the malay archipelago-2-第43部分

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n　told　me　he　had　made　a　detailed　survey　of　part　of　the　south　coast；　and　if　the　coal　arrived　should　go　away　at　once　to　Humboldt　Pay；　in　longitude　141°　east；　which　is　the　line　up　to　which　the　Dutch　claim　New　Guinea。　On　board　the　tender　I　found　a　brother　naturalist；　a　German　named　Rosenberg；　who　was　draughtsman　to　the　surveying　staff。　He　had　brought　two　men　with　him　to　shoot　and　skin　birds；　and　had　been　able　to　purchase　a　few　rare　skins　from　the　natives。　Among　these　was　a　pair　of　the　superb　Paradise　Pie　（Astrapia　nigra）　in　tolerable　preservation。　They　were　brought　from　the　island　of　Jobie；　which　may　be　its　native　country；　as　it　certainly　is　of　the　rarer　species　of　crown　pigeon　（Goura　steursii）；　one　of　which　was　brought　alive　and　sold　on　board。　Jobie；　however；　is　a　very　dangerous　place；　and　sailors　are　often　murdered　there　when　on　shore；　sometimes　the　vessels　themselves　being　attacked。　Wandammen；　on　the　mainland　opposite　Jobie；　inhere　there　are　said　to　be　plenty　of　birds；　is　even　worse；　and　at　either　of　these　places　my　life　would　not　have　been　worth　a　week's　purchase　had　I　ventured　to　live　alone　and　unprotected　as　at　Dorey。　On　board　the　steamer　they　had　a　pair　of　tree　kangaroos　alive。　They　differ　chiefly　from　the　ground…kangaroo　in　having　a　more　hairy　tail；　not　thickened　at　the　base；　and　not　used　as　a　prop；　and　by　the　powerful　claws　on　the　fore…feet；　by　which　they　grasp　the　bark　and　branches；　and　seize　the　leaves　on　which　they　feed。　They　move　along　by　short　jumps　on　their　hind…feet；　which　do　not　seem　particularly　well　adapted　for　climbing　trees。　It　has　been　supposed　that　these　tree…kangaroos　are　a　special　adaptation　to　the　swampy；　half…drowned　forests　of；　New　Guinea；　in　place　of　the　usual　form　of　the　group；　which　is　adapted　only　to　dry　ground。　Mr。　Windsor　Earl　makes　much　of　this　theory；　but；　unfortunately　for　it；　the　tree…kangaroos　are　chiefly　found　in　the　northern　peninsula　of　New　Guinea；　which　is　entirely　composed　of　hills　and　mountains　with　very　little　flat　land；　while　the　kangaroo　of　the　low　flat　Aru　Islands　（Dorcopsis　asiaticus）　is　a　ground　species。　A　more　probable　supposition　seems　to　lie；　that　the　tree…kangaroo　has　been　modified　to　enable　it　to　feed　on　foliage　in　the　vast　forests　of　New　Guinea；　as　these　form　the　great　natural　feature　which　distinguishes　that　country　from　Australia。

