200 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



Returning from Abobo to Nullaliia and Lainitu, 

 I took a small praii for Saparua. The monsoon was 

 light and the sea smooth at first, but when again we 

 approached Tanjong O, which these natives always 

 spoke of with the same respect that our sailors speak 

 of Cape Horn, we found a very strong cuiTent set- 

 ting in one direction, while the wind had freshened 

 from the opposite quarter. The meeting of the 

 wind and current made the waves rise irregularly up 

 in pyi'amids and tumble over in every direction. The 

 natives, apparently half terrified, stripped off theii* 

 clothes, as if they expected that the boat would cer- 

 tainly be swamped, and that soon theii' only chance 

 of escape would be to swim to the shore and attempt 

 to climb uj) the ragged rocks through the surf ; but I 

 encouraged them to paddle with all their might, and 

 though several waves broke over us, we went safely 

 through. As soon as the danger was past, each na- 

 tive frequently looked back and boastfully shook his 

 head, as if to taunt the evil spirit that dwells on this 

 dangerous headland. 



When we arrived at Saparua, I found the Resident 

 just on the point of starting for the neighboring 

 coast of Ceram, and only waiting to invite me to ac- 

 company him. So again I was in good fortune, for I 

 had not anticipated reaching that almost unknown 

 island. From the southern bay we were taken in 

 chairs across the isthmus, that connects the two main 

 parts of Saparua, to the north bay. It was now night, 

 but we continued along the east side of this bay to 

 the kampong NoUot, at the northern end of the island, 

 the nearest point to the part of Ceram we were to 



