.142 
A HOUSE-SITE WANTED. 
rose to go, we accompanied them to the shore, 
summoning all our courage to bid them a cheer- 
ful good-bye ; and when the Amboina hoisted her 
anchor and bore away, we sat down on a chest, 
and watched her grow less and less and disap- 
pear over the horizon with feelings somewhat of 
desolation, and not without misgivings, left as we 
were without the possibility of communicating 
with civilisation for at least three months to come. 
Our first thought was for our house. When 
O 
the sun was declining in the afternoon, we set- 
off to look for a site. We had to pass through 
the village, which is formed of irregular streets, 
most of the houses having the gable to the sea 
to allow of the prahus being run up under them. 
The village is encircled by a high double pali- 
sade, and at the landward gateway, excepting a 
narrow footpath, the ground is covered with 
sharpened bamboo spikes. The villagers who 
accompanied us pointed to these in the most 
excited manner, warning us to beware of them, 
and at the same time opening our eyes to the 
fact that we were environed by enemies, and 
that the village was standing on its defence. 
Outside the gate we entered a cocoa-nut forest, 
where, on the left, a high cliff stands, whose face 
is almost hid with ljunches of ferns and bright- 
