CHAP. XXIV.] REMOVE TO THE VILLAGE. 4 7 



cash and my box, a seal I much valued, with other small 

 articles, and all my keys — the severest loss by far. Luckily 

 my large cash-box was left locked, but so were others 

 which I required to open immediately. There was, how- 

 ever, a very clever blacksmith employed to do ironwork 

 for the mines, and he picked my locks for me when I 

 required them, and in a few days made me new keys, which 

 I used all the time I was abroad. 



Towards the end of November the wet season set in, and 

 we had daily and almost incessant rains, with only about 

 one or two hours' sunshine in the morning. The flat parts 

 of the forest became flooded, the roads filled with mud, 

 and insects and birds were scarcer than ever. On 

 December 13th, in the afternoon, we had a sharp earth- 

 quake shock, which made the house and furniture shake 

 and rattle for five minutes, and the trees and shrubs wave 

 as if a gust of wind had passed over them. About the 

 middle of December I removed to the village, in order 

 more easily to explore the district to the west of it, and to 

 be near the sea when I wished to return to Ternate. I 

 obtained the use of a good-sized house in the Camponw 

 Sirani (or Christian village), and at Christmas and the 

 Xew Year had to endure the incessant gun-firing, drum- 

 beating, and fiddling of the inhabitants. 



These people are very fond of music and dancing, and it 

 would astonish a European to visit one of their assemblies. 



