DODINGA. 321 



been overthrown by earthquakes, by which its massive struct- 

 ure has also been rent ; but it can not well be thrown down, 

 being a solid mass of stone-work, forming a platform about 

 ten feet high, and perhaps forty feet square. It is approached 

 by narrow steps under an archway, and is now surmounted by 

 a row of thatched hovels, in which live the small garrison, con- 

 sisting of a Dutch corporal and four Javanese soldiers, the 

 sole representatives of the Netherlands Government in the isl- 

 and. The village is occupied entirely by Ternate men. The 

 true indigenes of Gilolo, "Alf uros " as they are here called, live 

 on the eastern coast, or in the interior of the northern penin- 

 sula. The distance across the isthmus at this place is only 

 two miles, and there is a good path, along which rice and sago 

 are brought from the eastern villages. The whole isthmus is 

 very rugged, though not high, being a succession of little ab- 

 rupt hills and valleys, with angular masses of limestone rock 

 everywhere projecting, and often almost blocking up the path- 

 way. Most of it is virgin forest, very luxuriant and pictur- 

 esque, and at this time having abundance of large scarlet Ix- 

 oras in flower, which made it exceptionally gay. I got some 

 very nice insects here, though, owing to illness most of the 

 time, my collection was a small one ; and my boy Ali shot 

 me a pair of one of the most beautiful birds of the East (Pit- 

 ta gigas), a large ground-thrush, whose plumage of velvety 

 black above is relieved by a breast of pure white, shoulders of 

 azure blue, and belly of vivid crimson. It has very long and 

 stong legs, and hops about with such activity in the dense tan- 

 gled forest, bristling with rocks, as to make it very difficult 

 to shoot. 



In September, 1858, after my return fi-om New Guinea, I 

 went to stay some time at the village of Djilolo, situated in a 

 bay on the northern peninsula. Here I obtained a house 

 through the kindness of the Resident of Ternate, who sent or- - 

 ders to prepare one for me. The first walk into the unex- 

 plored forests of a new locality is a moment of intense inter- 

 est to the naturalist, as it is almost sure to furnish him with 

 I something curious or hitherto unknown. The first thing I 

 I saw here was a flock of small parroquets, of which I shot a 

 ; pair, and was pleased to find a most beautiful little long-tailed 

 ibird, ornamented with green, red, and blue colors, and quite 



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