the malay archipelago-1-第50部分

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estone　rock　or　the　dark　holes　and　chasms　with　which　it　abounds。　These　precipices　are　enabled　to　sustain　such　an　amount　of　vegetation　by　their　peculiar　structure。　Their　surfaces　are　very　irregular；　broken　into　holes　and　fissures；　with　ledges　overhanging　the　mouths　of　gloomy　caverns；　but　from　each　projecting　part　have　descended　stalactites；　often　forming　a　wild　gothic　tracery　over　the　caves　and　receding　hollows；　and　affording　an　admirable　support　to　the　roots　of　the　shrubs；　trees；　and　creepers；　which　luxuriate　in　the　warm　pure　atmosphere　and　the　gentle　moisture　which　constantly　exudes　from　the　rocks。　In　places　where　the　precipice　offers　smooth　surfaces　of　solid　rock；　it　remains　quite　bare；　or　only　stained　with　lichens；　and　dotted　with　clumps　of　ferns　that　grow　on　the　small　ledges　and　in　the　minutest　crevices。

The　reader　who　is　familiar　with　tropical　nature　only　through　the　medium　of　books　and　botanical　gardens　will　picture　to　himself　in　such　a　spot　many　other　natural　beauties。　He　will　think　that　I　have　unaccountably　forgotten　to　mention　the　brilliant　flowers；　which；　in　gorgeous　masses　of　crimson；　gold　or　azure；　must　spangle　these　verdant　precipices；　hang　over　the　cascade；　and　adorn　the　margin　of　the　mountain　stream。　But　what　is　the　reality？　In　vain　did　I　gaze　over　these　vast　walls　of　verdure；　among　the　pendant　creepers　and　bushy　shrubs；　all　around　the　cascade　on　the　river's　bank；　or　in　the　deep　caverns　and　gloomy　fissuresnot　one　single　spot　of　bright　colour　could　be　seen；　not　one　single　tree　or　bush　or　creeper　bore　a　flower　sufficiently　conspicuous　to　form　an　object　in　the　landscape。　In　every　direction　the　eye　rested　on　green　foliage　and　mottled　rock。　There　was　infinite　variety　in　the　colour　and　aspect　of　the　foliage；　there　was　grandeur　in　the　rocky　masses　and　in　the　exuberant　luxuriance　of　the　vegetation；　but　there　was　no　brilliancy　of　colour；　none　of　those　bright　flowers　and　gorgeous　masses　of　blossom　so　generally　considered　to　be　everywhere　present　in　the　tropics。　I　have　here　given　an　accurate　sketch　of　a　luxuriant　tropical　scene　as　noted　down　on　the　spot；　and　its　general　characteristics　as　regards　colour　have　been　so　often　repeated；　both　in　South　America　and　over　many　thousand　miles　in　the　Eastern　tropics；　that　I　am　driven　to　conclude　that　it　represents　the　general　aspect　of　nature　at　the　equatorial　（that　is；　the　most　tropical）　parts　of　the　tropical　regions。

How　is　it　then；　that　the　descriptions　of　travellers　generally　give　a　very　different　idea？　and　where；　it　may　be　asked；　are　the　glorious　flowers　that　we　know　do　exist　in　the　tropics？　These　questions　can　be　easily　answered。　The　fine　tropical　flowering…　plants　cultivated　in　our　hothouses　have　been　culled　from　the　most　varied　regions；　and　therefore　give　a　most　erroneous　idea　of　their　abundance　in　any　one　region。　Many　of　them　are　very　rare；　others　extremely　local；　while　a　considerable　number　inhabit　the　more　arid　regions　of　Africa　and　India；　in　which　tropical　vegetation　does　not　exhibit　itself　in　its　usual　luxuriance。　Fine　and　varied　foliage；　rather　than　gay　flowers；　is　more　characteristic　of　those　parts　where　tropical　vegetation　attains　its　highest　development；　and　in　such　districts　each　kind　of　flower　seldom　lasts　in　perfection　more　than　a　few　weeks；　or　sometimes　a　few　days。　In　every　locality　a　lengthened　residence　will　show　an　abundance　of　magnificent　and　gaily…blossomed　plants；　but　they　have　to　be　sought　for；　and　are　rarely　at　any　one　time　or　place　so　abundant　as　to　form　a　perceptible　feature　in　the　landscape。　But　it　has　been　the　custom　of　travellers　to　describe　and　group　together　all　the　fine　plants　they　have　met　with　during　a　long　journey；　and　thus　produce　the　effect　of　a　gay　and　flower…　painted　landscape。　They　have　rarely　studied　and　described　individual　scenes　where　vegetation　was　most　luxuriant　and　beautiful；　and　fairly　stated　what　effect　was　produced　in　them　by　flowers。　I　have　done　so　frequently；　and　the　result　of　these　examinations　has　convinced　me　that　the　bright　colours　of　flowers　have　a　much　greater　influence　on　the　general　aspect　of　nature　in　temperate　than　in　tropical　climates。　During　twelve　years　spent　amid　the　grandest　tropical　vegetation；　I　have　seen　nothing　comparable　to　the　effect　produced　on　our　landscapes　by　gorse；　broom；　heather；　wild　hyacinths；　hawthorn；　purple　orchises；　and　buttercups。

