time　I　was　abroad。

Towards　the　end　of　November　the　wet　season　set　in；　and　we　had　daily　and　almost　incessant　rains；　with　only　about　one　or　two　hours'　sunshine　in　the　morning。　The　flat　parts　of　the　forest　became　flooded；　the　roads　filled　with　mud；　and　insects　and　birds　were　scarcer　than　ever。　On　December　Lath；　in　the　afternoon；　we　had　a　sharp　earthquake　shock；　which　made　the　house　and　furniture　shale　and　rattle　for　five　minutes；　and　the　trees　and　shrubs　wave　as　if　a　gust　of　wind　had　passed　over　them。　About　the　middle　of　December　I　removed　to　the　village；　in　order　more　easily　to　explore　the　district　to　the　west　of　it；　and　to　be　near　the　sea　when　I　wished　to　return　to　Ternate。　I　obtained　the　use　of　a　good…　sized　house　in　the　Campong　Sirani　（or　Christian　village）；　and　at　Christmas　and　the　New　Year　had　to　endure　the　incessant　gun…　firing；　drum…beating；　and　fiddling　of　the　inhabitants。

These　people　are　very　fond　of　music　and　dancing；　and　it　would　astonish　a　European　to　visit　one　of　their　assemblies。　We　enter　a　gloomy　palm…leaf　hut；　in　which　two　or　three　very　dim　lamps　barely　render　darkness　visible。　The　floor　is　of　black　sandy　earth；　the　roof　hid　in　a　smoky　impenetrable　blackness；　two　or　three　benches　stand　against　the　walls；　and　the　orchestra　consists　of　a　fiddle；　a　fife；　a　drum；　and　a　triangle。　There　is　plenty　of　company；　consisting　of　young　men　and　women；　all　very　neatly　dressed　in　white　and　blacka　true　Portuguese　habit。　Quadrilles；　waltzes；　polkas；　and　mazurkas　are　danced　with　great　vigour　and　much　skill。　The　refreshments　are　muddy　coffee　and　a　few　sweetmeats。　Dancing　is　kept　up　for　hours；　and　all　is　conducted　with　much　decorum　and　propriety。　A　party　of　this　kind　meets　about　once　a　week；　the　principal　inhabitants　taking　it　by　turns；　and　all　who　please　come　in　without　much　ceremony。

It　is　astonishing　how　little　these　people　have　altered　in　three　hundred　years；　although　in　that　time　they　have　changed　their　language　and　lost　all　knowledge　of　their　own　nationality。　They　are　still　in　manners　and　appearance　almost　pure　Portuguese；　very　similar　to　those　with　whom　I　had　become　acquainted　on　the　banks　of　the　Amazon。　They　live　very　poorly　as　regards　their　house　and　furniture；　but　preserve　a　semi…European　dress；　and　have　almost　all　full　suits　of　black　for　Sundays。　They　are　nominally　Protestants；　but　Sunday　evening　is　their　grand　day　for　music　and　dancing。　The　men　are　often　good　hunters；　and　two　or　three　times　a　week；　deer　or　wild　pigs　are　brought　to　the　village；　which；　with　fish　and　fowls；　enables　them　to　live　well。　They　are　almost　the　only　people　in　the　Archipelago　who　eat　the　great　fruit…eating　bats　called　by　us　〃flying　foxes。〃　These　ugly　creatures　are　considered　a　great　delicacy；　and　are　much　sought　after。　At　about　the　beginning　of　the　year　they　come　in　large　flocks　to　eat　fruit；　and　congregate　during　the　day　on　some　small　islands　in　the　bay；　hanging　by　thousands　on　the　trees；　especially　on　dead　ones。　They　can　then　be　easily　caught　or　knocked　down　with　sticks；　and　are　brought　home　by　basketsfull。　They　require　to　be　carefully　prepared；　as　the　skin　and　fur　has　a　rank　end　powerful　foxy　odour；　but　they　are　generally　cooked　with　abundance　of　spices　and　condiments；　and　are　really　very　goo