/.V TIMOR. 



483 



STirroimded bj a number of semi-savages I I have been trying 

 to occupy myself constantly to divert mo from the loneliness 

 of my situation, but I am often helpless from fever/' 



" My nights quite Bleeplesa, I lie and listen for the return 

 of the thieves ** [who had entered and robbed the house, and had 

 a second time in the midiUe of the night returned, decamp- 

 ing, however, on A.'s calling out, and who, had she dared to 

 oppose them, would not have scrupled to put it beyond her 

 power to turn informant When writing to me in the interior, 

 with rare self-denial she restrained from telling me the state 

 of aftiiira at FatunabaJ, "and am consequently daily more and 

 more attacked with fever ; but I must make an effort to see to 

 the lire in the tlrying-house, where the herbarium arriving from 

 the interior is deposited." [After a considerable break :] ** Long 

 boTit of fever : unable to do more than sit on the verandah ; 

 the silence is most oppressive ; my old woman is getting tired 

 of her duty, and forgets to come to me. I dare not espreaa 

 displeasure when she does come, lest she desert me utterly, 

 I carefully concealed from H. all mention of my hjneliness and 

 of the old woman's defalcations, as it is of the greatest import- 

 ance that his mind should be free from anxiety on my account ; 

 but perhaps it had been wiser to tell him ; for I feel very ill, 

 and it is only the thought that these rare plants must be tended 

 that keeps me on foot" 



[After another long break :] ** At the point where my journal 

 is discontinued I quite succumbed to what was as much 

 nervous as malarial iever ; day after day attacks came on with 

 incrcaaing force, while my powers to help myself became 

 decreased. The old woman at last would not come near me ; 

 by signs and much talking she indic^ited that she would he 

 tabooed by her own people if she stayed by a sick person." I 

 [She doubtless feared that she might be thought a Swangi or 

 Disease-produeer,] " 1 had then to fall back entirely on myself, 

 as she would not carry any message for me to Dilly. Fortu- 

 nately there was a store of water in our large stone tank, and 

 my small paraffin-stove was full of oil In a stronger hour I 

 dnigged some boxes in front of my bed, and placed within reach 

 rice, salt and some vessels. Eggs in abundance must have 

 been within a few luindrtHl yards of me in nests amoncr the 

 grass, to which I had traced our few fuwls, but I thired not vcn- 



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