The　geological　structure　of　this　part　of　Celebes　is　interesting。　The　limestone　mountains；　though　of　great　extent；　seem　to　be　entirely　superficial；　resting　on　a　basis　of　basalt　which　in　some　places　forms　low　rounded　hills　between　the　more　precipitous　mountains。　In　the　rocky　beds　of　the　streams　basalt　is　almost　always　found；　and　it　is　a　step　in　this　rock　which　forms　the　cascade　already　described。　From　it　the　limestone　precipices　rise　abruptly；　and　in　ascending　the　little　stairway　along　the　side　of　the　fall；　you　step　two　or　three　times　from　tpe　of　rock　on　to　the　otherthe　limestone　dry　and　rough；　being　worn　by　the　water　and　rains　into　sharp　ridges　and　honeycombed　holesthe　basalt　moist；　even；　and　worn　smooth　and　slippery　by　the　passage　of　bare…　footed　pedestrians。　The　solubility　of　the　limestone　by　rain…water　is　well　seen　in　the　little　blocks　and　peaks　which　rise　thickly　through　the　soil　of　the　alluvial　plains　as　you　approach　the　mountains。　They　are　all　skittle…shaped；　larger　in　the　middle　than　at　the　base；　the　greatest　diameter　occurring　at　the　height　to　which　the　country　is　flooded　in　the　wet　season；　and　thence　decreasing　regularly　to　the　ground。　Many　of　them　overhang　considerably；　and　some　of　the　slenderer　pillars　appear　to　stand　upon　a　point。　When　the　rock　is　less　solid　it　becomes　curiously　honeycombed　by　the　rains　of　successive　winters；　and　I　noticed　some　masses　reduced　to　a　complete　network　of　stone　through　which　light　could　be　seen　in　every　direction。

From　these　mountains　to　the　sea　extends　a　perfectly　flat　alluvial　plain；　with　no　indication　that　water　would　accumulate　at　a　great　depth　beneath　it；　yet　the　authorities　at　Macassar　have　spent　much　money　in　boring　a　well　a　thousand　feet　deep　in　hope　of　getting　a　supply　of　water　like　that　obtained　by　the　Artesian　wells　in　the　London　and　Paris　basins。　It　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　the　attempt　was　unsuccessful。

Returning　to　my　forest　hut；　I　continued　my　daily　search　after　birds　and　insects。　The　weather；　however；　became　dreadfully　hot　and　dry；　every　drop　of　water　disappearing　from　the　pools　and　rock…　holes；　and　with　it　the　insects　which　frequented　them。　Only　one　group　remained　unaffected　by　the　intense　drought；　the　Diptera；　or　two…winged　flies；　continued　as　plentifully　as　ever；　and　on　these　I　was　almost　compelled　to　concentrate　my　attention　for　a　week　or　two；　by　which　means　I　increased　my　collection　of　that　Order　to　about　two　hundred　species。　I　also　continued　to　obtain　a　few　new　birds；　among　which　were　two　or　three　kinds　of　small　hawks　and　falcons；　a　beautiful　brush…tongued　paroquet；　Trichoglossus　ornatus；　and　a　rare　black　and　white　crow；　Corvus　advena。

