16 GIWLO. , [chap. XXII. 



occupied entirely by Ternate men. The trne indigenes of 

 Gilolo, "Alfuros" as they are here called, live on the 

 eastei'n coast, or in the interior of the northern peninsula. 

 The distance across the isthmus at this place is only two 

 miles, and there is a good path, along which rice and sago 

 are brought from the eastern villages. The whole isthmus 

 is very rugged, though not high, being a succession of little 

 abrupt hills and valleys, with angular masses of limestone 

 rock everywhere projecting, and often almost blocking up 

 the pathway. Most of it is virgin forest, very luxuriant 

 and picturesque, and at this time having abundance of 

 large scarlet Ixoras in flowei', which made it exceptionally 

 gay. I got some very nice insects here, though, owing to 

 illness most of the time, my collection was a small one ; 

 and my boy Ali shot me a pair of one of the most beautiful 

 birds of the East, Pitta gigas, a large ground-thrush, whose 

 plumage of velvety black above is relieved by a breast 

 of pure white, shoulders of azure blue, and belly of vivid 

 crimson. It has very long and strong legs, and hops about 

 with such activity in the dense tangled forest, bristling 

 with rocks, as to make it very difficult to shoot. 



In September 1858, after my return from New Guinea, 

 I went to stay some time at the village of Djilolo, situated 

 in a bay on the northern peninsula. Here I obtained a 

 house through the kindness of the Eesident of Ternate, 

 who sent orders to prepare one for me. The first walk into 



