Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
perb 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, contain-
ing both the fine Carabi of northern countries and the gorgeous Buprestidæ and Longicorns
of the tropics. The doctor made the voyage to Jeddo by land from Nagasaki, and is well ac-
quainted with the character, manners, and customs of the people of Japan, and with the geo-
logy, 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 collec-
tion 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 admir-
ably 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 water; for 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 hid-
den by a continuous series of corals, sponges, actiniæ, 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 medusæ 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 ac-
counts 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 pro-
truding 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 oc-
