CH. VII TO 8ANGIB AND TALAUT 155 



same wonder and appreciation as when I for the first time 

 sailed amongst the coral-girt islands of the Javanese waters. 

 For the first part of the voyage we made no prolonged stay 

 anywhere, but merely stopped at Tagulandang, at Siauw, 

 and at Petta in Sangir to leave word that the Eesident 

 commanded the attendance of the rajahs on his return. 



We arrived at the Talaut islands on Monday morning, 

 and let go our anchor off the little vUlage of Lirung in 

 Salibabu. I went ashore immediately with the Controleur 

 and my boy, and strolled along the beach for some distance 

 in search of birds, insects, and plants, hoping that, as it 

 was still early, there might be a few living things about. 

 I saw a few birds about of the same species as those I was 

 accustomed to see in Talisse, such as the sandpipers, the 

 starlings,' the green parrots, the nectar birds, and so forth; 

 but a very brilliant little red and blue lory, which I had 

 never seen before, was very abundant. Before we left 

 Lirung the natives had sold and presented to members of 

 our staff and crew at least three score of these pretty little 

 creatures ; but the mortality among them on our voyage 

 was tremendous, and I believe that not a half-dozen reached 

 Manado alive. Three specimens were presented to me, but 

 they all died, apparently of cramp, before we reached Sangir. 

 It is a very curious fact that this bird, which goes by the 

 name of Eos indica, should be so abundant in these islands, 

 comparatively rare in the neighbouring islands of Sangir, 

 and unknown in the great continent of Celebes. 



There is not much to be seen in the village of Lirung. 

 There are not more than a dozen houses, each capable of 

 holding three or four families, and a small ' toko, or shop, 

 on the coast, which is, of course, run by a Chinaman, where 

 the commonest kinds of cloths, iron, tools, and crockery 

 may be purchased, or, I should say, received in exchange 



' Vide note, p. 92. 



