THE ISLAND OF BUTOH 



381 



Buton is a hilly island, but no mountains ap- 

 pear. Its geological formation is said to consist 

 of " recent limestone, containing madrepores and 

 shells.'* Here, again, we find indications of the wide 

 upheaval that appears to be occurring in the whole 

 archipelago, but especially in its eastern part. It 

 is quite famous for the valuable cotton it produces, 

 which, in the fineness and length of its fibres, is said 

 to excel that raised in any other part of the archi- 

 pelago, and is therefore highly valued by the Bugis 

 and Maeassars. 



January IS^/t.— This morning we passed a large 

 American man-of war coming down grandly from the 

 west, under steam and a fuU press of canvas. It is a 

 most agreeable and unexpected pleasure to see such 

 a representation of our powerful navy in these re- 

 mote seas.* 



The next day we passed through Salayar Strait, 

 which separates the southern end of the peninsula 

 of Celebes from the Salayar Islands, and may be re- 

 garded as the boundary between the alternating wet 

 and dry seasons on the opposite sides of Celebes, 



January lUh, — An-ived back at Macassar. There 

 is nothing but one continuous series of heavy, pouring 

 showers, with sharp lightning and heavy thunder. 



* I had Jittb idea, when the above was written, that this ship was no 

 other thim the Hartford, made so famous by Admiral Farragut's brave 

 aod Boccessfhl vmm\t on the forta below Mobile, and that Rear- Admiral 

 H. H. Bell, then commanding oor Asiatifi sqnadron, was on board ; and 

 that durifl!? that same year (1860) it would be my privilepje to meet him, 

 and recjsive from him and the other officers of our United Stfttes ships 

 BO much kind asnstance in making long voyages on the cotista of China, 

 Corta, ami Japan. 



