336 BOURU, [ciLAr. xstl 



where foil of mud-lioles, and intersected by muddy streama 

 and tnicts of swamp, so that walking was not pleasurable, 

 and too much attention to one's steps was not favourable to 

 insect catcbing, which i-equires above everything freedom of 

 motion. I shot a few birds, and cauglit a few buttertiies, but 

 all were the same as I bad already obtained about Cajeli. 



On my retuni to the village I was told that the same 

 kind of ground extended for muny miles in every 

 direction, and I at once decided tliat Wayapo was 

 not a suitable place to stay at. The ne^t morning 

 early we waded back again through the mud and long 

 wet grass to our boat, and by mid-day reached Cajeli, 

 where I waited Ali's return to decide on my future 

 movements. He came the following day, and gave a 

 very bad account of Pelah, where be had been. There was 

 a little brush and trees along the l>ench, aiid bills inland 

 covered with high grass and cajuputi trees— ray dread and 

 abhoiTence. On incpiiring who coidd give nie trustworthy 

 information. I was i-elerred to the Lieutenant of the 

 Burghers, who had travelled all ro^ind the island, and was a 

 very intelligent fellow. I asked him to tell me if he knew 

 of any part of Bouru where there was no " kusu-kusu," as 

 the coarse grass of the country is called. He assured me 

 that a good deid of the south coast was forest land, while 

 along the north was almost entirely swamp and grassy Iiills. 

 After minute inquiries, I found that the forest countr^^ com- 

 menced at a place called Waypoti, only a few miles beyond 

 Pelah, but that, as the coast beyond that place was exposed 

 to the east monsoon and dangerous for praus, it was neces- 

 sar)^ to walk, I immediately went to the Opzeiner, and 

 he called the P^ajah. We had a consultation, and arranged 

 for a boat to take me the next evening but one, to Pelab, 

 whence I was to proceed on foot, the Orang-kaya going the 

 day before to call the Alfui-os to carry my baggage. 



The journey was made as arranged, and on May 19th 

 we arrived at Waypoti, having walked about ten miles 

 along the beach, and through stony forest bordering the 

 sea, with occasional plunges of a mile or two into the 

 interior. We found no village, but scattered bouses and 

 plantations, with lully country pretty well covered with 

 forest, and looking rather promising. A low hut with a 



