the malay archipelago-1-第57章

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on　white　butterflies；　although　differing　so　much　from　them　in　appearance。　Both　were　quite　new　to　European　naturalists。　＇The　former　has　been　named　Eronia　tritaea；　the　latter　Tachyris　ithonae。＇　Now　and　then　I　extended　my　walks　some　miles　further；　to　the　only　patch　of　true　forest　I　could　find；　accompanied　by　my　two　boys　with　guns　and　insect…net。　We　used　to　start　early；　taking　our　breakfast　with　us；　and　eating　it　wherever　we　could　find　shade　and　water。　At　such　times　my　Macassar　boys　would　put　a　minute　fragment　of　rice　and　meat　or　fish　on　a　leaf；　and　lay　it　on　a　stone　or　stump　as　an　offering　to　the　deity　of　the　spot；　for　though　nominal　Mahometans　the　Macassar　people　retain　many　pagan　superstitions；　and　are　but　lax　in　their　religious　observances。　Pork；　it　is　true；　they　hold　in　abhorrence；　but　will　not　refuse　wine　when　offered　them；　and　consume　immense　quantities　of　〃sagueir；〃　or　palm…wine；　which　is　about　as　intoxicating　as　ordinary　beer　or　cider。　When　well　made　it　is　a　very　refreshing　drink；　and　we　often　took　a　draught　at　some　of　the　little　sheds　dignified　by　the　name　of　bazaars；　which　are　scattered　about　the　country　wherever　there　is　any　traffic。

One　day　Mr。　Mesman　told　me　of　a　larger　piece　of　forest　where　he　sometimes　went　to　shoot　deer；　but　he　assured　me　it　was　much　further　off；　and　that　there　were　no　birds。　However；　I　resolved　to　explore　it；　and　the　next　morning　at　five　o'clock　we　started；　carrying　our　breakfast　and　some　other　provisions　with　us；　and　intending　to　stay　the　night　at　a　house　on　the　borders　of　the　wood。　To　my　surprise　two　hours'　hard　walking　brought　us　to　this　house；　where　we　obtained　permission　to　pass　the　night。　We　then　walked　on；　Ali　and　Baderoon　with　a　gun　each；　Paso　carrying　our　provisions　and　my　insect…box；　while　I　took　only　my　net　and　collecting…bottle　and　determined　to　devote　myself　wholly　to　the　insects。　Scarcely　had　I　entered　the　forest　when　I　found　some　beautiful　little　green　and　gold　speckled　weevils　allied　to　the　genus　Pachyrhynchus；　a　group　which　is　almost　confined　to　the　Philippine　Islands；　and　is　quite　unknown　in　Borneo；　Java；　or　Malacca。　The　road　was　shady　and　apparently　much　trodden　by　horses　and　cattle；　and　I　quickly　obtained　some　butterflies　I　had　not　before　met　with。　Soon　a　couple　of　reports　were　heard；　and　coming　up　to　my　boys　I　found　they　had　shot　two　specimens　of　one　of　the　finest　of　known　cuckoos；　Phoenicophaus　callirhynchus。　This　bird　derives　its　name　from　its　large　bill　being　coloured　of　a　brilliant　yellow；　red；　and　black；　in　about　equal　proportions。　The　tail　is　exceedingly　long；　and　of　a　fine　metallic　purple；　while　the　plumage　of　the　body　is　light　coffee　brown。　It　is　one　of　the　characteristic　birds　of　the　island　of　Celebes；　to　which　it　is　confined。

After　sauntering　along　for　a　couple　of　hours　we　reached　a　small　river；　so　deep　that　horses　could　only　cross　it　by　swimming；　so　we　had　to　turn　back；　but　as　we　were　getting　hungry；　and　the　water　of　the　almost　stagnant　river　was　too　muddy　to　drink；　we　went　towards　a　house　a　few　hundred　yards　off。　In　the　plantation　we　saw　a　small　raised　hut；　which　we　thought　would　do　well　for　us　to　breakfast　in；　so　I　entered；　and　found　inside　a　young　woman　with　an　infant。　She　handed　me　a　jug　of　water；　but　looked　very　much　frightened。　However；　I　sat　down　on　the　doorstep；　and　asked　for　the　provisions。　In　handing　them　up；　Baderoon　saw　the　infant；　and　started　back　as　if　he　had　seen　a　serpent。　It　then　immediately　struck　me　that　this　was　a　hut　in　which；　as　among　the　Dyaks　of　Borneo　and　many　other　savage　tribes；　the　women　are　secluded　for　some　time　after　the　birth　of　their　child；　and　that　we　did　very　wrong　to　enter　it；　so　we　walked　off　and　asked　permission　to　eat　our　breakfast　in　the　family　mansion　close　at　hand；　which　was　of　course　granted。　While　I　ate；　three　men；　two　women；　and　four　children　watched　every　motion；　and　never　took　eyes　off　me　until　I　had　finished。

