The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online
The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online
198 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO. [chap.is by the increase of the population alone that there can be anylarge and permanent increase in the produce of coffee. TlieMissionaries should take up the questioii, because, by inducingmarried women to confine themselves to domestic duties, theywill decidedly promote a higher civilization, and directly increasethe health and happiness of the whole community. Tlie peopleare so docile, and so willing to adopt the manners and customsof Europeans, that the cliange might be easily effected, by merelyshowing them that it was a question of morality and civilization,and an essential step in their progress towards an equality withtheir white rulers.After a fortnight's stay at Eurukan, I left that pretty andinteresting village in search of a locality and climate more productiveof birds and insects. I passed the evening with theControlleur of Tondano, and the next morning at nine left in asmall boat for the head of the lake, a distance of about tenmiles. The lower end of the lake is bordered by swamps andmarshes of considerable extent, but a little further on the hillscome down to the water's edge and give it very much theappearance of a great river, the width being about two miles.At the upper end is the village of Kakas, where I dined withthe head-man in a good house like those I have already described ;and then went on to Langowan, four miles distant over a levelplain. This was the i^lace where I had been recommended tostay, and I accordingly unpacked ray baggage and made myselfcomfortable in the large house devoted to visitors. I obtaineda man to shoot for me, and another to accompany roe the nextday to the forest, where I was in hopes of finding a good collectingground.In the morning after breakfast I started off, but found I hadfour miles to walk over a wearisome straight road throughcoffee plantations before I could get to the forest, and as soonas I did so it came on to rain heavily, and did not cease tillnight. This distance to walk every day was too far for anyprofitable work, especially when the weather was so uncertain.I tlierefore decided at once that I must go further on, till Ifound some place close to or in a forest country.In the afternoonmy friend ]\Ir. Bensneider arrived, together with theControlleur of the next district, called Belang, from whom Ilearnt that six miles furtlier on there was a village called Panglm,which had been recently formed and had a good deal of forestclose to it ; and he promised me the use of a small house if Iliked to go tliere.The next morning I went to see the hot springs and mudvolcanoes, for which this place is celebrated. A picturesquepath, among plantations and ravines, brought us to a beautifulcircular basin about foi'ty feet diameter, bordered by a calcareousledge, so uniform and truly curved that it looked like a work ofart. It was filled with clear water very near the boiling point,and emitting clouds of steam with a strong sulphureous odour.
XVII.] CELEBES. 199It overflows at one point and forms a little stream of hot water,whicli at a hundred yards distance is still too hot to hold thehand in. A little further on, in a piece of rough wood, were twoother springs not so regular in outline, but ap^Dearing to bemuch hotter, as they were in a continual state of active ebullition.At intervals of a few minutes a great escape of steam orgas took place, throwing up a column of water three or fourfeet high.We then went to the mud-springs, which are about a mile off,and are still more curious. On a sloping tract of ground in aslight hollow is a small lake of liquid mud, in patches of blue,red, or white, and in many places boiling and bubbling mostfuriously. All around on the indurated clay are small wellsand craters full of boiling mud. These seem to be forming continually,a small hole appearing first, which emits jets of steamand boiling mud, wliich on hardening forms a little cone witha crater in the middle. The ground for some distance is veryunsafe, as it is evidently liquid at a small depth, and bends withpressure like thin ice. At one of the smaller marginal jetswhich I managed to appi'oach, I held my hand to see if it wasreally as hot as it looked, when a little drop of mud that spurtedon to my finger scalded like boiling water. A short distanceoff there was a flat bare surface of rock, as smooth and hot asan oven floor, which was evidently an old mud-pool dried upand hardened. For hundreds of yards round there were banksof reddish and white clay used for whitewash, and these Avei'eso hot close to the surface that the hand could hardly bear to beheld in cracks a few inches deep, from which aldose a strongsulphureous vapour. I was informed that some years back aFrench gentleman who visited these springs ventured too nearthe liquid mud, when the crust gave way and he was engulfedin the horrible cauldron.This evidence of intense heat so near the surface over a largetract of country was very impressive, and I could hardly divestmj'self of the notion that some