414 Macassae to the Aru Islands 



Dec. 1\st. — A heavy swell from the south-west, rolling us 

 about most uncomfortably, A steady wind was blowing, 

 however, and we got on very well. 



J)ec.22d. — The swell had gone down. We passed Bou- 

 tong, a large island, high, woody, and populous, the native 

 place of some of our crew, A small prau returning from Bali 

 to the island of Goram overtook us. The nakoda (captain) 

 was known to our 'Owner. They had been two years away, 

 but were full of people, with several black Papuans on board. 

 At 6 P.M. we passed Wangiwangi, low, but not flat, inhabit- 

 ed, and subject to Boutong. We had now faii-ly entered the 

 Molucca Sea. After dark it was a beautiful sight to look 

 down on our rudders, from which rushed eddying streams of 

 phosphoric light gemmed with whirling sparks of fire. It re- 

 sembled (more nearly than any thing else to which I can com- 

 pare it) one of the large irregular nebulous star-clusters seen 

 through a good telescope, with the additional attraction of 

 ever-changing form and dancing motion, 



Dec. IZd. — Fine i-ed sunrise ; the island we left last even- 

 ing barely visible behind us ; the Goram prau about a mile 

 south of lis. They have no compass, yet they have kept a 

 very true course during the night. Our owner tells me they do 

 it by the sweU of the sea, the direction of which they notice 

 at sunset, and sail by it during the night. In these seas they 

 are never (in fine weather) more than two days without seeing 

 land. Of course adverse winds or currents sometimes carry 

 them away, but they soon fall in with some island, and there 

 are always some old sailors on board who know it, and thence 

 take a new course. Last night a shai'k about five feet long was 

 caught, and this morning it was cut wji and cooked. In the 

 afternoon they got another, and I had a little fried, and found 

 it firm and dry, but very jaalatable. In the evening the sun 

 set in a heavy bank of clouds, which, as darkness came on, as- 

 sumed a fearfully black appearance. According to custom, 

 when strong wind Or rain is expected our large sails were 

 furled, and, with their yards, let down on deck, and a small 

 square foresail alone kept up. The great mat-sails are most 

 awkward things to manage in rough weather. The yards 

 which support them are seventy feet long, and of course very 

 heavy ; and the only way to furl them being to roll uj) the sail 