On　our　way　back　in　the　heat　of　the　day；　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　capture　three　specimens　of　a　fine　Ornithoptera；　the　largest；　the　most　perfect；　and　the　most　beautiful　of　butterflies。　I　trembled　with　excitement　as　I　took　the　first　out　of　my　net　and　found　it　to　be　in　perfect　condition。　The　ground　colour　of　this　superb　insect　was　a　rich　shining　bronzy　black；　the　lower　wings　delicately　grained　with　white；　and　bordered　by　a　row　of　large　spots　of　the　most　brilliant　satiny　yellow。　The　body　was　marked　with　shaded　spots　of　white；　yellow；　and　fiery　orange；　while　the　head　and　thorax　were　intense　black。　On　the　under…side　the　lower　wings　were　satiny　white；　with　the　marginal　spots　half　black　and　half　yellow。　I　gazed　upon　my　prize　with　extreme　interest；　as　I　at　first　thought　it　was　quite　a　new　species。　It　proved　however　to　be　a　variety　of　Ornithoptera　remus；　one　of　the　rarest　and　most　remarkable　species　of　this　highly　esteemed　group。　I　also　obtained　several　other　new　and　pretty　butterflies。　When　we　arrived　at　our　lodging…house；　being　particularly　anxious　about　my　insect　treasures；　I　suspended　the　box　from　a　bamboo　on　which　I　could　detect　no　sign　of　ants；　and　then　began　skinning　some　of　my　birds。　During　my　work　I　often　glanced　at　my　precious　box　to　see　that　no　intruders　had　arrived；　until　after　a　longer　spell　of　work　than　usual　I　looked　again；　and　saw　to　my　horror　that　a　column　of　small　red　ants　were　descending　the　string　and　entering　the　box。　They　were　already　busy　at　work　at　the　bodies　of　my　treasures；　and　another　half…hour　would　have　seen　my　whole　day's　collection　destroyed。　As　it　was；　I　had　to　take　every　insect　out；　clean　them　thoroughly　as　well　as　the　box；　and　then　seek　a　place　of　safety　for　them。　As　the　only　effectual　one；　I　begged　a　plate　and　a　basin　from　my　host；　filled　the　former　with　water；　and　standing　the　latter　in　it　placed　my　box　on　the　top；　and　then　felt　secure　for　the　night；　a　few　inches　of　clean　water　or　oil　being　the　only　barrier　these　terrible　pests　are　not　able　to　pass。

On　returning　home　to　Mamajam　（as　my　house　was　called）　I　had　a　slight　return　of　intermittent　fever；　which　kept　me　some　days　indoors。　As　soon　as　I　was　well；　I　again　went　to　Goa；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Mesman；　to　beg　the　Rajah's　assistance　in　getting　a　small　house　built　for　me　near　the　forest。　We　found　him　at　a　cock…fight　in　a　shed　near　his　palace；　which　however；　he　immediately　left　to　receive　us；　and　walked　with　us　up　an　inclined　plane　of　boards　which　serves　for　stairs　to　his　house。　This　was　large；　well…built；　and　lofty；　with　bamboo　floor　and　glass　windows。　The　greater　part　of　it　seemed　to　be　one　large　hall　divided　by　the　supporting　posts。　Near　a　window　sat　the　Queen；　squatting　on　a　rough　wooden　arm…chair；　chewing　the　everlasting　sirih　and　betel…nut；　while　a　brass　spittoon　by　her　side　and　a　sirih…box　in　front　were　ready　to　administer　to　her　wants。　The　Rajah　seated　himself　opposite　to　her　in　a　similar　chair；　and　a　similar　spittoon　and　sirih…box　were　held　by　a　little　boy　squatting　at　his　side。　Two　other　chairs　were　brought　for　us。　Several　young　women；　some　the　Rajah's　daughters；　others　slaves；　were　standing　about；　a　few　were　working　at　frames　making　sarongs；　but　most　of　them　were　idle。

And　here　I　might　（if　I　followed　the　example　of　most　travellers）　launch　out　into　a　glowing　description　of　the　charms　of　these　damsels；　the　elegant　costumes　they　wore；　and　the　gold　and　silver　ornaments　with　which　they　were　adorned。　The　jacket　or　body　of　purple　gauze　would　figure　well　in　such　a　description；　allowing　the　heaving　bosom　to　be　seen　beneath　it；　while　〃sparkling　eyes；〃　and　〃jetty　tresses；〃　and　〃tiny　feet〃　might　be　thrown　in　profusely。　But；　alas！　regard　for　truth　will　not　permit　me　to　expatiate　too　admiringly　on　such　topics；　determined　as　I　am　to　give　as　far　as　I　can　a　true　picture　of　the　people　and　places　I　visit。　The　princesses　were；　it　is　true；　sufficiently　good…　looking；　yet　neither　their　persons　nor　their　garments　had　that　appearance　of　freshness　and　cleanliness　without　which　no　other　charms　can　be　contemplated　with　pleasure。　Everything　had　a　dingy　and　faded　appearance；　very　disagreeable　and　unroyal　to　a　European　eye。　The　only　thing　that　excited　some　degree　of　admiration　was　the　quiet　and　dignified　manner　of　the　Rajah　and　the　great　respect　always　paid　to　him。　None　can　stand　erect　in　his　presence；　and　when　he　sits　on　a　chair；　all　present　（Europeans　of