按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
n…grounds and the forest。 Within twenty yards was a little stream； which furnished us with excellent water and a nice place to bathe。 There was only low underwood to clear away； while some fine forest trees stood at a short distance； and we cut down the wood for about twenty yards round to give us light and air。 The house； about twenty feet by fifteen； was built entirely of wood； with a bamboo floor； a single door of thatch； and a large window； looking over the sea； at which I fixed my table； and close beside it my bed； within a little partition。 I bought a number of very large palm…leaf mats of the natives； which made excellent walls； while the mats I had brought myself were used on the roof； and were covered over with attaps as soon as we could get them made。 Outside； and rather behind； was a little hut； used for cooking； and a bench； roofed over； where my men could sit to skin birds and animals。 When all was finished； I had my goods and stores brought up； arranged them conveniently inside； and then paid my Papuans with knives and choppers； and sent them away。 The next day our schooner left for the more eastern islands； and I found myself fairly established as the only European inhabitant of the vast island of New Guinea。
As we had some doubt about the natives； we slept at first with loaded guns beside us and a watch set； but after a few days； finding the people friendly； and feeling sure that they would not venture to attack five well…armed men； we took no further precautions。 We had still a day or two's work in finishing up the house； stopping leaks； putting up our hanging shelves for drying specimens inside and out； and making the path down to the water； and a clear dry space in front of the horse。
On the 17th； the steamer not having arrived； the coal…ship left； having lain here a month； according to her contract； and on the same day my hunters went out to shoot for the first time； and brought home a magnificent crown pigeon and a few common birds。 The next day they were more successful； and I was delighted to see them return with a Bird of Paradise in full plumage； a pair of the fine Papuan lories （Lorius domicella）； four other lories and parroquets； a grackle （Gracula dumonti）； a king…hunter （Dacelo gaudichaudi）； a racquet…tailed kingfisher （Tanysiptera galatea）； and two or three other birds of less beauty。
I went myself to visit the native village on the hill behind Dorey； and took with me a small present of cloth； knives； and beads； to secure the good…will of the chief； and get him to send some men to catch or shoot birds for me。 The houses were scattered about among rudely cultivated clearings。 Two which I visited consisted of a central passage； on each side of which opened short passages； admitting to two rooms； each of which was a house accommodating a separate family。 They were elevated at least fifteen feet above the ground； on a complete forest of poles； and were so rude and dilapidated that some of the small passages had openings in the floor of loose sticks； through which a child might fall。 The inhabitants seemed rather uglier than those at Dorey village。 They are； no doubt； the true indigenes of this part of New Guinea； living in the interior； and subsisting by cultivation and hunting。 The Dorey men； on the other hand； are shore…dwellers； fishers and traders in a small way； and have thus the character of a colony who have migrated from another district。 These hillmen or 〃Arfaks 〃differed much in physical features。 They were generally black； but some were brown like Malays。 Their hair； though always more or less frizzly； was sometimes short and matted； instead of being long； loose； and woolly； and this seemed to be a constitutional difference； not the effect of care and cultivation。 Nearly half of them were afflicted with the scurfy skin…disease。 The old chief seemed much pleased with his present； and promised （through an interpreter I brought with me） to protect my men when they came there shooting； and also to procure me some birds and animals。 While conversing； they smoked tobacco of their own growing； in pipes cut from a single piece of wood with a long upright handle。
We had arrived at Dorey about the end of the wet season； when the whole country was soaked with moisture The native paths were so neglected as to be often mere tunnels closed over with vegetation； and in such places there was always a fearful accumulation of mud。 To the naked Papuan this is no obstruction。 He wades through it； and the next watercourse makes him clean again； but to myself； wearing boots and trousers； it was a most disagreeable thing to have to go up to my knees in a mud…hole every morning。 The man I brought with me to cut wood fell ill soon after we arrived； or I would have set him to clear fresh paths in the worst places。 For the first ten days it generally rained every afternoon and all night r but by going out every hour of fine weather； I managed to get on tolerably with my collections of birds and insects； finding most of those collected by Lesson during his visit in the Coquille； as well as many new ones。 It appears； however； that Dorey is not the place for Birds of Paradise； none of the natives being accustomed to preserve them。 Those sold here are all brought from Amberbaki； about a hundred miles west； where the Doreyans go to trade。
The islands in the bay； with the low lands near the coast； seem to have been formed by recently raised coral reef's； and are much strewn with masses of coral but little altered。 The ridge behind my house； which runs out to the point； is also entirely coral rock； although there are signs of a stratified foundation in the ravines； and the rock itself is more compact and crystalline。 It is therefore； probably older； a more recent elevation having exposed the low grounds and islands。 On the other side of the bay rise the great mass of the Arfak mountains； said by the French navigators to be about ten thousand feet high； and inhabited by savage tribes。 These are held in great dread by the Dorey people； who have often been attacked and plundered by them； and have some of their skulls hanging outside their houses。 If I was seem going into the forest anywhere in the direction of the mountains； the little boys of the village would shout after me； 〃Arfaki！ Arfaki？〃 just as they did after Lesson nearly forty years before。
On the 15th of May the Dutch war…steamer Etna arrived； but； as the coals had gone； it was obliged to stay till they came back。 The captain knew when the coalship was to arrive； and how long it was chartered to stay at Dorey； and could have been back in time； but supposed it would wait for him； and so did not hurry himself。 The steamer lay at anchor just opposite my house； and I had the advantage of hearing the half…hourly bells struck； which was very pleasant after the monotonous silence of the forest。 The captain； doctor； engineer； and some other of the officers paid me visits； the servants came to the brook to wash clothes； and the son of the Prince of Tidore； with one or two companions； to bathe； otherwise I saw little of them； and was not disturbed by visitors so much as I had expected to be。 About this time the weather set in pretty fine； but neither birds nor insects became much more abundant； and new birds …were very scarce。 None of the Birds of Paradise except the common one were ever met with； and we were still searching in vain for several of the fine birds which Lesson had obtained here。 Insects were tolerably abundant； but were not on the average so fine as those of Amboyna； and I reluctantly came to the conclusion that Dorey was not a good collecting locality。 Butterflies were very scarce； arid were mostly the same as those which I had obtained at Aru。
Among the insects of other orders； the most curious and novel were a group of horned flies； of which I obtained four distinct species； settling on fallen trees and decaying trunks。 These remarkable insects； which have been described by Mr。 W。 W。 Saunders as a new genus； under the name of Elaphomia or deer… flies； are about half an inch long； slender…bodied； and with very long legs； which they draw together so as to elevate their bodies high above the surface they are standing upon。 The front pair of legs are much shorter； and these are often stretched directly forwards； so as to resemble antenna。 The horns spring from beneath the eye； and seem to be a prolongation of the lower part of the orbit。 In the largest and most singular species； named Elaphomia cervicornis or the stag…horned deer…fly； these horns are nearly as long as the body； having two branches； with two small snags near their bifurcation； so as to resemble the horns of a stag。 They are black； with the tips pale； while the body and legs are yellowish brown； and the eyes （when alive） violet and green。 The next species （Elaphomia wallacei） is of a dark brown colour； banded and spotted with yellow。 The horns are about one… third the length of the insect； broad； flat； and of an elongated triangular foam。 They are of a beautiful pink colour； edged with black； and with a pale central stripe。 The front part of the head is also pink； and the eyes violet pink； with a green stripe across them； giving the insect a very elegant and singular appearance。 The third