158 MR. A. R, WALLACE’S NARRATIVE [May 27, 
Notwithstanding these precautions, Mr. Allen met with difficulties 
in this voyage which we had not encountered before. To understand 
these, it is necessary to consider that the Birds of Paradise are an 
article of commerce, and are the monopoly of the chiefs of the coast 
villages, who obtain them at a low rate from the mountaineers, and 
sell them to the Bugis traders. A portion is also paid every year as 
tribute to the Sultan of Tidore. The natives are therefore very jea- 
lous of a stranger, especially a European, interfering in their trade, 
and above all of going into the interior to deal with the mountaineers 
themselves. They of course think he will raise the prices in the in- 
terior, and lessen the demand on the coast, greatly to their disadvan- 
tage; they also think their tribute will be raised if a European takes 
back a quantity of the rare sorts; and they have besides a vague and 
very natural dread of some ulterior object in a white man’s coming 
at so much trouble and expense to their country only to get Birds of 
Paradise, of which they know he can buy plenty at Ternate, Macas- 
sar, or Singapore. ; 
It thus happened that when Mr. Allen arrived at Sorong and ex- 
plained his intentions of going to seek Birds of Paradise in the 
interior, innumerable objections were raised. He was told it was 
three or four days’ journey over swamps and mountains; that the 
mountaineers were savages and cannibals, who would certainly kill 
him ; and, lastly, that not a man in the village could be found who 
dare go with him. After some days spent in these discussions, as 
he still persisted in making the attempt, and showed them his au- 
thority from the Sultan of Tidore to go where he pleased and receive 
every assistance, they at length provided him with a boat to go the 
first part of the journey up a river; at the same time, however, they 
sent private orders to the interior villages to refuse to sell any pro- 
visions, so as to compel him to return. On arriving at the village 
where they were to leave the river and strike inland, the coast people 
returned, leaving Mr. Allen to get on as he could. Here he called 
on the Tidore lieutenant to assist him and procure men as guides 
and to carry his baggage to the villages of the mountaineers. This, 
however, was not so easily done; a quarrel took place, and the na- 
tives, refusing to obey the somewhat harsh orders of the lieutenant, 
got out their knives and spears to attack him and his soldiers, and 
Mr. Allen himself was obliged to interfere to protect those who had 
come to guard him. The respect due to a white man and the timely 
distribution of a few presents prevailed; and on showing the knives, 
hatchets, and beads he was willing to give to those who accompanied 
him, peace was restored, and the next day, travelling over a fright- 
fully rugged country, they reached the villages of the mountaineers, 
Here Mr. Allen remained a month, without any interpreter through 
whom he could understand a word or communicate a want. How- 
ever, by signs and presents and a pretty liberal barter he got on 
very well, some of them accompanying him every day in the forest 
to shoot, and receiving a small present when he was successful. 
In the grand matter of the Paradise-Birds, however, little was 
done. Only one additional species was found, the Selewcides alba, 
