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

—XXIX.] THE Kl: ISLANDS. 325leaved herbaceous plants, and in damp and gloomy situations,taking frequent short fliglits from leaf to leaf, and jireservingan alert attitude, as if always looking out for its prey. Itsvicinity could be immediately ascertained, often before it wasseen, by a very pleasant odour, like otto of roses, which it seemsto emit continuallj", and which may probably be attractive to tliesmall insects on whicli it feeds. The other, Tricondyla aptera,is one of the most curious forms in the family of the Cicindelidse,and is almost exclusively confined to the Malay Islands. Inshape it resembles a very large ant, more than an inch long, andof a purple black colour. Like an ant also it is wingless, and isgenerally found ascending trees, passing around the trunks in aspiral direction when approached, to avoid caj^ture, so that itrequires a sudden run and active fingers to secure a specimen.This species emits the usual fetid odour of the ground l^eetles.My collections during our four days' stay at Ke were as follow :Birds, 13 species ;insects, 194 sj^ecies ; and 3 kinds of land-shells.There are two kinds of people inhalDiting these islands—theindigenes, who have the Papuan characters strongly marked,and who are pagans ;and a mixed race, who are nominallyMahometans, and wear cotton clothing, while tlie former useonly a waist cloth of cotton or bark. These Mahometans aresaid to have been driven out of Banda by the early Europeansettlers. They were probably a brown race, more allied to theMalays, and their mixed descendants here exhibit great variationsof colour, liair, and features, graduating between theMalay and PajDuan types. It is interesting to observe theinfluence of the early Portuguese trade with these countries inthe words of their language, which still remain in xise evenamong these remote and savage islanders. " Lenco " for liandkerchief,and " faca " for knife, are here used to the exclusionof the pi'oper Malay terms. The Portuguese and Spaniardswere truly wonderful conquerors and colonizers. Tliey efiectedmore rapid changes in tlie countries they conquered "than anyother nations of modern times, resembling the Eonians in tlieirpower of impressing their own language, religion, and mannerson rude and barbarous tribes.The striking contrast of character between these people andthe Malays is exemplified in many little traits.One day whenI was rambling in the forest, an old man stop]3ed to look at mecatching an insect. He stood very^quiet till I liad pinned andput it away in my collecting box, when he could contain himselfno longer, but bent almost double, and enjoyed a hearty roarof laughter. Every one will recognize this as a true negro ti'ait.A Malay would have stared, and asked with a tone of bewildermentwhat I was doing, for it is but little in his nature to laugh,never heartily, and still less at or in the presence of a stranger,to whom, however, liis disdainful glances or wliispered remarksare less agreeable than the most boisterous open expression ofInerriment. The women here were not so much fi-iglitened at