the malay archipelago-1-第77章

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During　the　few　days　that　elapsed　before　I　could　make　arrangements　　to　visit　the　interior；　I　enjoyed　myself　much　in　the　society　of　the　two　doctors；　both　amiable　and　well…educated　men；　and　both　enthusiastic　entomologists；　though　obliged　to　increase　their　collections　almost　entirely　by　means　of　native　collectors。　Dr。　Doleschall　studied　chiefly　the　flies　and　spiders；　but　also　collected　butterflies　and　moths；　and　in　his　boxes　I　saw　grand　specimens　of　the　emerald　Ornithoptera　priamus　and　the　azure　Papilio　Ulysses；　with　many　more　of　the　superb　butterflies　of　this　rich　island。　Dr。　Mohnike　confined　himself　chiefly　to　the　beetles；　and　had　formed　a　magnificent　collection　during　many　years　residence　in　Java；　Sumatra；　Borneo；　Japan；　and　Amboyna。　The　Japanese　collection　was　especially　interesting；　containing　both　the　fine　Carabi　of　northern　countries；　and　the　gorgeous　Buprestidae　and　Longicorns　of　the　tropics。　The　doctor　made　the　voyage　to　Jeddo　by　land　from　Nagasaki；　and　is　well　acquainted　with　the　character；　manners；　and　customs　of　the　people　of　Japan；　and　with　the　geology；　physical　features；　and　natural　history　of　the　country。　He　showed　me　collections　of　cheap　woodcuts　printed　in　colours；　which　are　sold　at　less　than　a　farthing　each；　and　comprise　an　endless　variety　of　sketches　of　Japanese　scenery　and　manners。　Though　rude；　they　are　very　characteristic；　and　often　exhibit　touches　of　great　humour。　He　also　possesses　a　large　collection　of　coloured　sketches　of　the　plants　of　Japan；　made　by　a　Japanese　lady；　which　are　the　most　masterly　things　I　have　ever　seen。　Every　stem；　twig；　and　leaf　is　produced　by　single　touches　of　the　brush；　the　character　and　perspective　of　very　complicated　plants　being　admirably　given；　and　the　articulations　of　stem　and　leaves　shown　in　a　most　scientific　manner。

Having　made　arrangements　to　stay　for　three　weeks　at　a　small　hut　on　a　newly　cleared　plantation　in　the　interior　of　the　northern　half　of　the　island；　I　with　some　difficulty　obtained　a　boat　and　men　to　take　me　across　the　waterfor　the　Amboynese　are　dreadfully　lazy。　Passing　up　the　harbour；　in　appearance　like　a　fine　river；　the　clearness　of　the　water　afforded　me　one　of　the　most　astonishing　and　beautiful　sights　I　have　ever　beheld。　The　bottom　was　absolutely　hidden　by　a　continuous　series　of　corals；　sponges；　actinic；　and　other　marine　productions　of　magnificent　dimensions；　varied　forms；　and　brilliant　colours。　The　depth　varied　from　about　twenty　to　fifty　feet；　and　the　bottom　was　very　uneven；　rocks　and　chasms　and　little　hills　and　valleys；　offering　a　variety　of　stations　for　the　growth　of　these　animal　forests。　In　and　out　among　them；　moved　numbers　of　blue　and　red　and　yellow　fishes；　spotted　and　banded　and　striped　in　the　most　striking　manner；　while　great　orange　or　rosy　transparent　medusa　floated　along　near　the　surface。　It　was　a　sight　to　gaze　at　for　hours；　and　no　description　can　do　justice　to　its　surpassing　beauty　and　interest。　For　once；　the　reality　exceeded　the　most　glowing　accounts　I　had　ever　read　of　the　wonders　of　a　coral　sea。　There　is　perhaps　no　spot　in　the　world　richer　in　marine　productions；　corals；　shells　and　fishes；　than　the　harbour　of　Amboyna。

From　the　north　side　of　the　harbour；　a　good　broad　path　passes　through　swamp　clearing　and　forest；　over　hill　and　valley；　to　the　farther　side　of　the　island；　the　coralline　rock　constantly　protruding　through　the　deep　red　earth　which　fills　all　the　hollows；　and　is　more　or　less　spread　over　the　plains　and　hill…　sides。　The　forest　vegetation　is　here　of　the　most　luxuriant　character；　ferns　and　palms　abound；　and　the　climbing　rattans　were　more　abundant　than　I　had　ever　seen　them；　forming　tangled　festoons　over　almost　every　large　forest　tree。　The　cottage　I　was　to　occupy　was　situated　in　a　large　clearing　of　about　a　hundred　acres；　part　of　which　was　already　planted　with　young　cacao…trees　and　plantains　to　shade　them；　while　the　rest　was　covered　with　dead　and　half…　burned　forest　trees；　and　on　one　side　there　was　a　tract　where　the　trees　had　been　recently　felled　and　were　not　yet　burned。　The　path　by　which　I　had　arrived　continued　along　one　side　of　this　clearing；　and　then　again　entering　the　virgin　forest　passed　over　hill　and　dale　to　the　northern　aide　of　the　island。

