ciixr. XXII.] 



BODIKQA 



313 



CHAPTER XXII. 



GILOLO, 

 (habcci and bepteuskh 1S5S.} 



I MADE but few and comparatively short visits to this 

 large aud little koowu island, but obtained a consider- 

 able knowledge of its natural historj^ by sending first my 

 boy Ali, anil then my assistant, Charles Allen, who stayed 

 two or three months each in the nortliern peninsula, and 

 brought me back large coUcctious of birds and insects. In 

 this chapter 1 i)rop<Jse to give a sketch of the parts which 

 I myself visited My first stay was at Dodinga, situated 

 at the head of a deep bay exactly opposite Ternate, and a 

 short distance up a little stream which penetrates a few 

 miles inland. The village is a small one, and is com- 

 pletely shut in by low hills. 



As soon as 1 arrived, I applied to the head man of the 

 village for a house to live in, but all were occupied, and 

 there was much difficulty in finding one. In the mean- 

 time I unloaded my baggage on the beach and made some 

 tea^ and afterwards discovered a small hut which the 

 owner was willinj:^ to vacate if I would pay him five 

 guilders for a month's rent. As this Wiis something less 

 than the fee-simple value of the dwelUug, 1 agreed to 

 give it him for the privilege of immediate occupation, only 

 stipidattng that he was to make the roof water-tight. 

 This he agreed to do, and came eveiy day to talk and 

 look at me; and when I each time insisted upon hia 

 immediately mending the roof according to contract, all 

 the answer ! could get was, " Ea nanti " (Yas, wait a Httle). 

 However, when I threatened to duduct a quarter giiilder 

 from the rent for every day it was not done, and a guilder 

 extra if any of my things w,ei'e wetted, he condescended to 

 work for half aa hour, which did all that was absolutely 

 necessary. 



Ou the top of a bank, of abiHit a linndred feet ascent from 

 the water, stands the very small but substantial fort ei-ected 



