MODE OF PASSING FROM ISLAND TO ISLAND. IJO 



Island." Saparua is also kiiowu to tlie natives as 

 Honimoa, and Liaser, whence probably tlie old 

 name Uliassers, for this is the most important of the 

 three islands, and would naturally give its name to 

 the whole group. A merchant from Saparua, the 

 chief place on the island of that name, was then 

 visiting Amboina, and kindly iii\dted me to accom- 

 pany him when he should retiu'n — an invitation I 

 was most happy to accept, for Rumphius received 

 many shells from these islands, and I anticipated ob- 

 taining some species alive, of which I possessed only 

 shells. A heavy storm delayed us for a week, a 

 frequent occurrence during the southeast monsoon. 

 From Amboina we followed my former route to 

 Tulahu, which we reached at evening, the usual 

 time for commencing a voyage in these seas at this 

 time of year, because the wand generally moderates 

 after sunset, and freshens again the next morning 

 soon after sunrise. We embarked at once on a large 

 prau, manned by eighteen natives of Saparua, and 

 readily distinguished from the people of x\mboina 

 by the peculiar custom of clipj)ing the hair short all 

 over the head, except a narrow band along the fore- 

 head, which is allowed to hang down over the face, 

 and gives them a remarkably clownish appearance. 

 One of these men, who was coxswain or captain, 

 steered with a large paddle ; two others were de- 

 tailed to keep up the continual, monotonous din, 

 and which these people consider music, and the 

 others rowed. Our musical instruments were a 

 huge tifa^ that gave out a dull, heavy sound, such as 

 would be caused by beating a hollow log, and not 



