Batchian. . 333 



I 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



BATCHIAN. 



OCTOBER, 1858, TO APRIL, 1859. 



I LANDED opposite the house kept for the use of the Resi- 

 dent of Ternate, and was met by a respectable middle-aged 

 Malay, who told me he was secretary to the Sultan, and would 

 receive the official letter with which I had been provided. 

 On giving it him, he at once informed me I might have the 

 use of the official residence, which was empty. I soon got 

 my things on shore, but, on looking about me, found that 

 the house would never do to stay long in. There was no 

 water except at a considerable distance, and one of my men 

 would be almost entirely occupied getting water and firewood, 

 and I should myself have to walk all through the village every 

 day to the forest, and live almost in public — a thing I much 

 dislike. The rooms were all boarded, and had ceilings, which 

 are a great nuisance, as there are no means of hanging any 

 thing up except by driving nails, and not half the conveniences 

 of a native bamboo and thatch cottage. I accordingly in- 

 quired for a house outside of the village on the road to the 

 coal-mines, and was informed by the secretary that there was 

 a small one belonging to the Sultan, and that he would go 

 with me early next morning to see it. 



We had to pass one large river by a rude but substantial 

 bridge, and to wade through another fine pebbly stream of 

 clear water just beyond which the little but was situated. It 

 was very small, not raised on posts, but with the earth for a 

 floor, and was built almost entirely of the leaf-stems of the 

 sago-palm, called here " gaba-gaba." Across the river behind 

 rose a forest-clad bank, and a good road close in fi'ont of the 

 house led through cultivated grounds to the forest about half 

 a mile on, and thence to the coal-mines four miles further. 

 These advantages at once decided me, and I told the secretary 

 I would be very glad to occupy the house. I therefore sent 



