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

XVII.] CELEBES, 187port of Menado up to the plateau, and smaller paths were clearedfrom village to village ; missionaries settled in the more populousdistricts and opened schools, and Chinese traders penetrated tothe interior and supijlied clothing and other luxuries in exchangefor the money which the sale of the coffee had produced. At thesame time, the country was divided into districts, and the systemof " Controlleurs," which had worked so well in Java, was introduced.The " Controlleur " was a European, or a native ofEuropean blood, who was the general superintendent of thecultivation of the district, the adviser of the chiefs, the protectorof the people, and the means of communication between botliand the European Government. His duties obliged him to visitevery village in succession once a month, and to send in a reporton their condition to the Resident. As disputes between adjacentvillages were now settled by appeal to a superior authority, theold and inconvenient semi-fortitied houses were disused, andunder the direction of the " Controlleurs " most of the houseswere rebuilt on a neat and uniform plan. It was this interestingdistrict which I was now about to visit.Having decided on my route, I started at 8 a.m. on the 22nd ofJune. Mr. Tower drove me the first three miles in his chaise,and Mr. Neys accompanied me on horseback three miles furtherto the village of Lotta. Here we met the Controlleur of thedistrict of Tondano, who was I'eturning home from one of hismonthly tours, and who had agreed to act as my guide and companionon the journey. From Lotta we had an almost continualascent for six miles, which brought us on to the plateau ofTondano at an ele^'ation of about 2,400 feet. We j^assed throughthree villages whose neatness and beauty quite astonished me.The main road, along which all the coffee is brought down fromthe interior in carts drawn by buffaloes, is always turned asideat the entrance of a village, so as to j^ass behind it, and thusallow the village street itself to be kept neat and clean. Thisis bordered by neat hedges often formed entirely of rose-trees,which are perpetually in blossom. There is a broad central pathand a border of fine turf, which is kept well swept and neatlycut. The houses are all of wood, raised about six feet on substantialposts neatly painted blue, while the walls are whitewashed.They all have a verandah enclosed with a neat balustrade,and are generally surrounded by orange-trees and floweringshrubs. The surrounding scenery is verdant and picturesque.Cofiee plantations of exti'erae luxuriance, noble palms and treeferns, wooded hills and volcanic jDeaks, everywhere meet the eye.I had heard much of the beauty of this country, but the realityfar surpassed my expectations.About one o'clock we reached Tomohdn, the chief place of adistrict, having a native chief now called the " JNlajor," at whosehouse we were to dine. Here was a fresh surprise for me. Thehouse was large, airy, and very substantially built of hard nativetimber, squared and put together in a most workmanlike mannei".