CHAPTER XXIV. 



BATCHIAN. 



(OCTOBER 1858 TO APRIL 1859.) 



T LANDED opposite the house kept for the use of the 

 1 Eesident of Ternate, and was met by a respectable 

 middle-aged Malay, who told me he was Secretary to 

 the Sultan, and woxild receive the official letter with which 

 I had been provided. On giving it him, he at once in- 

 formed me I might have the use of the official residence 

 which was empty. I soon got my things on shore, but on 

 looking about me found that the house would never do to 

 S'tay long in. There was no water except at a considerable 

 distance, and one of my men would be almost entirely 

 occupied getting water and firewood, and I should myself 

 have to walk all through the village every day to the 

 forest, and live almost in public, a thing I much dislike. 

 The rooms were all boarded, and had ceilings, which are a 

 great nuisance, as there are no means of hanging anything 

 up except by driving nails, and not half the conveniences 

 of a native bamboo and thatch cottage. I accordingly 



