The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

;118 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO. [''Hap.and the violent currents that flow through the Straits of Lombock.These are so uncertain that vessels preparing to anchor in the bayaresometimes suddenly swept away into the straits, and are notable to get back again for a fortnight ! What seamen call the" ripples " are also very violent in the straits, the sea appearingto boil and foam and dance like the rapids below a cataractvessels are swept about helpless, and small ones are occasionallyswamped in the finest weather and under the brightest skies.I felt considerably relieved when all my boxes and myself hadpassed in safety through the devouring surf, which the nativeslook upon with some pride, saying, that "tlieir sea is alwayshungry, and eats up everything it can catch." I was kindlyreceived by Mr. Carter, an Englishman, who is one of the Bandarsor licensed traders of the port, who offered me hospitality andevery assistance during my stay. His house, store-houses anciofiices were in a yard surrounded by a tall bamboo fence, andwere entirely constructed of bamboo with a thatch of grass, theonly available building materials. Even these were now veryscarce, owing to the great consumption in rebuilding the placesince the great fire some months before, which in an hour or twohad destroyed every building in the town.The next day I went to see Mr. S., another merchant to whomI had brought letters of introduction, and who lived about sevenmiles off. Mr. Carter kindly lent me a horse, and I was accompaniedby a young Dutch gentleman residing at Ampanam, whooffered to be my guide. We first passed through the towns andsuburbs along a straight road bordered by mud walls and a fineavenue of lofty trees ; then thi'ough rice-fields irrigated in thesame manner as I had seen them at Biieling, and afterwardsover sandy pastures near the sea, and occasionally along thebeach itself. Mr. S. received us kindly, and offered me a residenceat his house should I think the neighbourhood favourablefor my pursuits. After an early breakfast we went out to explore,taking guns and insect-net. We reached some low hillswhich seemed to offer the most favourable ground, passing overswamps, sandy flats overgrown with coarse sedges, and throughpastures and cultivated grounds, finding however very little intlie way of either birds or insects. On our way we passed oneor two Imman skeletons, enclosed within a small bamboo fence,witli the clothes, pillow, mat, and betel-box of tlie unfortunateindividual,—who had been either murdered or executed. Returningto the house, we found a Balinese chief and his followers ona A'isit. Those of higher rank sat on chairs, the others squattedon tlie floor. The chief very coolly asked for beer and brandy,and helped himself and his followers, apparently more out ofcuriosity than anything else as regards the beer, for it seemedvery distasteful to them, Avhile they drank the brandy intumblers with much relish.Returning to Ampanam, I devoted myself for some days toshooting the birds of the neighbourhood. The fine fig-trees of