80 CERAM. [chap. XXV. 



In all tills part of the Archipelago the Dutch make 

 very praiseworthy efforts to improve the condition of the 

 aborigines by establishing schoolmasters in every village 

 (who are mostly natives of Amboyna or Saparua, who have 

 been instructed by the resident missionaries), and by em- 

 ploying native vaccinators to prevent the ravages of small- 

 pox. They also encourage the settlement of Europeans, and 

 the formation of new plantations of cacao and coffee, one of 

 the best means of raising the condition of the natives, who 

 thus obtain work at fair wages, and have the opportunity 

 of acquiring something of European tastes and habits. 



My collections here did not progress much better than 

 at my former station, except that butterflies were a little 

 more plentiful, and some very fine species were to be found 

 in the morning on tlie sea-beach, sitting so quietly on the 

 wet sand that they could be caught with the fingers. In 

 this way I had many fine specimens of Papilios brought 

 me by the children. Beetles, however, were scarce, and 

 birds still more so, and I began to think that the hand- 

 some species which I had so often heard were found in 

 Ceram must be entirely confined to the eastern extremity 

 of the island. 



A few miles further north, at the head of the Bay 

 of Amahay, is situated the village of Makariki, from 

 whence there is a native path quite across the island 

 to the north coast. My friend Mr. Eosenberg, whose 



I 



