XIII.] MISOL. 323 



which is triangular in shape, and presents a sharp apex to the 

 west, and the land beyond being, like Great Canary Island, too low 

 to be visible, our mistake was easily made. 



Misol lies far from the track of vessels, and is little known or 

 visited even by the Malay traders. It is about forty-five miles 

 long by twenty in breadth, and is covered everywhere by dense 

 jungle. The interior is inhabited by wild Alfuros speaking a 

 language distinct from the coast people, among whom a partial 

 civilisation lias been introduced by the Malays. Two so-called 

 Eajahs live upon the island, at Waigamma on the north-east, and 

 Lelinta on the south coast, and a few miles westward of the latter 

 village is the small island and kampong of Efbe, which was 

 visited by Captain Forrest in 1775. It was for this place that we 

 were bound, but charts and directions being non-existent, we had 

 to find our way between a group of small islands and the mainland 

 as Ijest we could, fearing lest the night should come on before we 

 could anchor, yet at the same time not liking to go at any speed 

 on account of our total ignorance of the water. Just before sunset 

 we approached the island, and on firing a gun a prau came off to 

 meet us manned by two or three Papuans under the direction of a 

 Bugis settler. A little later we dropped anchor within stone's 

 throw of the shore in a small but beautifully protected harbour, 

 whose waters were as smooth as glass. It is formed by the south 

 coast of Misol and Efl^e — the latter a half- moon shaped island 

 with its concavity facing north, a narrow passage past the reefs 

 off' its points being the only entrance to the circular basin thus 

 formed. 



It was our intention to leave eight of our hunters in Misol, 

 picking them up on our return from the Aru Islands, and in order 

 that every assistance should be given them, it was necessary for us 

 to see the Eajah, who, we learnt, was at Lelinta. With these people 

 it is not impolitic se faire valoir, and we therefore sent a message 

 requesting him to visit us. He came next day — a half-civilised 

 Malay, who was not nearly so important a personage as Tahirun, 



