598 
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
inquiries as to the truth of this statement. If he found there really were pirates there- 
abouts, he would, with the assistance of the Tidore proas, attack them at once. 
The coin in circulation at Ternate is the Dutch dollar, 4s. 2d., and the Dutch rupee, 
Is. 8ch An English shilling only passes as a half rupee, hut English sovereigns can be 
exchanged in small quantities at their proper value in dollars and rupees. 
The Malay collectors who are sent every year with the traders to New Guinea from 
Ternate, to collect Birds of Paradise and other birds, are some of them extremely expert 
in preparing and preserving bird-skins. They mount them, with a small stick stuck into 
the tow stuffing, and protruding at the tail ; the skin is handled by the stick, and thus 
the bird’s feathers are prevented from being injured. There are several Mohammedan 
dealers in bird-skins in the town of Ternate. A Papuan Bird of Paradise [Paradise d 
papuana) , well-skinned, costs about eight shillings, and a well-skinned Bed Bird of 
Paradise [Paradisea rubra) fourteen shillings. Skins of various Paradise Birds, prepared 
flat, and dried in the old native style, were common and cheap enough. Amongst these 
skins were a large quantity of what appeared to be the very rare black and scarlet- 
coloured Parrot [Dasyptilus pequeti). These birds could hardly have been killed and 
thus prepared for sale, as ornaments,' like the batch they were amongst, but they were 
unfortunately of no use as natural history specimens in their mangled condition. 
Mr. Moseley and Lieutenant Balfour ascended the Peak of Ternate accompanied by 
four Malay guides provided by the Resident for the purpose. Mr. Moseley thus describes 
the ascent : — “We passed a night at the house of one of the Government officials, who 
kindly offered us hospitality, at an altitude of about 1000 feet. Leaving the house at 
4.30 a.m. on the following morning, we commenced the climb through a field of sugar 
cane. The path led nearly straight up the cone all the way, and was excessively steep, 
and the ground was very slippery from a heavy fall of rain the night before. 
“ It was pitch-dark for the first hour, and we slipped and fell constantly. At an 
altitude of about 2000 feet above sea level, the last cleared and cultivated land, a rice 
field, was passed. On the border of the field grew several of the Saguir Palms [Arenga 
saccliarifera), which are abundant in the gardens at sea level. An intoxicating drink 
is made from the juice of this palm, and like many other palms it yields sugar. Above 
the rice fields, woods were entered at about daylight, and these extend up to an altitude 
of about 4150 feet. Jack- fruit and a wild plantain were observed to grow up to a height 
of about 2600 feet. In the woods was a small hut, used by men who come up to hunt 
the deer, which are abundant on the mountains. On a tree close to the hut was cut 
the name of Miklucho-Maclay, the well-known explorer of New Guinea. From the verge 
of the woods at 4150 feet altitude, for about 650 feet farther ascent, a dense 
growth of tall reeds was traversed. At this height (4800 feet above sea level) a ridge 
was reached from which a descent of about 100 feet was made into an outer ancient 
crater, corresponding to the Canadas of the Peak of Tenerife. There are two such outer 
