CHAP. XXV.] THE INHABITANTS. 9 7 



Malay and Bugis lias produced a very good-looking set 

 of people. The lower class of the population consists 

 almost entirely of the indigenes of the adjacent islands. 

 They are a fine race, with strongly-marked Papuan fea- 

 tures, frizzly hair, and brown complexions. The Goram 

 language is spoken also at the east end of Ceram, and in 

 the adjacent islands. It has a general resemblance to 

 the langiiages of Ceram, but possesses a peculiar element 

 which I have not met with in other languages of the 

 Archipelago. 



After great delay, considering the importance of every 

 day at this time of year, a miserable boat and five men 

 were found, and with some difficulty 1 stowed away in it 

 such baggage as it was absolutely necessary for me to take, 

 leaving scarcely sitting or sleeping room. The sailing qua- 

 lities of the boat were highly vaunted, and I was assured 

 that at this season a small one was much more likely to 

 succeed in making the journey. We first coasted along 

 the island, reaching its eastern extremity the following 

 morning (April 11th), and found a strong W.S.W. wind 

 blowing, which just allowed us to lay across to the Mata- 

 bello Islands, a distance little short of twenty miles. I did 

 not much like the look of the heavy sky and rather rough 

 sea, and my men were very unwilling to make the attempt ; 

 but as we could scarcely hope for a better chance, I insisted 

 upon trying. The pitching and jerking of our little boat 



VOL. II. H 



