254 TRAVELS L\ THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



in 1837, migrated to Bachian. The clove-gardens in 

 Bonoa were tliua in danger of being neglected^ and 

 the man who was governor of the Moluccas at that 

 time therefore sent messengers to induce them to re- 

 turn ; but, when this measure proved unavailing, he 

 went himself in a war-ship, and brought them back. 



From Amboina we passed up the strait between 

 Kilang and Manipa, which is less than a mile wide^ 

 and made much nan'ower by long tongue-shaped reefs 

 of coral which project from several pointa A fresh 

 breeze had spning up from the south, and^ imder a 

 full head of steam and a good press of canvaa, we 

 ploughed through the waves which rolled up against 

 the wind. In all these straits the tidal currents are 

 very strong, and in many places so swift that a good 

 boat cannot make headway against them with oars, 

 and this makes many of these narrow channels very 

 dausrerous for the native boats. 



That evening the bright fires built by the fisher- 

 men on the shores of Bonoa were seen on our lar- 

 board side, and the next morning w^e were near the 

 Seven Brothers, a group of islands on tbe west side 

 of Sawai Bay. Here are tbree dangerous reefs not 

 laid down on the charts, a mile or more from the 

 shore. As we passed, mountains three or four thou- 

 sand feet ill height were seen standing by the sea near 

 the head of the bay. At noon we came to anchor in 

 the little harbor of Wahai, which is formed by coral 

 reefs that are bare at low tide. Unfortunately, it is 

 too small for sailing-ships to enter safely, or it would 

 be visited occasionally by those of our whalers who 

 frequent these seas. The whole village consists of a 



