CHAP. XXVI.] THE TOWN OF C J JELL 125 



and the little fort, in perfect order, surrounded by neat 

 grass-plots and straight walks, although manned by ovUj 

 a dozen Javanese soldiers with an Adjutant for commander, 

 was a very Sebastopol in comparison with the miserable 

 mud enclosure at Delli, with its nu^merous staff of Lieu- 

 tenants, Captain, and Major. Yet this, as well as most 

 of the forts in the Moluccas, was originally built by the 

 Portuguese themselves. Oh ! Lusitania, how art thou 

 fallen 1 



While the Opzeiner was reading his letters, I took a 

 walk round the village with a guide in search of a house. 

 The whole place was dreadfully damp and muddy, being 

 built in a swamp with not a spot of groimd raised a foot 

 above it, and surrounded by swamps on every side. The 

 houses were mostly well built, of wooden framework filled 

 in with gaba-gaba (leaf-stems of the sago-palm), but as they 

 had no whitewash, and the floors were of bare black eartli 

 like the roads, and generally on the same level, they were 

 extremely damp and gloomy. At length I found one with 

 the floor raised about a foot, and succeeded in making a 

 bargain with the owner to turn out immediately, so that 

 by night I had installed myself comfortably. The chairs 

 and tables were left for me ; and as the whole of the 

 remaining furniture in the house consisted of a little 

 crockery and a few clothes-boxes, it was not much trouble 

 for the OAvners to move into the house of some relatives, 