My　abode　was　merely　a　little　thatched　hut；　consisting　of　an　open　verandah　in　front　and　a　small　dark　sleeping　room　behind。　It　was　raised　about　five　feet　from　the　ground；　and　was　reached　by　rude　steps　to　the　centre　of　the　verandah。　The　walls　and　floor　were　of　bamboo；　and　it　contained　a　table；　two　bamboo　chairs；　and　a　couch。　Here　I　soon　made　myself　comfortable；　and　set　to　work　hunting　for　insects　among　the　more　recently　felled　timber；　which　swarmed　with　fine　Curculionidae；　Longicorns；　and　Buprestidae；　most　of　them　remarkable　for　their　elegant　forms　or　brilliant　colours；　and　almost　all　entirely　new　to　me。　Only　the　entomologist　can　appreciate　the　delight　with　which　I　hunted　about　for　hours　in　the　hot　sunshine；　among　the　branches　and　twigs　and　bark　of　the　fallen　trees；　every　few　minutes　securing　insects　which　were　at　that　time　almost　all　rare　or　new　to　European　collections。

In　the　shady　forest　paths　were　many　fine　butterflies；　most　conspicuous　among　which　was　the　shining　blue　Papilio　Ulysses；　one　of　the　princes　of　the　tribe；　though　at　that　time　so　rare　in　Europe；　I　found　it　absolutely　common　in　Amboyna；　though　not　easy　to　obtain　in　fine　condition；　a　large　number　of　the　specimens　being　found　when　captured　to　have　the　wings　torn　or　broken。　It　flies　with　a　rather　weak　undulating　motion；　and　from　its　large　size；　its　tailed　wings　and　brilliant　colour；　is　one　of　the　most　tropical…looking　insects　the　naturalist　can　gaze　upon。

There　is　a　remarkable　contrast　between　the　beetles　of　Amboyna　and　those　of　Macassar；　the　latter　generally　small　and　obscure；　the　former　large　and　brilliant。　On　the　whole；　the　insects　here　most　resemble　those　of　the　Aru　islands；　but　they　are　almost　always　of　distinct　species；　and　when　they　are　most　nearly　allied　to　each　other；　the　species　of　Amboyna　are　of　larger　size　and　more　brilliant　colours；　so　that　one　might　be　led　to　conclude　that　in　passing　east　and　west　into　a　less　favourable　soil　and　climate；　they　had　degenerated　into　less　striking　forms。

Of　an　evening　I　generally　sat　reading　in　the　verandah；　ready　to　capture　any　insects　that　were　attracted　to　the　light。　One　night　about　nine　o'clock；　I　heard　a　curious　noise　and　rustling　overhead；　as　if　some　heavy　animal　were　crawling　slowly　over　the　thatch。　The　noise　soon　ceased；　and　I　thought　no　more　about　it　and　went　to　bed　soon　afterwards。　The　next　afternoon　just　before　dinner；　being　rather　tired　with　my　day's　work；　I　was　lying　on　the　couch　with　a　book　in　my　hand；　when　gazing　upwards　I　saw　a　large　mass　of　something　overhead　which　I　had　not　noticed　before。　Looking　more　carefully　I　could　see　yellow　and　black　marks；　and　thought　it　must　be　a　tortoise…shell　put　up　there　out　of　the　way　between　the　ridge…pole　and　the　roof　Continuing　to　gaze；　it　suddenly　resolved　itself　into　a　large　snake；　compactly　coiled　up　in　a　kind　of　knot；　and　I　could　detect　his　head　and　his　bright　eyes　in　the　very　centre　of　the　folds。　The　noise　of　the　evening　before　was　now　explained。　A　python　had　climbed　up　one　of　the　posts　of　the　house；　and　had　made　his　way　under　the　thatch　within　a　yard　of　my　head；　and　taken　up　a　comfortable　position　in　the　roofand　I　had　slept　soundly　all　night　directly　under　him。

I　called　to　my　two　boys　who　were　skinning　birds　below　and　said；　〃Here's　a　big　snake　in　the　roof；〃　but　as　soon　as　I　had　shown　it　to　them　they　rushed　out　of　the　house　and　begged　me　to　come　out　directly。　Finding　they　were　too　much　afraid　to　do　anything；　we　called　some　of　the　labourers　in　the　plantation；　and　soon　had　half　a　dozen　men　in　consultation　outside。　One　of　these；　a　native　of　Bouru；　where　there　are　a　great　many　snakes；　said　he　would　get　him　out；　and　proceeded　to　work　in　a　businesslike　manner。　He　made　a　strong　noose　of　rattan；　and　with　a　long　pole　in　the　other　hand　poked　at　the　snake；　who　then　began　slowly　to　uncoil　itself。　He　then　managed　to　slip　the　noose　over　its　head；　and　getting　it　well　on　to　the　body；　dragged　the　animal　down。　There　was　a　great　scuffle　as　the　snake　coiled　round　the　chairs　and　posts　to　resist　his　enemy；　but　at　length　the　man　caught　hold　of　its　tail；　rushed　out　of　t