380 Ceram. 



for the capture of the murderers at the peril of their own 

 heads. But any thing of this kind would be quite contrary 

 to the system adopted by the Dutch Government in its deal- 

 ings with natives. 



GORAM TO WAHAI IN CERAM. 



When my boat was at length launched and loaded, I got 

 my men together, and actually set sail the next day (May 27th), 

 much to the astonishment of the Goram people, to whom such 

 punctuality was a novelty. I had a crew of three men and a 

 boy, besides my two Amboyna lads ; which was sufficient for 

 sailing, though rather too few if obUged to row much. The 

 next day was very wet, with squalls, calms, and contrary winds, 

 and with some difficulty we reached Kilwaru, the metropolis 

 of the Bugis traders in the far East. As I wanted to make 

 some purchases, I staid here two days, and sent two of my 

 boxes of specimens by a Macassar prau to be forwarded to 

 Ternate, thus relieving myself of a considerable incumbrance. 

 I bought knives, basins, and handkei'chiefs for barter, which 

 with the choppers, cloth, and beads I had brought with me, 

 made a pretty good assortment. I also bought two Towei- 

 muskets to satisfy my crew, who insisted on the necessity of 

 being armed against attacks of pirates ; and with spices and 

 a few articles of food for the voyage, nearly my last doit was 

 expended. 



The little island of Kilwaru is a mere sandbank, just large 

 enough to contain a small village, and situated between the 

 islands of Ceram-laut and Kissa — straits about a third of a 

 mile wide separating it from each of them. It is surroimded 

 by coral reefs, and offers good anchorage in both monsoons. 

 Though not more than fifty yards across, and not elevated 

 more than three or four feet above the highest tides, it has 

 wells of excellent drinking-water — a singular phenomenon, 

 which would seem to imply deep-seated subterranean channels 

 connecting it with other islands. These advantages, with its 

 situation in the centre of the Papuan trading-district, lead to 

 its being so much frequented by the Bugis traders. Here 

 the Goram men bring the produce of their little voyages, 

 which they exchange for cloth, sago cakes, and opium ; and 

 the inhabitants of all the surrounding islands visit it with the 



