goddess, by Mr. R. G. Gray.
On Christmas eve I returned to Amboyna, where I stayed about ten days with
my kind friend Dr. Mohnike. Considering that I had been away only twenty
days, and that on five or six of those I was prevented doing anything by wet
weather and slight attacks of fever, I had made a very nice collection of insects,
comprising a much larger proportion of large and brilliant species than I had
ever before obtained in so short a time. Of the beautiful metallic Buprestidae I
had about a dozen handsome species, yet in the doctor's collection I observed
four or five more very fine ones, so that Amboyna is unusually rich in this
elegant group.
During my stay here I had a good opportunity of seeing how Europeans live in
the Dutch colonies, and where they have adopted customs far more in
accordance with the climate than we have done in our tropical possessions.
Almost all business is transacted in the morning between the hours of seven and
twelve, the afternoon being given up to repose, and the evening to visiting.
When in the house during the heat of the day, and even at dinner, they use a
loose cotton dress, only putting on a suit of thin European-made clothes for out
of doors and evening wear. They often walk about after sunset bareheaded,
reserving the black hat for visits of ceremony. Life is thus made far more
agreeable, and the fatigue and discomfort incident to the climate greatly
diminished. Christmas day is not made much of, but on New Year's day official
and complimentary visits are paid, and about sunset we went to the Governor's,
where a large party of ladies and gentlemen were assembled. Tea and coffee
were handed around, as is almost universal during a visit, as well as cigars, for
on no occasion is smoking prohibited in Dutch colonies, cigars being generally
lighted before the cloth is withdrawn at dinner, even though half the company
are ladies. I here saw for the first time the rare black lory from New Guinea,
Chalcopsitta atra. The plumage is rather glossy, and slightly tinged with
yellowish and purple, the bill and feet being entirely black.
The native Amboynese who reside in the city are a strange half-civilized, half-
savage lazy people, who seem to be a mixture of at least three races—
Portuguese, Malay, and Papuan or Ceramese, with an occasional cross of
Chinese or Dutch. The Portuguese element decidedly predominates in the old
Christian population, as indicated by features, habits, and the retention of many
Portuguese words in the Malay, which is now their language. They have a
peculiar style of dress which they wear among themselves, a close-fitting white
shirt with black trousers, and a black frock or upper shirt. The women seem to
prefer a dress entirely black. On festivals and state occasions they adopt the