Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
XVI
Celebes
(
MACASSAR. JULY TO NOVEMBER
, 1857)
I reached Macassar again on the 11th of July, and established myself in my old quarters at
Mamájam, to sort, arrange, clean, and pack up my Aru collections. This occupied me a
month; and having shipped them off for Singapore, had my guns repaired, and received a new
one from England, together with a stock of pins, arsenic, and other collecting requisites, I
began to feel eager for work again, and had to consider where I should spend my time till the
end of the year. I had left Macassar, seven months before, a flooded marsh being ploughed up
for the rice-sowing. The rains had continued for five months, yet now all the rice was cut, and
dry and dusty stubbles covered the country just as when I had first arrived there.
After much inquiry I determined to visit the district of Máros, about thirty miles north of
Macassar, where Mr. Jacob Mesman, a brother of my friend, resided, who had kindly offered
to find me house-room and give me assistance should I feel inclined to visit him. I accord-
ingly obtained a pass from the Resident, and having hired a boat set off one evening for
Máros. My boy Ali was so ill with fever that I was obliged to leave him in the hospital, under
the care of my friend the German doctor, and I had to make shift with two new servants ut-
terly ignorant of everything. We coasted along during the night, and at daybreak entered the
Máros river, and by three in the afternoon reached the village. I immediately visited the
Assistant Resident, and applied for ten men to carry my baggage, and a horse for myself.
These were promised to be ready that night, so that I could start as soon as I liked in the
morning. After having taken a cup of tea I took my leave, and slept in the boat. Some of the
men came at night as promised, but others did not arrive till the next morning. It took some
time to divide my baggage fairly among them, as they all wanted to shirk the heavy boxes,
and would seize hold of some light article and march off with it, till made to come back and
wait till the whole had been fairly apportioned. At length about eight o'clock all was ar-
ranged, and we started for our walk to Mr. M.'s farm.
