104 
AMBOINA. 
shouting as if thus alone he could enforce hfe 
command,' — lie assured us apologetically that it 
was indeed so. The sun went down, rain com- 
menced to fall heavily, and after securing our- 
selves and the baggage as well as possible from 
the drenching torrent, we got away at 8 f,m. 
It has taken days to dry the contents of the 
cases, many of the birds being hopelessly spoiled. 
We were as wet as if we had come to Amboina 
swimming at the stern of the boat. It was a 
very unsafe “dug-out/’ with no outriggers; and 
though worn out from the long fatiguing day, 
we dared not beguile a part of the way in sleep, 
for fear of capsizing it by an unguarded move- 
ment. Luckily the sea was as smooth as glass, 
and we kept ourselves awake watching the 
trickling rain dropping in phosphorescent sparks 
on the water, and the luminous zigzag path of 
the frightened fishes darting from below our 
keel, while in concert with this brilliant aqueous 
illumination the torches of the fishermen blazed 
on the banks. Arriving about midnight, we 
were perplexed to find the door of our old 
quarters unopened. One of the men had gone 
on by road to cook supper and make all needful 
preparations ; but instead of food and light, 
only silence and darkness awaited us. The man 
