a road of about twelve miles overland, and this had been recommended to me as
a good place for birds, and as possessing a large population both of Mahomotans
and Alfuros, which latter race I much wished to see. I set off one morning to
examine this place myself, expecting to pass through some extent of forest on
my way. In this however I was much disappointed, as the whole road lies
through grass and scrubby thickets, and it was only after reaching the village of
Sahoe that some high forest land was perceived stretching towards the
mountains to the north of it. About half-way we dad to pass a deep river on a
bamboo raft, which almost sunk beneath us. This stream was said to rise a long
way off to the northward.
Although Sahoe did not at all appear what I expected, I determined to give it a
trial, and a few days afterwards obtained a boat to carry my things by sea while I
walked overland. A large house on the beach belonging to the Sultan was given
me. It stood alone, and was quite open on every side, so that little privacy could
be had, but as I only intended to stay a short time I made it do. Avery, few days
dispelled all hopes I might have entertained of making good collections in this
place. Nothing was to be found in every direction but interminable tracts of
reedy grass, eight or ten feet high, traversed by narrow baths, often almost
impassable. Here and there were clumps of fruit trees, patches of low wood, and
abundance of plantations and rice grounds, all of which are, in tropical regions, a
very desert for the entomologist. The virgin forest that I was in search of, existed
only on the summits and on the steep rocky sides of the mountains a long way
off, and in inaccessible situations. In the suburbs of the village I found a fair
number of bees and wasps, and some small but interesting beetles. Two or three
new birds were obtained by my hunters, and by incessant inquiries and promises
I succeeded in getting the natives to bring me some land shells, among which
was a very fine and handsome one, Helix pyrostoma. I was, however, completely
wasting my time here compared with what I might be doing in a good locality,
and after a week returned to Ternate, quite disappointed with my first attempts at
collecting in Gilolo.
In the country round about Sahoe, and in the interior, there is a large
population of indigenes, numbers of whom came daily into the village, bringing
their produce for sale, while others were engaged as labourers by the Chinese
and Ternate traders. A careful examination convinced me that these people are
radically distinct from all the Malay races. Their stature and their features, as
well as their disposition and habits, are almost the same as those of the Papuans;
their hair is semi-Papuan-neither straight, smooth, and glossy, like all true
Malays', nor so frizzly and woolly as the perfect Papuan type, but always crisp,