LJSr SEAHCH AFTER. 



571 



He went in the small prau I bad fitted up at Goraii), 

 and tlii-ough the kind asfsiatjujce of the Dutch Kesideut 

 at Ternate, a lieiitenunt mu\ two soldiei-s \vere sent bj 

 the Sultan of Tidore to accompany aud protect him, 

 and to assist him in getting men and in visiting the 

 interior. 



Notwithstanding these precautions, Mr. Allen met with 

 difliculties in this voyage which we had neither of us 

 encountered before. To understand these, it is necessary 

 to consider that the Birds of Paradise are an article of 

 commerce, and are tlio monopoly of the chiefs of the 

 coast villages, who obtain them at a low mte from the 

 mountaineers, and sell them to the Bugia traders. A 

 portion is also paid every year as tribute to the Saltan of 

 Tidore. The natives are therefore veiy jealous of a 

 stranger, especially a European, interfering in their trade, 

 and above all of going into the interior to deal with the 

 mountdneers theuiselves. They of conrse think he will 

 i-aise the prices in the interior, and lessen the snpply on 

 the coast, greatly to their disadvantage ; they also tiiink 

 their tribute wiii be raised if a European takes back a 

 quantity of the mre soits ; and they luive besides a vague 

 and very natural dread of some ulterior object in a 

 white man's coming at so much trouble and expense to 

 their country only to get liirds of Paradise, of which 

 they know he can buy plenty (of the common yellow- 

 ones which alone they value) at Ternate, Macassar, or 

 Singapore. 



It thus happened that when Mr, Allen arrived at Sorong, 

 and explained his intention of going to seek Birds of 

 ParndLse in the interior, iunumerabie objections were 

 raised. He was told it was thi-eo or four days' journey 

 over swamps and mountains ; that the raountaiueers were 

 savages and cannibals, who would certainly kill hiiu • 

 and, lastly, that not a man in the vilhige could be found 

 who dare go with hiuL After some days spent in these 

 discussions, as he still persisted in making the attempt, 

 and showed them his authority from the SiUtan of Tidore 

 to go where he pleased and receive every assistance, they 

 at length provided liim with a boat to go the first part 

 oi' the journey up a river; at the same time, however. 



