CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY. 185 



and besides, at tlie end of .every paal from tlie chief 

 village a small square pillar is set up, indicating the 

 distance from the Resident's house, and the year it was 

 erected. At Saparua, my merchant-friend gave me a 

 nice room, and the Resident, who received me in the 

 politest manner, said he was just planning a tour of 

 inspection to Nusalaut, the most eastern island of the 

 group, and would be happy to have me accompany 

 him, an invitation I most gladly accepted, for the na- 

 tives had described it to me as abounding in the 

 most beautiful shells, and already I possessed a few 

 rare species that had passed from one native to 

 another until they reached me at Amboina. He also 

 showed me some choice shells that had been sent to 

 him as presents by the various rajahs. Two were 

 magnificent specimens of that costly wentletrap, the 

 Scalaria preciosa^ for which large sums were once 

 paid in Europe. It was the only kind of shell which 

 I saw or heard of during my long travels among these 

 islands, of which I failed to obtain, at least, one good 

 specimen. He also had many very fine map-cow- 

 ries, which the natives everywhere regard as rare 

 shells. 



That evening the commandant of the " schuterij," 

 or native militia, was to celebrate his birthday by giv- 

 ing a ball at the rimia negri. I attended, as a matter of 

 politeness, but not being able to dance myself, with- 

 drew when they had finished the first waltz, for the an- 

 ticipation of a ramble along the neighboring shores on 

 the morrow would have had a far greater fascination 

 to me than whirling until I was giddy, half embraced 

 in the arms of one of those dark belles, even if I had 



