CHAPTER XVII. 
EANDA— TIMOR — DILLY — FEVER- CHURCH AND MONASTERY 
THE CONTENT “ VERY DISTINGUISHED SOCIETY.” 
26 th December. 
I have hitherto spoken only pleasant things of 
Banda. I regret that I saw that, on this last 
visit, which will ever intrude upon more agree- 
able associations. As usual we lay two days at 
Banda, and as usual paid a visit to Bin Saleh’s 
shop, to see what birds might have come by 
trading prahus from New Guinea since our last 
visit. It was the sunset hour, and in front of 
a house in the street parallel with the shore, a 
comely Chinese matron, seated behind a strong 
grating, was serving a dark syrup to the most 
emaciated, weary-looking human beings I have 
ever seen. It was opium. What a miserable 
infatuation ! — and the wretched creatures could 
not offer even poor Maggie Mucklebackifc’s ex- 
tenuation, when, “ deem’ o’ cauld,” and suffering 
