the malay archipelago-1-第61章

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nted　by　very　minute　species。　The　Flies　and　Bees；　on　the　other　hand；　were　abundant；　and　of　these　I　daily　obtained　new　and　interesting　species。　The　rare　and　beautiful　Butterflies　of　Celebes　were　the　chief　object　of　my　search；　and　I　found　many　species　altogether　new　to　me；　but　they　were　generally　so　active　and　shy　as　to　render　their　capture　a　matter　of　great　difficulty。　Almost　the　only　good　place　for　them　was　in　the　dry　beds　of　the　streams　in　the　forest；　where；　at　damp　places；　muddy　pools；　or　even　on　the　dry　rocks；　all　sorts　of　insects　could　be　found。　In　these　rocky　forests　dwell　some　of　the　finest　butterflies　in　the　world。　Three　species　of　Ornithoptera；　measuring　seven　or　eight　inches　across　the　wings；　and　beautifully　marked　with　spots　or　masses　of　satiny　yellow　on　a　black　ground；　wheel　through　the　thickets　with　a　strong　sailing　flight。　About　the　damp　places　are　swarms　of　the　beautiful　blue…banded　Papilios；　miletus　and　telephus；　the　superb　golden　green　P。　macedon；　and　the　rare　little　swallow…tail　Papilio　rhesus；　of　all　of　which；　though　very　active；　I　succeeded　in　capturing　fine　series　of　specimens。

I　have　rarely　enjoyed　myself　more　than　during　my　residence　here。　As　I　sat　taking　my　coffee　at　six　in　the　morning；　rare　birds　would　often　be　seen　on　some　tree　close　by；　when　I　would　hastily　sally　out　in　my　slippers；　and　perhaps　secure　a　prize　I　had　been　seeking　after　for　weeks。　The　great　hornbills　of　Celebes　（Buceros　cassidix）　would　often　come　with　loud…flapping　wings；　and　perch　upon　a　lofty　tree　just　in　front　of　me；　and　the　black　baboon…　monkeys；　Cynopithecus　nigrescens；　often　stared　down　in　astonishment　at　such　an　intrusion　into　their　domains　while　at　night　herds　of　wild　pigs　roamed　about　the　house；　devouring　refuse；　and　obliging　us　to　put　away　everything　eatable　or　breakable　from　our　little　cooking…house。　A　few　minutes'　search　on　the　fallen　trees　around　my　house　at　sunrise　and　sunset；　would　often　produce　me　more　beetles　than　I　would　meet　with　in　a　day's　collecting；　and　odd　moments　could　be　made　valuable　which　when　living　in　villages　or　at　a　distance　from　the　forest　are　inevitably　wasted。　Where　the　sugar…palms　were　dripping　with　sap；　flies　congregated　in　immense　numbers；　and　it　was　by　spending　half　an　hour　at　these　when　I　had　the　time　to　spare；　that　I　obtained　the　finest　and　most　remarkable　collection　of　this　group　of　insects　that　I　have　ever　made。

Then　what　delightful　hours　I　passed　wandering　up　and　down　the　dry　river…courses；　full　of　water…holes　and　rocks　and　fallen　trees；　and　overshadowed　by　magnificent　vegetation。　I　soon　got　to　know　every　hole　and　rock　and　stump；　and　came　up　to　each　with　cautious　step　and　bated　breath　to　see　what　treasures　it　would　produce。　At　one　place　I　would　find　a　little　crowd　of　the　rare　butterfly　Tachyris　zarinda；　which　would　rise　up　at　my　approach；　and　display　their　vivid　orange　and　cinnabar…red　wings；　while　among　them　would　flutter　a　few　of　the　fine　blue…banded　Papilios。　Where　leafy　branches　hung　over　the　gully；　I　might　expect　to　find　a　grand　Ornithoptera　at　rest　and　an　easy　prey。　At　certain　rotten　trunks　I　was　sure　to　get　the　curious　little　tiger　beetle；　Therates　flavilabris。　In　the　denser　thickets　I　would　capture　the　small　metal…blue　butterflies　（Amblypodia）　sitting　on　the　leaves；　as　well　as　some　rare　and　beautiful　leaf…beetles　of　the　families　Hispidae　and　Chrysomelidae。

I　found　that　the　rotten　jack…fruits　were　very　attractive　to　many　beetles；　and　used　to　split　them　partly　open　and　lay　them　about　in　the　forest　near　my　house　to　rot。　A　morning's　search　at　these　often　produced　me　a　score　of　speciesStaphylinidae；　Nitidulidae；　Onthophagi；　and　minute　Carabidae；　being　the　most　abundant。　Now　and　then　the　〃sagueir〃　makers　brought　me　a　fine　rosechafer　（Sternoplus　schaumii）　which　they　found　licking　up　the　sweet　sap。　Almost　the　only　new　birds　I　met　with　for　some　time　were　a　handsome　ground　thrush　（Pitta　celebensis）；　and　a　beautiful　violet…crowned　dove　（Ptilonopus　celebensis）；　both　very　similar　to　birds　I　had　recently　obtained　at　Aru；　but　of　distinct　species。

