CH. XXXVIII.] LAST SEARCH AFTER. 421 



were told that all the kinds we desired could be obtained. 

 We therefore determined that he should visit this place, 

 and endeavour to penetrate into the interior among the 

 natives, who actually shoot and skin the Birds of Paradise. 

 He went in the small prau I had fitted up at Goram, 

 and through the kind assistance of the Dutch Eesident 

 at Ternate, a lieutenant and two soldiers were sent by 

 the Sultan of Tidore to accompany and protect him, 

 and to assist him in getting men and in visiting the 

 interior. 



Notwithstanding these precautions, Mr. Allen met with 

 difficulties in this voyage which we had neither of us 

 encountered before. To understand these, it is necessary 

 to consider that the Birds of Paradise are an article of 

 commerce, and are the monopoly of the chiefs of the 

 coast villages, who obtain them at a low rate from the 

 mountaineers, and sell them to the Bugis traders. A 

 portion is also paid every year as tribute to the Sultan of 

 Tidore. The natives are therefore very jealous of a 

 stranger, especially a European, interfering in their trade, 

 and above all of going into the interior to deal with the 

 mountaineers themselves. They of course think he will 

 raise the prices in the interior, and lessen the supply on 

 the coast, greatly to their disadvantage ; they also think 

 their tribute will be raised if a European takes back a 

 quantity of the rare sorts ; and they have besides a vague 



