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

XXV.] CERAM, CORAM, AND THE MATABELLO ISLANDS. 287quainted with the character of these natives, and are not likelyto provoke an attack by any insults or open attempt at robberyor imposition. They are accustomed to visit the same placesevery year, and the natives can have no fear of them, as may bealleged in excuse for their attacks on Europeans. In other extensivedistricts inhabited by the same Papuan races, such asMysol, Sahvattj', Waigiou, and some parts of the adjacent coast,the people have taken the first step in civilization, owing probablyto the settlement of traders of mixed breed among them,and for many years no such attacks have taken place. On thesouth-west coast, and in the large island of Jobie, however, thenatives are in a very bai'barous condition, and take e^'ery opportunityof robbery and murder—a habit which is confirmed bythe impunity they experience, owing to the vast extent of wildmountain and forest country forbidding all pursuit or attemptat punishment. In the very same village, four years before,more than fifty Goram men were murdered ; and as thesesavages obtain an immense bootj'' in the praus and all theirappurtenances, it is to be feared that such attacks will continueto be made at intervals as long as traders visit the same spotsand attempt no retaliation. Punishment could only be inflictedon these people by very arbitrary measures, such as by obtainingpossession of some of the chiefs by stratagem, and renderingthem responsible for the caj^ture of the murderers at the perilof their own heads. But anything of this kind would be quitecontrary to the system adopted by the Dutch Government in itsdealings with natives.GORAM TO WAHAI IN CERAM.When my boat was at length launched and loaded, I got mymen together, and actually set sail the next day (May 27th),much to the astonisliment of the Goram people, to whom suchpunctuality was a novelty. I had a crew of three men and aboy, besides my two Amboyna lads, which was suflicient forsailing, though rather too few if obliged to row much. The nextday was very wet, v/ith squalls, calms, and contrary winds, andwith some difliculty we reached Kilwaru, the metropolis of theBugis traders in the far East. As I wanted to make some purchases,I stayed here two days, and sent two of my boxes ofspecimens by a Macassar prau to be forwarded to Ternate,thus relieving myself of a considerable incumbrance. I boughtknives, basins, and handkerchiefs for barter, which with thechoppers, cloth, and beads I had brought with me, made apretty good assortment. I also bought two tower muskets tosatisfy my crew, who insisted on the necessity of being armedagainst attacks of pirates ; and with spices and a few articlesof food for the voyage nearly my last doit was expended.The Uttle island of Kilwaru is a mere sandbank, just largeenough to contain a small village, and situated between the