296 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



have somewhat extended the Batumerah Vocabulary given by 

 Mr. Wallace in the appendix to his Malay Archipelago. 



Amboina, June IQth. Yesterday at daybreak left Wai to 

 come here. As the state of the monsoon prevented our journey- 

 ing to Paso by boat, we proceeded across the promontory ou 

 foot, our baggage carried by porters, and A in a palan- 

 quin. The road led over numerous small hills, from the top of 

 which we got many pretty peeps of Haruku and Ceram, through 

 Gum-tree — the famous Kajuput — forest and Kussu-grass fields, 

 studded throughout with bright yellow Hibiscus-trees and with 

 fragrant Habenaria susannse orchids, while by the path-side grew 

 bright Polygalas and delicate pink Sonerilas. ' The nectaries 

 of the Habenaria averaged six inches in length, and though 

 containing only a small drop of nectar at the bottom, I believe 

 the flowers to be fertilised by a moth with a tongue far shorter 

 than six inches. Descending into the Baguala Bay we skirted 

 the shore all the way to Paso, where we found we must wait till 

 afternoon for the rise of the tide. It was only after hours of 

 bargaining and cajoling, and the assistance of the rajah's autho- 

 rity, we obtained (long after the tide had sufficiently risen) 

 a boat and men to take us down the bay. This unnecessary 

 delay did not tend to raise the Amboinese character in our 

 estimation, especially as it had turned out a soaking night and 

 so dark that we could not see where we were steering ; while, to 

 crown all, our boat was a very unsafe " dug-out " with no out- 

 riggers, in which we could not dare to beguile a part of the 

 way in sleep for fear of capsizing it by an unguarded move- 

 ment. Luckily the sea was as smooth as glass, and we kept 

 ourselves awake watching the crickling rain and the drip of 

 our paddles dancing into phosphorescent drops on the water, 

 the luminous zig-zag path that the frightened fishes traced 

 in darting from below our keel, and the flashing torches of 

 the fishers arranging their Seros. Arriving about midnight 

 utterly worn out, we were much annoyed to find the door 

 of our old quarters unopened, and none of the preparations 

 made which we had sent on Lopes — who was really never to 

 be depended on out of our sight — in advance to see to ; we 

 pretty truly surmised that he had got " unco happy " among 

 his friends and forgotten all about us. After a long wait in the 

 rain the key was at last obtained by rousing up our kind old 



