CHAP. Kxv.] MIL FAN DER BECK. 349 



a free blow, T cut him quietly across the back, liolding 

 "him down while my boy with another knife crushed his 

 head. On examination. I found he had large poison 

 fangs, and it is a wondei- he did not bite me when I 

 first touched him, 



Thinkiui^ it very unlikely that two snakes had got on 

 board at the same time, 1 turned in and went to sleep ; 

 but having all the time a vague dreamy idea that I niiglit 

 put my hand on another one, 1 lay wonderfully still, not 

 turning over once all night, quite the revei-se of mj 

 usual habits. The next day we reached Ternate, and 

 I ensconced myself in my comfoiiable house, to examine 

 all ray treasures, and pack them securely for the voyage 

 home. 



CHAPTEE XXV. 



CERAM, GOBAM, AITO THE MATABELLO ISUJN^DS 

 (OCTOBER 1859 TO JTKX ISflO.) 



I LEFT Amboyna for my first visit to Ceram at three 

 o'clock in the morning of October 29th, after lm\'ing 

 been delayed several days by the boat's crew, who could 

 not be got together. Captain Van der Beck, who gave me 

 a passage in his boat, hatl been muning after them all day, 

 and at midnight we had to search for two of my men who 

 had disappeared at the last moment. One we found at 

 supper in his own liouse, and rather tipsy with his parting 

 libations of ari-aek, but the other was gone across the bay, 

 and we were obliged to leave without him, ^Ve stayed 

 some hours at two villages near the east end of Amboyna, 

 at ono of which we bad to discharge some wood for the 

 missionaries' house, and on the third afternoon reached 

 Captain Van der Beck*s plantation, situated at Hatosiia, 

 in that part of Ceram opposite to the island of Amboyna. 

 Tliis was a clearing in fiat and rather swampy forest, about 

 twenty acres in extent, and mostly planted with cacao and 

 tobacco. Besides a small cottage occupied by the workmen. 



