TALISSE ISLAXD 65 



As a mle, the sea at Talisse is not particularly phosphor- 

 escent, not more so than it is on the coast of Scotland, for 

 example — nor did I ever see any such mUky-white seas as I 

 afterwards saw in the Banda Sea ; but nevertheless the path 

 of a small shark or other predaceous fish was frequently 

 marked out in Unes of fire even on moonhght nights, so that 

 there was constantly something to divert my attention. 



I was always on perfectly friendly terms with the natives 

 of the island, and could generally make myseK understood, 

 either by signs or language, even by those who were not 

 acquainted with Malay, and many a hearty laugh have we 

 had together in trying to understand one another. The 

 ' coohes,' as they were collectively called, varied in number 

 from forty to a hundred or more. They were recruited 

 from Manado, Tidore, Sangir, Talaut, and other places, 

 and often arrived in a half-starved, fever-stricken condition. 

 The Company always had a great difficulty in getting them 

 to stop for any length of time upon the island, for as soon 

 as they had had a few good meals of rice, and had earned 

 a httle money, they were anxious to be off again to then- 

 wives and freedom — a ' Freedom ' which, as a philanthropist, 

 I ought to spell with a capital '¥,' but which is, as a matter 

 of fact, synonymous with idleness, sickness, and general 

 unhappiness. Of course, the Company makes contracts 

 with these men to stay so many months, but, as the 

 Government officials are very anxious that there should be 

 no whispered suspicions of slavery in the relations between 

 European individuals and the natives, these contracts are 

 broken with impunity, and the coohes often cahnly run 

 away after a few weeks' work, with some portion of their 

 wages paid in advance. 



The coolies were under the supervision of two mandurs 

 or foremen, natives of Minahassa, both of whom had Uved 

 on the island and served the Company faithfully and well 



p 



