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

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

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xsxvii.] VOYAGE FROM WAIGIOU TO TERNATE. 417get well till I had returned to Ternate, and was able to remaina Aveek indoors.A boat which left for Ternate <strong>the</strong> day after we arrived wasobliged to return <strong>the</strong> next day, on account <strong>of</strong> bad wea<strong>the</strong>r. On<strong>the</strong> 31st we Avent out to <strong>the</strong> anchorage at <strong>the</strong> mouth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>liarboui', so as to be ready to start at <strong>the</strong> first favourableopportunity.On <strong>the</strong> 1st <strong>of</strong> November I called up my men at one in <strong>the</strong>morning, and we started with <strong>the</strong> tide in our favour. Hi<strong>the</strong>rtoit had usually been calm at night, but on this occasion we had astrong westerly squall with rain, whicii turned our jDrau broadside,and obliged us to anchor. When it had passed we Aventon roAving all night, but <strong>the</strong> Avind ahead counteracted <strong>the</strong>current in our favour, and Ave advanced but little. Soon aftersunrise <strong>the</strong> Avind became stronger and more adverse, and as Avehad a dangerous lee-shore Avhich we could not clear, we had toput about and get an <strong>of</strong>fing to <strong>the</strong> W.S.W. This series <strong>of</strong> contrai-ywinds and bad Avea<strong>the</strong>r ever since we started, not havinghad a single day <strong>of</strong> fair Avind, Avas A'ery remarkable. My menfirmly believed <strong>the</strong>re Avas something unlucky in <strong>the</strong> boat, andtold me I ought to have had a certain ceremony gone throughbefore starting, consisting <strong>of</strong> boring a hole in <strong>the</strong> bottom andpouring some kind <strong>of</strong> holy oil through it. It must be rememberedthat this was <strong>the</strong> season <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> south-east monsoon,and yet Avehad not had even half a day's south-east Avind sincewe left Waigiou. Contrary Avinds, squalls, and currents driftedus about <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day at <strong>the</strong>ir pleasure. <strong>The</strong> night wasequally squally and changeable, and kept us liard at AA'ork takingin and making sail, and rowing in <strong>the</strong> interA^als.Sunrise on <strong>the</strong> 2nd found us in <strong>the</strong> middle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ten-milechannel between Kaioa and Makian. Squalls and showerssucceeded each o<strong>the</strong>r during <strong>the</strong> morning. At noon <strong>the</strong>re Avasa dead calm, after Avhich a light Avesterly breeze enabled us toreach a village on Makian in <strong>the</strong> evening. Here I bought somepumelos (Citrus decumana), kanary-nuts, and c<strong>of</strong>fee, and let mymen haA^e a night's sleep.<strong>The</strong> morning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 3rd Avas fine, and Ave rowed slowly along<strong>the</strong> coast <strong>of</strong> Makian. <strong>The</strong> captain <strong>of</strong> a small prau at anchor,seeing me on deck and guessing Avho I Avas, made signals for usto stop, and brought me a letter from Charles Allen, Avho informedme lie had been at Ternate twenty days, and wasanxiously Avaiting my arrival. This was good news, as I Avasequally anxious about him, and it cheered up my spirits. Alight sou<strong>the</strong>rly Avind noAv sprung up, and Ave thought Ave Averegoing to have fine Avea<strong>the</strong>r. It soon changed, however, to itsold quarter, <strong>the</strong> Avest ; dense clouds ga<strong>the</strong>red over <strong>the</strong> sky, andin less than half an hour Ave had <strong>the</strong> severest squall we had experiencedduring our Avhole A-oyage. Luckily Ave got our greatmainsail down in time, or <strong>the</strong> consequences might haA-e beenserious. It AA-as a regular little hurricane, and my old BugisE E

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