184 A NATURALIST IN CELEBES ch. vii 



(83) has pointed out that this bird has very long powerful 

 "wings in proportion to its body, and is consequently pecu- 

 liarly fitted for island life. ' Being a ground-feeder,' he 

 says, ' it is subject to the attacks of carnivorous quadrupeds 

 which are not found in the very small islands.' 



Soon after I reached Manganitu the news arrived tiiat 

 the ' Ternate ' was in sight, and in a few minutes the village 

 was in a state of unwonted excitement and commotion. The 

 rajah assembled all the able-bodied men about him, and 

 harangued them on the plans for the reception of the 

 JResident, and these in turn rushed about collecting guns 

 and drums and spears and shields and all manner of things 

 that would make a noise or appear decorative and pleasing 

 to their honoured guest. After waiting about for some 

 time on the sea-coast we saw a boat approaching us from 

 the ' Ternate ' containing the Eesident and Controleur of 

 Manado. They were received by the rajah and Mr. Steller 

 amid a fiendish noise from the guns and drums of the 

 villagers, and then we all passed in procession to the verandah 

 of the rajah's house, where we sat in solemn conclave for 

 upwards of an hour. 



Had a stranger suddenly appeared during that hour 

 he might have supposed that we were discussing affairs of 

 the most vital importance to the state. The Eesident, the 

 Controleur, the Dominie, the rajah, president rajah, and 

 myself were seated round a long table, while the djugugus 

 and other officials stood at the opposite end of the 

 verandah, and the natives of all classes crowded round 

 gazing at us with deep interest and curiosity. It might 

 then readily have been supposed that matters of importance 

 for the welfare of the state were under discussion, but it was 

 not so. As far as I can remember the conversation, not a 

 word was said bearing upon the politics of the Sangir islands 

 from the beginning to the end of the visit, and the incident 



