CHAPTER XXXVI. WAIGIOU.
(JULY TO SEPTEMBER 1860.)
THE village of Muka, on the south coast of Waigiou, consists of a number of
poor huts, partly in the water and partly on shore, and scattered irregularly over a
space of about half a mile in a shallow bay. Around it are a few cultivated
patches, and a good deal of second-growth woody vegetation; while behind, at
the distance of about half a mile, rises the virgin forest, through which are a few
paths to some houses and plantations a mile or two inland. The country round is
rather flat, and in places swampy, and there are one or two small streams which
run behind the village into the sea below it. Finding that no house could be had
suitable to my purpose, and hawing so often experienced the advantages of
living close to or just within the forest, I obtained the assistance of half-a-dozen
men; and having selected a spot near the path and the stream, and close to a fine
fig-tree, which stood just within the forest, we cleared the ground and set to
building a house. As I did not expect to stay here so long as I had done at Dorey,
I built a long, low, narrow shed, about seven feet high on one side and four on
the other, which required but little wood, and was put up very rapidly. Our sails,
with a few old attaps from a deserted but in the village, formed the walls, and a
quantity of "cadjans," or palm-leaf mats, covered in the roof. On the third day
my house was finished, and all my things put in and comfortably arranged to
begin work, and I was quite pleased at having got established so quickly and in
such a nice situation.
It had been so far fine weather, but in the night it rained hard, and we found
our mat roof would not keep out water. It first began to drop, and then to stream
over everything. I had to get up in the middle of the night to secure my insect-
boxes, rice, and other perishable articles, and to find a dry place to sleep in, for
my bed was soaked. Fresh leaks kept forming as the rain continued, and w e all
passed a very miserable and sleepless night. In the morning the sun shone
brightly, and everything was put out to dry. We tried to find out why the mats
leaked, and thought we had discovered that they had been laid on upside down.
Having shifted there all, and got everything dry and comfortable by the evening,
we again went to bed, and before midnight were again awaked by torrent of rain