terrible catastrophe might atany moment devastate the country. Yet it is probable tliat allthese apertures are really safety-valves, and that the inequalitiesof the resistance of various parts of the earth's crust will alwaysprevent such an accumulation of force as would be required toupheave and overwhelm any extensive area. About sevenmiles west of this is a volcano which was in eruption aboutthirty years before my visit, presenting a magnificent appearanceand covering tlie surrounding country with sliowers ofashes. The plains around tlie lake formed by the interminglingand decomposition of volcanic products are of amazing fertility,and with a little management in the rotation of crops miglit bekept in continual cultivation. Rice is now grown on them forthree or four years in succession, when they are left fallow forthe same period, after which rice or maize can be again grown.Good rice produces thirty-fold, and coffee trees continue bearing
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XVII.] CELEBES. 199It overflows at one point and forms a little stream <strong>of</strong> hot water,whicli at a hundred yards distance is still too hot to hold <strong>the</strong>hand in. A little fur<strong>the</strong>r on, in a piece <strong>of</strong> rough wood, were twoo<strong>the</strong>r springs not so regular in outline, but ap^Dearing to bemuch hotter, as <strong>the</strong>y were in a continual state <strong>of</strong> active ebullition.At intervals <strong>of</strong> a few minutes a great escape <strong>of</strong> steam orgas took place, throwing up a column <strong>of</strong> water three or fourfeet high.We <strong>the</strong>n went to <strong>the</strong> mud-springs, which are about a mile <strong>of</strong>f,and are still more curious. On a sloping tract <strong>of</strong> ground in aslight hollow is a small lake <strong>of</strong> liquid mud, in patches <strong>of</strong> blue,red, or white, and in many places boiling and bubbling mostfuriously. All around on <strong>the</strong> indurated clay are small wellsand craters full <strong>of</strong> boiling mud. <strong>The</strong>se seem to be forming continually,a small hole appearing first, which emits jets <strong>of</strong> steamand boiling mud, wliich on hardening forms a little cone witha crater in <strong>the</strong> middle. <strong>The</strong> ground for some distance is veryunsafe, as it is evidently liquid at a small depth, and bends withpressure like thin ice. At one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> smaller marginal jetswhich I managed to appi'oach, I held my hand to see if it wasreally as hot as it looked, when a little drop <strong>of</strong> mud that spurtedon to my finger scalded like boiling water. A short distance<strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong>re was a flat bare surface <strong>of</strong> rock, as smooth and hot asan oven floor, which was evidently an old mud-pool dried upand hardened. For hundreds <strong>of</strong> yards round <strong>the</strong>re were banks<strong>of</strong> reddish and white clay used for whitewash, and <strong>the</strong>se Avei'eso hot close to <strong>the</strong> surface that <strong>the</strong> hand could hardly bear to beheld in cracks a few inches deep, from which aldose a strongsulphureous vapour. I was informed that some years back aFrench gentleman who visited <strong>the</strong>se springs ventured too near<strong>the</strong> liquid mud, when <strong>the</strong> crust gave way and he was engulfedin <strong>the</strong> horrible cauldron.This evidence <strong>of</strong> intense heat so near <strong>the</strong> surface over a largetract <strong>of</strong> country was very impressive, and I could hardly divestmj'self <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> notion that some terrible catastrophe might atany moment devastate <strong>the</strong> country. Yet it is probable tliat all<strong>the</strong>se apertures are really safety-valves, and that <strong>the</strong> inequalities<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> resistance <strong>of</strong> various parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earth's crust will alwaysprevent such an accumulation <strong>of</strong> force as would be required toupheave and overwhelm any extensive area. About sevenmiles west <strong>of</strong> this is a volcano which was in eruption aboutthirty years before my visit, presenting a magnificent appearanceand covering tlie surrounding country with sliowers <strong>of</strong>ashes. <strong>The</strong> plains around tlie lake formed by <strong>the</strong> interminglingand decomposition <strong>of</strong> volcanic products are <strong>of</strong> amazing fertility,and with a little management in <strong>the</strong> rotation <strong>of</strong> crops miglit bekept in continual cultivation. Rice is now grown on <strong>the</strong>m forthree or four years in succession, when <strong>the</strong>y are left fallow for<strong>the</strong> same period, after which rice or maize can be again grown.Good rice produces thirty-fold, and c<strong>of</strong>fee trees continue bearing