Rattans From Borneo, Sandal-Wood
And Bees'-Was From Flores And Timor, Tripang From The Gulf Of
Carpentaria, Cajputi-Oil
From Bouru, wild nutmegs and mussoi-bark
from New Guinea, are all to be found in the stores of the
Chinese
and Bugis merchants of Macassar, along with the rice and coffee
which are the chief products of the surrounding country. More
important than all these however is the trade to Aru, a group of
islands situated on the south-west coast of New Guinea, and of
which almost the whole produce comes to Macassar in native
vessels. These islands are quite out of the track of all European
trade, and are inhabited only by black mop-headed savages, who
yet contribute to the luxurious tastes of the most civilized
races. Pearls, mother-of-pearl, and tortoiseshell find their way
to Europe, while edible birds' nests and "tripang" or sea-slug
are obtained by shiploads for the gastronomic enjoyment of the
Chinese.
The trade to these islands has existed from very early times, and
it is from them that Birds of Paradise, of the two kinds known to
Linnaeus were first brought The native vessels can only make the
voyage once a year, owing to the monsoons. They leave Macassar in
December or January at the beginning of the west monsoon, and
return in July or August with the full strength of the east
monsoon. Even by the Macassar people themselves, the voyage to
the Aru Islands is looked upon as a rather wild and romantic
expedition, fall of novel sights and strange adventures. He who
has made it is looked up to as an authority, and it remains with
many the unachieved ambition of their lives. I myself had hoped
rather than expected ever to reach this "Ultima Thule" of the
East: and when I found that I really could do so now, had I but
courage to trust myself for a thousand miles' voyage in a Bugis
prau, and for six or seven months among lawless traders and
ferocious savages, I felt somewhat as I did when, a schoolboy, I
was for the first time allowed to travel outside the stage-coach,
to visit that scene of all that is strange and new and wonderful
to young imaginations-London!
By the help of some kind friends I was introduced to the owner of
one of the large praus which was to sail in a few days. He was a
Javanese half-caste, intelligent, mild, and gentlemanly in his
manners, and had a young and pretty Dutch wife, whom he was going
to leave behind during his absence. When we talked about passage
money he would fix no sum, but insisted on leaving it entirely to
me to pay on my return exactly what I liked. "And then," said he,
"whether you give me one dollar or a hundred, I shall he
satisfied, and shall ask no more."
The remainder of my stay was fully occupied in laying in stores,
engaging servants, and making every other preparation for an
absence of seven months from even the outskirts of civilization.
On the morning of December 13th, when we went on board at
daybreak, it was raining hard. We set sail and it came on to
blow. Our boat was lost astern, our sails damaged, and the
evening found us hack again in Macassar harbour. We remained
there four days longer, owing to its raining all the time, thus
rendering it impossible to dry and repair the huge mat sails. All
these dreary days I remained on board, and during the rare
intervals when it didn't rain, made myself acquainted with our
outlandish craft, some of the peculiarities of which I will now
endeavour to describe.
It was a vessel of about seventy tons burthen, and shaped
something like a Chinese junk. The deck sloped considerably
downward to the bows, which are thus the lowest part of the ship.
There were two large rudders, but instead of being planed astern
they were hung on the quarters from strong cross beams, which
projected out two or three feet on each side, and to which extent
the deck overhung the sides of the vessel amidships. The rudders
were not hinged but hung with slings of rattan, the friction of
which keeps them in any position in which they are placed, and
thus perhaps facilitates steering. The tillers were not on deck,
but entered the vessel through two square openings into a lower
or half deck about three feet high, in which sit the two
steersmen. In the after part of the vessel was a low poop, about
three and a half feet high, which forms the captain's cabin, its
furniture consisting of boxes, mats, and pillows. In front of the
poop and mainmast was a little thatched house on deck, about four
feet high to the ridge; and one compartment of this, forming a
cabin six and a half feet long by five and a half wide, I had all
to myself, and it was the snuggest and most comfortable little
place I ever enjoyed at sea. It was entered by a low sliding door
of thatch on one side, and had a very small window on the other.
The floor was of split bamboo, pleasantly elastic, raised six
inches above the deck, so as to be quite dry. It was covered with
fine cane mats, for the manufacture of which Macassar is
celebrated; against the further wall were arranged my guncase,
insect-boxes, clothes, and books; my mattress occupied the
middle, and next the door were my canteen, lamp, and little store
of luxuries for the voyage; while guns, revolver, and hunting
knife hung conveniently from the roof. During these four
miserable days I was quite jolly in this little snuggery more so
than I should have been if confined the same time to the gilded
and uncomfortable saloon of a first-class steamer. Then, how
comparatively sweet was everything on board - no paint, no tar, no
new rope, (vilest of smells to the qualmish!) no grease, or oil,
or varnish; but instead of these, bamboo and rattan, and coir
rope and palm thatch; pure vegetable fibres, which smell
pleasantly if they smell at all, and recall quiet scenes in the
green and shady forest.
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