On　June　5th；　the　coal…ship　arrived；　having　been　sent　back　from　Amboyna；　with　the　addition　of　some　fresh　stores　for　the　steamer。　The　wood；　which　had　been　almost　all　taken　on　board；　was　now　unladen　again；　the　coal　taken　in；　and　on　the　17th　both　steamer　and　tender　left　for　Humboldt　Bay。　We　were　then　a　little　quiet　again；　and　got　something　to　eat；　for　while　the　vessels　were　here　every　bit　of　fish　or　vegetable　was　taken　on　board；　and　I　had　often　to　make　a　small　parroquet　serve　for　two　meals。　My　men　now　returned　from　Amberbaki；　but；　alas　brought　me　almost　nothing。　They　had　visited　several　villages；　and　even　went　two　days'　journey　into　the　interior；　but　could　find　no　skins　of　Birds　of　Paradise　to　purchase；　except　the　common　kind；　and　very　few　even　of　those。　The　birds　found　were　the　same　as　at　Dorey；　but　were　still　scarcer。　None　of　the　natives　anywhere　near　the　coast　shoot　or　prepare　Birds　of　Paradise；　which　come　from　far　in　the　interior　over　two　or　three　ranges　of　mountains；　passing　by　barter　from　village　to　village　till　they　reach　the　sea。　There　the　natives　of　Dorey　buy　them；　and　on　their　return　home　sell　them　。to　the　Bugis　or　Ternate　traders。　It　is　therefore　hopeless　for　a　traveller　to　go　to　any　particular　place　on　the　coast　of　New　Guinea　where　rare　Paradise　birds　may　have　been　bought；　in　hopes　of　obtaining　freshly　killed　specimens　from　the　natives；　and　it　also　shows　the　scarcity　of　these　birds　in　any　one　locality；　since　from　the　Amberbaki　district；　a　celebrated　place；　where　at　least　five　or　six　species　have　been　procured；　not　one　of　the　rarer　ones　has　been　obtained　this　year。　The　Prince　of　Tidore；　who　would　certainly　have　got　them　if　any　were　to　be　had；　was　obliged　to　put　up　with　a　few　of　the　common　yellow　ones。　I　think　it　probable　that　a　longer　residence　at　Dorey；　a　little　farther　in　the　interior；　might　show　that　several　of　the　rarer　kinds　were　found　there；　as　I　obtained　a　single　female　of　the　fine　scale…breasted　Ptiloris　magnificus。　I　was　told　at　Ternate　of　a　bird　that　is　certainly　not　yet　known　in　Europe；　a　black　King　Paradise　Bird；　with　the　curled　tail　and　beautiful　side　plumes　of　the　common　species；　but　all　the　rest　of　the　plumage　glossy　black。　The　people　of　Dorey　knew　nothing　about　this；　although　they　recognised　by　description　most　of　the　otter　species。

When　the　steamer　left；　I　was　suffering　from　a　severe　attack　of　fever。　In　about　a　week　I　got　over　this；　but　it　was　followed　by　such　a　soreness　of　the　whole　inside　of　the　mouth；　tongue；　and　gums；　that　for　many　days　I　could　put　nothing　solid　between　my　lips；　but　was　obliged　to　subsist　entirely　on　slops；　although　in　other　respects　very　well。　At　the　same　time　two　of　my　men　again　fell　ill；　one　with　fever；　the　other　with　dysentery；　and　both　got　very　bad。　I　did　what　I　could　for　them　with　my　small　stock　of　medicines；　but　they　lingered　on　for　some　weeks；　till　on　June　26th　poor　Jumaat　died。　He　was　about　eighteen　years　of　age；　a　native；　I　believe；　of　Bouton；　and　a　quiet　lad；　not　very　active；　but　doing　his　work　pretty　steadily；　and　as　well　as　he　was　able。　As　my　men　were　all　Mahometans；　I　let　them　bury　him　in　their　own　fashion；　giving　them　some　new　cotton　cloth　for　a　shroud。

On　July　6th　the　steamer　returned　from　the　eastward。　The　weather　was　still　terribly　wet；　when；　according　to　rule；　it　should　have　been　fine　and　dry。　We　had　scarcely　anything　to　eat；　and　were　all　of　us　ill。　Fevers；　colds；　and　dysentery　were　continually　attacking　us；　and　made　me　long　I…o　get　away　from　New　Guinea；　as　much　as　ever　I　had　longed　to　come　there。　The　captain　of　the　Etna　paid　me　a　visit；　and　gave　me　a　very　interesting　account　of　his　trip。　They　had　stayed　at　Humboldt　Bay　several　days；　and　found　it　a　much　more　beautiful　and　more　interesting　place　than　Dorey；　as　well　as　a　better　harbour。　The　natives　were　quite　unsophisticated；　being　rarely　visited　except　by　stray　whalers；　and　they　were　superior　to　the　Dorey　people；　morally　and　physically。　They　went　quite　naked。　Their　houses　were　some　in　the　water　and　some　inland；　and　were　all　neatly　and　well　built；　their　fields　were　well　cultivated；　and　the　paths　to　them　kept　clear　and　open；　in　which　respects　Dorey　is　abominable。　They　were　shy　at　first；　and　opposed　the　boats　with　hostile　demonstrations；　beading　their　bows；　and　intimating　that　they　would　shoot　if　an　attempt　was　made　to　land。　Very　judiciously　the　captain　gave　way；　but　threw　on　shore　a　few　presents；　and　after　two　or　three　trials　they　were　permitted　to　land；　and　to　go　about　and　see　the　country；　and　were　supplied　with　fruits　and　vegetables。　All　communication　was　carried　on　with　them　by　signsthe　Dorey　interpreter；　who　accompanied　the　steamer；　being　unable　to　understand　a　word　of　their　language。　No　new　birds　or　animals　were　obtained；　but　in　their　ornaments　the　feathers　of　Paradise　birds　were　seen；　showing；　as　might　be　expected；　that　these　birds　range　far　in　this　direction；　and　probably　all　over　New　Guinea。

