I Had Often Before Made The Same Mistake In
Paying A Malay For Some Trifle.
In no case, however, was his
pleasure visible on his countenance - a dull and stupid hesitation
only showing his surprise, which would be exhibited exactly in
the same way whether he was over or under paid.
These little
moral traits are of the greatest interest when taken in connexion
with physical features. They do not admit of the same ready
explanation by external causes which is so frequently applied to
the latter. Writers on the races of mankind have too often to
trust to the information of travellers who pass rapidly from
country to country, and thus have few opportunities of becoming
acquainted with peculiarities of national character, or even of
ascertaining what is really the average physical conformation of
the people. Such are exceedingly apt to be deceived in places
where two races have long, intermingled, by looking on
intermediate forms and mixed habits as evidences of a natural
transition from one race to the other, instead of an artificial
mixture of two distinct peoples; and they will be the more
readily led into this error if, as in the present case, writers
on the subject should have been in the habit of classing these
races as mere varieties of one stock, as closely related in
physical conformation as from their geographical proximity one
might suppose they ought to be. So far as I have yet seen, the
Malay and Papuan appear to be as widely separated as any two
human races that exist, being distinguished by physical, mental,
and moral characteristics, all of the most marked and striking
kind.
Feb 5th. - I took advantage of a very fine calm day to pay a visit
to the island of Wokan, which is about a mile from us, and forms
part of the "canna busar," or mainland of Aru. This is a large
island, extending from north to south about a hundred miles, but
so low in many parts as to be intersected by several creeks,
which run completely through it, offering a passage for good-
sized vessels. On the west side, where we are, there are only a
few outlying islands, of which ours (Wamma) is the principal; but
on the east coast are a great number of islands, extending some
miles beyond the mainland, and forming the "blakang tang," or
"back country," of the traders, being the principal seat of the
pearl, tripang, and tortoiseshell fisheries. To the mainland many
of the birds and animals of the country are altogether confined;
the Birds of paradise, the black cockatoo, the great brush-
turkey, and the cassowary, are none of them found on Wamma or any
of the detached islands. I did not, however, expect in this
excursion to see any decided difference in the forest or its
productions, and was therefore agreeably surprised. The beach was
overhung with the drooping branches of lame trees, loaded with
Orchideae, ferns, and other epiphytal plants. In the forest there
was more variety, some parts being dry, and with trees of a lower
growth, while in others there were some of the most beautiful
palms I have ever seen, with a perfectly straight, smooth,
slender stem, a hundred feet high, and a crown of handsome
drooping leaves. But the greatest novelty and most striking
feature to my eyes were the tree-ferns, which, after seven years
spent in the tropics, I now saw in perfection for the first time.
All I had hitherto met with were slender species, not more than
twelve feet high, and they gave not the least idea of the supreme
beauty of trees bearing their elegant heads of fronds more than
thirty feet in the air, like those which were plentifully
scattered about this forest. There is nothing in tropical
vegetation so perfectly beautiful.
My boys shot five sorts of birds, none of which we had obtained
during a month's shooting in Wamma. Two were very pretty
flycatchers, already known from New Guinea; one of them (Monarcha
chrysomela), of brilliant black and bright orange colours, is by
some authors considered to be the most beautiful of all
flycatchers; the other is pure white and velvety black, with a
broad fleshy ring round the eye of are azure blue colour; it is
named the "spectacled flycatcher" (Monarcha telescopthalma), and
was first found in New Guinea, along with the other, by the
French naturalists during the voyage of the discovery-ship
Coquille.
Feb. 18th. - Before leaving Macassar, I had written to the
Governor of Amboyna requesting him to assist me with the native
chiefs of Aru. I now received by a
vessel which had arrived from Amboyna a very polite answer
informing me that orders had been sent to give me every
assistance that I might require; and I was just congratulating
myself on being at length able to get a boat and men to go to the
mainland and explore the interior, when a sudden check carne in
the form of a piratical incursion. A small prau arrived which had
been attacked by pirates and had a man wounded. They were said to
have five boats, but more were expected to be behind and the
traders were all in consternation, fearing that their small
vessels sent trading to the "blakang tana" would be plundered.
The Aru natives were of course dreadfully alarmed, as these
marauders attack their villages, burn and murder, and carry away
women and children for slaves. Not a man will stir from his
village for some time, and I must remain still a prisoner in
Dobbo. The Governor of Amboyna, out of pure kindness, has told
the chiefs that they are to be responsible for my safety, so that
they have au excellent excuse for refusing to stir.
Several praus went out in search of the pirates, sentinels were
appointed, and watch-fires lighted on the beach to guard against
the possibility of a night attack, though it was hardly thought
they would be bold enough to attempt to plunder Dobbo.
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