Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
village of Teluti there were plenty of Alfuros, and that I could get abundance of lories and
other birds. The Rajah declared that black and yellow lories and black cockatoos were found
there; but I am inclined to think he knew very well he was telling me lies, and that it was
only a scheme to satisfy me with his plan of taking me to that village, instead of a day's
journey further on, as I desired. Here, as at most of the villages, I was asked for spirits, the
people being mere nominal Mahometans, who confine their religion almost entirely to a dis-
gust at pork, and a few other forbidden articles of food. The next morning, after much
trouble, we got our cargoes loaded, and had a delightful row across the deep bay of Teluti,
with a view of the grand central mountain-range of Ceram. Our four boats were rowed by
sixty men, with flags flying and tom-toms beating, as well as very vigorous shouting and
singing to keep up their spirits. The sea was smooth, the morning bright, and the whole
scene very exhilarating. On landing, the Orang-kaya and several of the chief men, in gor-
geous silk jackets, were waiting to receive us, and conducted me to a house prepared for my
reception, where I determined to stay a few days, and see if the country round produced
anything new.
My first inquiries were about the lories, but I could get very little satisfactory informa-
tion. The only kinds known were the ring-necked lory and the common red and green lori-
keet, both common at Amboyna. Black lories and cockatoos were quite unknown. The Al-
furos resided in the mountains five or six days' journey away, and there were only one or
two live birds to be found in the village, and these were worthless. My hunters could get
nothing but a few common birds; and notwithstanding fine mountains, luxuriant forests, and
a locality a hundred miles eastward, I could find no new insects, and extremely few even of
the common species of Amboyna and West Ceram. It was evidently no use stopping at such
a place, and I was determined to move on as soon as possible.
The village of Teluti is populous, but straggling and very dirty. Sago trees here cover the
mountain side, instead of growing as usual in low swamps; but a closer examination shows
that they grow in swampy patches, which have formed among the loose rocks that cover the
ground, and which are kept constantly full of moisture by the rains, and by the abundance of
rills which trickle down among them. This sago forms almost the whole subsistence of the
inhabitants, who appear to cultivate nothing but a few small patches of maize and sweet
potatoes. Hence, as before explained, the scarcity of insects. The Orang-kaya has fine
clothes, handsome lamps, and other expensive European goods, yet lives every day on sago
and fish as miserably as the rest.
After three days in this barren place I left on the morning of March 6th, in two boats of
the same size as those which had brought me to Teluti. With some difficulty I had obtained
