TERXATK. 391 



greatest kindness and hospitality, and even got up a ball on 

 the shortest notice. The musicians were Malays, who were 

 indefatigable, but knew only one tune. 



The Resident presented a fine collection of Snakes and Corals 

 to the Expedition, and gave the greatest assistance and informa- 

 tion on all natural-history matters. There are a large number 

 of Chinese in the population of the island, and the Captain China, 

 or head of the Chinese under the Dutch, according to their 

 well-known method of Government in East Indian Colonies, was 

 one of the notables present at the ball. 



The Chinese have been for hundreds of years in the island, 

 and I was astonished to learn that some of them have, in the 

 course of generations, entirely lost the knowledge of their own 

 language, and now speak only Malay. I was told that it was 

 even possible that the Captain China himself might be in this 

 condition. I had thought this quite impossible in so strongly 

 conservative a people, and indeed had not realized the fact that 

 numerous generations of Chinese are born, die, and are buried in 

 these islands under Dutch rule. 



At Amboina, the large and costly tombs of the Chinese form 

 a feature in the landscape on the hill-sides * and there is a large 

 Chinese graveyard at Ternate, with many tombs of great age. 

 I had fancied that all dead Chinese were carried to China to be 

 buried, at all events if rich. The English seem to be the only 

 civilized migratory people who never lose their language. 



Instances of such loss by all other European races are to be 

 found in the United States. 



Malay collectors are sent every year to New Guinea from 

 Ternate, to collect Birds of Paradise and other Birds, and a 

 regular trade with New Guinea is carried on from this port. 

 The Malay collectors are some of them extremely expert in pre- 

 paring and preserving bird-skins. They mount them with a small 

 stick stuck into the tow stuffing, and protruding at the tail The 

 skin is handled by the stick, and thus the bird's feathers are 

 prevented from being injured. 



* Similarly at Timor, the costly Chinese tombs at which island are 

 figured in Perou and Leseur's " Voyage," published 1807. 



