



CHAPTER XXIII. 



TEEN ATE TO THE KAI6a ISLANDS AND BATCHIAN. 



(OCTOBER 1858.) 



N returning to Ternate from Sahoe, I at once began 



making preparations for a journey to Batcliian, an 

 island which I had been constantly recommended to visit 

 since I had arrived in this part of the Moluccas. After all 

 was ready I found that I should have to hire a boat, as 

 no opportunity of obtaining a passage presented itself. I 

 accordingly went into the native town, and cotild only find 

 two boats for hire, one much larger than I required, and 

 the other far smaller than I wished. I chose the smaller 

 one, chiefly because it would not cost me one-third as 

 much as the larger one. and also because in a coastiiiff 

 voyage a small vessel can be more easily managed, and 

 more readily got into a place of safety during violent 

 gales, than a large one. I took with me my Bornean lad 

 Ali, who was now very useful to me ; Lahagi, a native 

 of Ternate, a very good steady man, and a fair shooter, 

 who had been with me to Xe^\- Guinea ; Lahi, a native of 



