347 



eat at ease. When I could not find accommodiition on 

 shore I slept in the boat, wbioh was always dmwu up 

 on the beach if we stayed for a few day^ at ooe spot. 



On my return to Batcliian I i>aeked nj> iny wiUections, 

 and prepared for niv return to Trruatc^ Wlien I first 

 same I had sunt back my boat by the pilot, with two or 

 three other men who had been glad of the opportunity. 

 I now took advantage of a Goveriunent boat which had 

 just arrived with rice for the troops, and obtained per- 

 mission to return in her, and accordiiinly started on the 

 I3th of April, liaving resided only a week sliort of six 

 months on the island of Batchian. The boat was one of 

 the kind called Kora-kora," quite open, very low, and 

 about four tons burthen. It luui outriggers of bamboo 

 about five feet off eacli side, which supported a bamboo 

 platform extendijig the whole length of the vessel. On 

 the extreme outside of this sit tlie twenty iwvcrs, while 

 within was a convenient passage fore and aft. The middle 

 jjortion of the boat was covered with a thatch-house, in 

 which baggage and passengei-s are stowed; the gunwale 

 was not more than a foot above water, and from the great 

 top and side weight, and general clumsiness, these boat a 

 are dangeraus in heavy weather, and are not unl'i-equently 

 lost. A triangle mast and mat sail carried us on when 

 tlie wmd was favourable, which (as usual) it never was, 

 although, according k> the monsoon, it ought to have been. 

 Our water, carried in bamboos, would only last two days, 

 and as the voyage occupied aeveo, we had to touch at 

 a great many places. The captain was not very energetic, 

 and the men rowed as little as they pleased, or we might 

 have reached Ternate in three days, having had fine 

 weather and little wind all the way. 



There were several passengei-s besides myself : three 

 or four Javanese soldiers, two convicts whose time had 

 expired (one, curiously enough, being the man who had 

 stolen my cash-box and keys), the sch.ool master's wife 

 and ft servant going on a visit to Ternate, and a Chinese 

 trader going to buy gooils. We had to sleep all together 

 in the cabin, packed pretty close ; but they very civilly 

 allowed me plenty of room for my mattrass, and we 

 got on very well together. There was a little cook- 



