176 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



specimens in every village. Here I secured one shell, 

 the Stromhus latissimus, or " tliick-lipped strombus " 

 that I had long been hoiking to see. It lives in the 

 deep water between these shores and the opposite 

 coast of Ceram, and I could not hear that it is found 

 in any other locality. Many species of long " spindle- 

 shells " {^Fusi^ are found here — some nearly smooth 

 and some richly ornamented with tubercles. 



I had now been on the island four weeks, and it 

 was time for the monthly mail to arrive, bringing me 

 letters from home. This excitino- thoug;ht caused me 

 to forget even my passion for shells, and, promising 

 the natives I would come again and purchase all the 

 specimens they could collect, I retui'ned to the city 

 of Amboina. 