About　the　latter　part　of　September　a　heavy　shower　of　rain　fell；　admonishing　us　that　we　might　soon　expect　wet　weather；　much　to　the　advantage　of　the　baked…up　country。　I　therefore　determined　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　falls　of　the　Maros　river；　situated　at　the　point　where　it　issues　from　the　mountainsa　spot　often　visited　by　travellers　and　considered　very　beautiful。　Mr。　M。　lent　me　a　horse；　and　I　obtained　a　guide　from　a　neighbouring　village；　and　taking　one　of　my　men　with　me；　we　started　at　six　in　the　morning；　and　after　a　ride　of　two　hours　over　the　flat　rice…fields　skirting　the　mountains　which　rose　in　grand　precipices　on　our　left；　we　readied　the　river　about　half…way　between　Maros　and　the　falls；　and　thence　had　a　good　bridle…road　to　our　destination；　which　we　reached。　in　another　hour。　The　hills　had　closed　in　around　us　as　we　advanced；　and　when　we　reached　a　ruinous　shed　which　had　been　erected　for　the　accommodation　of　visitors；　we　found　ourselves　in　a　flat…bottomed　valley　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　wide；　bounded　by　precipitous　and　often　overhanging　limestone　rocks。　So　far　the　ground　had　been　cultivated；　but　it　now　became　covered　with　bushes　and　large　scattered　trees。

As　soon　as　my　scanty　baggage　had　arrived　and　was　duly　deposited　in　the　shed；　I　started　off　alone　for　the　fall；　which　was　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　further　on。　The　river　is　here　about　twenty　yards　wide；　and　issues　from　a　chasm　between　two　vertical　walls　of　limestone；　over　a　rounded　mass　of　basaltic　rock　about　forty　feet　high；　forming　two　curves　separated　by　a　slight　ledge。　The　water　spreads　beautifully　over　this　surface　in　a　thin　sheet　of　foam；　which　curls　and　eddies　in　a　succession　of　concentric　cones　until　it　falls　into　a　fine　deep　pool　below。　Close　to　the　very　edge　of　the　fall　a　narrow　and　very　rugged　path　leads　to　the　river　above；　and　thence　continues　close　under　the　precipice　along　the　water's　edge；　or　sometimes　in　the　water；　for　a　few　hundred　yards；　after　which　the　rocks　recede　a　little；　and　leave　a　wooded　bank　on　one　side；　along　which　the　path　is　continued；　until　in　about　half　a　mile；　a　second　and　smaller　fall　is　reached。　Here　the　river　seems　to　issue　from　a　cavern；　the　rocks　having　fallen　from　above　so　as　to　block　up　the　channel　and　bar　further　progress。　The　fall　itself　can　only　be　reached　by　a　path　which　ascends　behind　a　huge　slice　of　rock　which　has　partly　fallen　away　from　the　mountain；　leaving　a　space　two　or　three　feet　wide；　but　disclosing　a　dark　chasm　descending　into　the　bowels　of　the　mountain；　and　which；　having　visited　several　such；　I　had　no　great　curiosity　to　explore。

Crossing　the　stream　a　little　below　the　upper　fall；　the　path　ascends　a　steep　slope　for　about　five　hundred　feet；　and　passing　through　a　gap　enters　a　narrow　valley；　shut　in　by　walls　of　rock　absolutely　perpendicular　and　of　great　height。　Half　a　mile　further　this　valley　turns　abruptly　to　the　right；　and　becomes　a　mere　rift　in　the　mountain。　This　extends　another　half　mile；　the　walls　gradually　approaching　until　they　are　only　two　feet　apart；　and　the　bottom　rising　steeply　to　a　pass　which　leads　probably　into　another　valley；　but　which　I　had　no　time　to　explore。　Returning　to　where　this　rift　had　begun　the　main　path　turns　up　to　the　left　in　a　sort　of　gully；　and　reaches　a　summit　over　which　a　fine　natural　arch　of　rock　passes　at　a　height　of　about　fifty　feet。　Thence　was　a　steep　descent　through　thick　jungle　with　glimpses　of　precipices　and　distant　rocky　mountains；　probably　leading　into　the　main　river　valley　again。　This　was　a　most　tempting　region　to　explore；　but　there　were　several　reasons　why　I　could　go　no　further。　I　had　no　guide；　and　no　permission　to　enter　the　Bugis　territories；　and　as　the　rains　might　at　any　time　set　in；　I　might　be　prevented　from　returning　by　the　flooding　of　the　river。　I　therefore　devoted　myself　during　the　short　time　of　my　visit　to　obtaining　what　knowledge　I　could　of　the　natural　productions　of　the　place。

The　narrow　chasms　produced　several　fine　insects　quite　new　to　me；　and　one　new　bird；　the　curious　Phlaegenas　tristigmata；　a　large　ground　pigeon　with　yellow　breast　and　crown；　and　purple　neck。　This　rugged　path　is　the　highway　from　Maros　to　the　Bugis　country　beyond　the　mountains。　During　the　rainy　season　it　is　quite　impassable；　the　river　filling　i