18 A NATUBALIST IN CELEBES ch. ii 



During the first few days I was busily engaged unpack- 

 ing my trunks and arranging all my bottles and reagents 

 as conveniently as I could for future use, but I also had 

 several opportunities of cursorily examining the reefs and 

 shores in the immediate neighbourhood of the place I after- 

 wards chose to be my head-quarters. 



On August 9 the ' Flying Fish ' lay at anchor off 

 Likupang, and the chief agent of the company engaged a 

 party of hunters from the village to serve as guides on a 

 babirusa hunt in the neighbouring forests. 



We left the vessel early in the morning and rowed 

 towards a Httle bay which lies about half way between 

 Likupang and Cape Coffin, and then, dividing into three 

 parties, we searched the forests for our game ; but babirusas 

 were not to be seen that day, and we returned to the coast 

 with an empty bag. I must confess to a certain feeling 

 of disappointment at our bad fortune, for I was curious to 

 see a specimen of this interesting pig, whose enormous 

 tusks curl back over its head, in a wild state, and I 

 was anxious to solve the difficult problem of the use they 

 may be to the animal in his native jungle. Nevertheless 

 I was glad to have had an opportunity of visiting this 

 particular part of the Celebean forest, for the accounts of 

 its grandeur and magnificence given by "Wallace and 

 Guillemard, both of whom had visited it for the purpose of 

 hunting the babirusa, had made a great impression on my 

 mind. 



Had we only shot a babirusa, I might say that in no 

 respect was I disappointed. The enormous size of many 

 of the ordinary timber trees, the handsome Livistonia palms, 

 the graceful loops of the unending rattans as, stretching 

 from tree to tree, they carried with them endless varieties 

 of other cUmbers, or supported in their folds large ferns 

 and orchids, formed a framework for the scene which was as 