It　is　curious　that　a　rudimental　love　of　art　should　co…exist　with　such　a　very　low　state　of　civilization。　The　people　of　Dorey　are　great　carvers　and　painters。　The　outsides　of　the　houses；　wherever　there　is　a　plank；　are　covered　with　rude　yet　characteristic　figures。　The　high…peaked　prows　of　their　boats　are　ornamented　with　masses　of　open　filagree　work；　cut　out　of　solid　blocks　of　wood；　and　often　of　very　tasteful　design；　As　a　figurehead；　or　pinnacle；　there　is　often　a　human　figure；　with　a　head　of　cassowary　feathers　to　imitate　the　Papuan　〃mop。〃　The　floats　of　their　fishing…lines；　the　wooden　beaters　used　in　tempering　the　clay　for　their　pottery；　their　tobacco…boxes；　and　other　household　articles；　are　covered　with　carving　of　tasteful　and　often　elegant　design。　Did　we　not　already　know　that　such　taste　and　skill　are　compatible　with　utter　barbarism；　we　could　hardly　believe　that　the　same　people　are；　in　other　matters；　utterly　wanting　in　all　sense　of　order；　comfort；　or　decency。　Yet　such　is　the　case。　They　live　in　the　most　miserable；　crazy；　and　filthy　hovels；　which　are　utterly　destitute　of　anything　that　can　be　called　furniture；　not　a　stool；　or　bench；　or　board　is　seen　in　them；　no　brush　seems　to　be　known；　and　the　clothes　they　wear　are　often　filthy　bark；　or　rags；　or　sacking。　Along　the　paths　where　they　daily　pass　to　and　from　their　provision　grounds；　not　an　overhanging　bough　or　straggling　briar　ever　seems　to　he　cut；　so　that　you　have　to　brush　through　a　rank　vegetation；　creep　under　fallen　trees　and　spiny　creepers；　and　wade　through　pools　of　mud　and　mire；　which　cannot　dry　up　because　the　sun　is　not　allowed　to　penetrate。　Their　food　is　almost　wholly　roots　and　vegetables；　with　fish　or　game　only　as　an　occasional　luxury；　and　they　are　consequently　very　subject　to　various　skin　diseases；　the　children　especially　being　often　miserable…looking　objects；　blotched　all　over　with　eruptions　and　sores。　If　these　people　are　not　savages；　where　shall　we　find　any？　Yet　they　have　all　a　decided　love　for　the　fine　arts；　and　spend　their　leisure　time　in　executing　works　whose　good　taste　and　elegance　would　often　be　admired　in　our　schools　of　design！

During　the　latter　part　of　my　stay　in　New　Guinea　the　weather　was　very　wet；　my　only　shooter　was　ill；　and　birds　became　scarce；　so　that　my　only　resource　was　insect…hunting。　I　worked　very　hard　every　hour　of　fine　weather；　and　daily　obtained　a　number　of　new　species。　Every　dead　tree　and　fallen　log　was　searched　and　searched　again；　and　among　the　dry　and　rotting　leaves；　which　still　hung　on　certain　trees　which　had　been　cut　down；　I　found　an　abundant　harvest　of　minute　Coleoptera。　Although　I　never　afterwards　found　so　many　large　and　handsome　beetles　as　in　Borneo；　yet　I　obtained　here　a　great　variety　of　species。　For　the　first　two　or　three　weeks；　while　I　was　searching　out　the　best　localities；　I　took　about　30　different　kinds　of　beetles　n　day；　besides　about　half　that　number　of　butterflies；　and　a　few　of　the　other　orders。　But　afterwards；　up　to　the　very　last　week；　I　averaged　49　species　a　day。　On　the　31st　of　May；　I　took　78　distinct　sorts；　a　larger　number　than　I　had　ever　captured　before；　p