Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mother-of-pearl, and tortoiseshell, find their way to Europe, while edible birds' nests and
'tripang' or sea-slug are obtained by shiploads for the gastronomic enjoyment of the
Chinese.
The trade to these islands has existed from very early times, and it is from them that Birds
of Paradise, of the two kinds known to Linnæus, were first brought. The native vessels can
only make the voyage once a year, owing to the monsoons. They leave Macassar in Decem-
ber or January at the beginning of the west monsoon, and return in July or August with the
full strength of the east monsoon. Even by the Macassar people themselves, the voyage to
the Aru Islands is looked upon as a rather wild and romantic expedition, full of novel sights
and strange adventures. He who has made it is looked up to as an authority, and it remains
with many the unachieved ambition of their lives. I myself had hoped rather than expected
ever to reach this 'Ultima Thule' of the East; and when I found that I really could do so
now, had I but courage to trust myself for a thousand miles' voyage in a Bugis prau, and for
six or seven months among lawless traders and ferocious savages,—I felt somewhat as I did
when, a schoolboy, I was for the first time allowed to travel outside the stage-coach, to visit
that scene of all that is strange and new and wonderful to young imaginations—London!
By the help of some kind friends I was introduced to the owner of one of the large praus
which was to sail in a few days. He was a Javanese half-caste, intelligent, mild, and gentle-
manly in his manners, and had a young and pretty Dutch wife, whom he was going to leave
behind during his absence. When we talked about passage money he would fix no sum, but
insisted on leaving it entirely to me to pay on my return exactly what I liked. 'And then,'
said he, 'whether you give me one dollar or a hundred, I shall be satisfied, and shall ask no
more.'
The remainder of my stay was fully occupied in laying in stores, engaging servants, and
making every other preparation for an absence of seven months from even the outskirts of
civilization. On the morning of December 13th, when we went on board at daybreak, it was
raining hard. We set sail and it came on to blow. Our boat was lost astern, our sails dam-
aged, and the evening found us back again in Macassar harbour. We remained there four
days longer, owing to its raining all the time, thus rendering it impossible to dry and repair
the huge mat sails. All these dreary days I remained on board, and during the rare intervals
when it didn't rain, made myself acquainted with our outlandish craft, some of the peculiar-
ities of which I will now endeavour to describe.
It was a vessel of about seventy tons burthen, and shaped something like a Chinese junk.
The deck sloped considerably downward to the bows, which are thus the lowest part of the
ship. There were two large rudders, but instead of being placed astern they were hung on the
