FIRST GLIMPSES OF CELEBES 11 



he was willing to help me to the best of his ability, and 

 was himself a man of some powers of observation and 

 fully interested in many of the scientific problems afforded 

 by the district over which he ruled. Subsequent experience 

 fully confirmed my anticipations, and his kindness, help, and 

 hospitahty to me was far in excess of anything I had a right 

 to expect. He was a type of the Lutch official ia Malayia — 

 kind and courtly, inteUigent and hospitable. 



When my visit should have terminated — I was inexperi- 

 enced then — he warmly welcomed me to dinner and after- 

 wards conducted me to the ' Pasangrahan,' or hotel, if it 

 might be dignified by such a name, where I was temporarily 

 to reside. Upon my arrival in Manado I received a very 

 welcome piece of intelligence. A letter was presented to me 

 by the Eesident from Captain Maclear, E.N., telhng me 

 that H.M.S. ' Flying Fish ' had just arrived in Banka 

 Strait for surveying purposes, and that I should be heartily 

 welcomed if I could find an opportunity to join her. 

 The chances that were thus open to me of choosing a 

 suitable locality for my work and investigating a large 

 extent of coral reef before I finally settled down were such 

 as any naturahst in these regions might dream of for 

 years without reahsing, and consequently I took the 

 earHest opportunity that offered of joining the ship at 

 Banka. 



Among my letters of introduction was one to the chief 

 agent of the Molucca Trading Company (Moluksche Handel- 

 vennootschap), a company which owns the httle island called 

 Talisse, in the Banka Straits. He was about to pay a visit 

 to the coco-nut plantations in the island, and very kindly 

 offered to take me and my luggage with him in his barkas 

 (long-boat), an offer I thankfully accepted. During the 

 two days that I spent in Manado previous to my depar- 

 ture for Talisse I was able to form but an imperfect idea 



