320 



A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



devoid of all feelings of gratitude or pity. To give anything 

 for nothing would be a breach of all their hereditary instincts. 



On one occasion, towards the end of 

 our stay, when our larder was empty 

 and our men were away in the northern 

 island of Molu, a bunch of fish, which 



A was sorely in need of after a 



long bout of fever, was brought to us 

 for sale ; but the barter demanded was 

 a particular kind of button, of which 

 we had not a single example remaiu'- 

 ing. We offered almost anything they 

 might choose from our stock — cloth, 

 knives, beads — nothing, however, but 

 the button would satisfy them. Give 

 us the fishes the owner would not; 

 instead, ho hung them on a peg at our 

 very door, where we dared not have 

 touched them, wher3 they remained 

 till next day, when I had to fetch him 

 to relieve us of tlie putrefying odour, 

 which he did by casting them into 

 tlie sea ! Where they think they can 

 escap3 detection they lie and steal 

 without compunction, though their laws punish the latter with 

 slavery, from which the thief can be ransomed only by a great 

 sum. "When sober they are good natured enough and live in 

 harmony with each other, but in their cups they are easily 

 offended. To their enemies they are savagely cruel, executing 

 on those that fall into their hands the most revolting atrocities 

 before affixing their dismembered quarters to their public 

 places. 



Like all untutored races they are very inquisitive. They 

 watched our " manners and customs " as eagerly as we did 

 theirs. From morning to night we had constant relays lying 

 in or sitting about our house, whom it was impossible to dis- 

 miss without giving offence. Though it was a very interesting 

 study and there was much to be learned from watching those 

 big children in their various moods, it was not quite pleasant to 

 have them always with us, or to take our food with an infiaiitosi- 



STJSPENSORT CONTRIVANOE 

 MADE OP PALM-LEAF. 