At　length；　about　the　middle　of　October；　after　several　gloomy　days；　down　came　a　deluge　of　rain　which　continued　to　fall　almost　every　afternoon；　showing　that　the　early　part　of　the　wet　season　had　commenced。　I　hoped　now　to　get　a　good　harvest　of　insects；　and　in　some　respects　I　was　not　disappointed。　Beetles　became　much　more　numerous；　and　under　a　thick　bed　of　leaves　that　had　accumulated　on　some　rocks　by　the　side　of　a　forest　stream；　I　found　an　abundance　of　Carbidae；　a　family　generally　scarce　in　the　tropics。　The　butterflies；　however；　disappeared。　Two　of　my　servants　were　attacked　with　fever；　dysentery；　and　swelled　feet；　just　at　the　time　that　the　third　had　left　me；　and　for　some　days　they　both　lay　groaning　in　the　house。　When　they　got　a　little　better　I　was　attacked　myself；　and　as　my　stores　were　nearly　finished　and　everything　was　getting　very　damp；　I　was　obliged　to　prepare　for　my　return　to　Macassar；　especially　as　the　strong　westerly　winds　would　render　the　passage　in　a　small　open　boat　disagreeable；　if　not　dangerous。

Since　the　rains　began；　numbers　of　huge　millipedes；　as　thick　as　one's　finger　and　eight　or　ten　inches　long；　crawled　about　everywherein　the　paths；　on　trees；　about　the　houseand　one　morning　when　I　got　up　I　even　found　one　in　my　bed！　They　were　generally　of　a　dull　lead　colour　or　of　a　deep　brick　red；　and　were　very　nasty…looking　things　to　be　coming　everywhere　in　one's　way；　although　quite　harmless。　Snakes　too　began　to　show　themselves。　I　killed　two　of　a　very　abundant　speciesbig…headed；　and　of　a　bright　green　colour；　which　lie　coiled　up　on　leaves　and　shrubs　and　can　scarcely　be　seen　until　one　is　close　upon　them。　Brown　snakes　got　into　my　net　while　beating　among　dead　leaves　for　insects；　and　made　me　rather　cautious　about　inserting　my　hand　until　I　knew　what　kind　of　game　I　had　captured。　The　fields　and　meadows　which　had　been　parched　and　sterile；　now　became　suddenly　covered　with　fine　long　grass；　the　river…bed　where　I　had　so　many　times　walked　over　burning　rocks；　was　now　a　deep　and　rapid　stream；　and　numbers　of　herbaceous　plants　and　shrubs　were　everywhere　springing　up　and　bursting　into　flower。　I　found　plenty　of　new　insects；　and　if　I　had　had　a　good；　roomy；　water…and…wind…proof　house；　I　should　perhaps　have　stayed　during　the　wet　season；　as　I　feel　sure　many　things　can　then　be　obtained　which　are　to　be　found　at　no　other　time。　With　my　summer　hut；　however；　this　was　impossible。　During　the　heavy　rains　a　fine　drizzly　mist　penetrated　into　every　part　of　it；　and　I　began　to　have　the　greatest　difficulty　in　keeping　my　specimens　dry。

Early　in　November　I　returned　to　Macassar；　and　having　packed　up　my　collections；　started　in　the　Dutch　mail　steamer　for　Amboyna　and　Ternate。　Leaving　this　part　of　my　journey　for　the　present；　I　will　in　the　next　chapter　conclude　my　account　of　Celebes；　by　describing　the　extreme　northern　part　of　the　island　which　I　visited　two　years　later。

CHAPTER　XVII。

CELEBES。

（MENADO。　JUNE　TO　SEPTEMBER；　1859。）

IT　was　after　my　residence　at　Timor…Coupang　that　I　visited　the　northeastern　extremity　of　Celebes；　touching　Banda；　Amboyna；　and　Ternate　on　my　way。　I　reached　Menado　on　the　10th　of　June；　1859；　and　was　very　kindly　received　by　Mr。　Tower；　an　Englishman；　but　a　very　old　resident　in　Menado；　where　he　carries　on　a　general　business。　He　introduced　me　to　Mr。　L。　Duivenboden　（whose　father　had　been　my　fri