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niously； that when the bird comes to eat the fruit its legs are caught； and by pulling the end of the cord； which hangs down to the ground； it comes free from the branch and brings down the bird。 Sometimes； when food is abundant elsewhere； the hunter sits from morning till night under his tree with the cord in his hand； and even for two or three whole days in succession； without even getting a bite； while； on the other hand； if very lucky； he may get two or three birds in a day。 There are only eight or ten men at Bessir who practise this art； which is unknown anywhere else in the island。 I determined； therefore； to stay as long as possible； as my only chance of getting a good series of specimens； and although I was nearly starved； everything eatable by civilized man being scarce or altogether absent； I finally succeeded。
The vegetables and fruit in the plantations around us did not suffice for the wants of the inhabitants； and were almost always dug up or gathered before they were ripe。 It was very rarely we could purchase a little fish； fowls there were none； and we were reduced to live upon tough pigeons and cockatoos； with our rice and sago； and sometimes we could not get these。 Having been already eight months on this voyage； my stock of all condiments； spices and butter； was exhausted； and I found it impossible to eat sufficient of my tasteless and unpalatable food to support health。 I got very thin and weak； and had a curious disease known （I have since heard） as brow…ague。 Directly after breakfast every morning an intense pain set in on a small spot on the right temple。 It was a severe burning ache； as bad as the worst toothache； and lasted about two hours； generally going off at noon。 When this finally ceased； I had an attack of fever； which left me so weak and so unable to eat our regular food； that I feel sure my life was saved by a couple of tins of soup which I had long reserved for some such extremity。 I used often to go out searching after vegetables； and found a great treasure in a lot of tomato plants run wild； and bearing little fruits about the size of gooseberries。 I also boiled up the tops of pumpkin plants and of ferns； by way of greens； and occasionally got a few green papaws。 The natives； when hard up for food； live upon a fleshy seaweed； which they boil till it is tender。 I tried this also； but found it too salt and bitter to be endured。
Towards the end of September it became absolutely necessary for me to return； in order to make our homeward voyage before the end of the east monsoon。 Most of the men who had taken payment from me had brought the birds they had agreed for。 One poor fellow had been so unfortunate as not to get one； and he very honestly brought back the axe he had received in advance； another； who had agreed for six； brought me the fifth two days before I was to start； and went off immediately to the forest again to get the other。 He did not return； however； and we loaded our boat； and were just on the point of starting； when he came running down after us holding up a bird； which he handed to me； saying with great satisfaction； 〃Now I owe you nothing。〃 These were remarkable and quite unexpected instances of honesty among savages； where it would have been very easy for them to have been dishonest without fear of detection or punishment。
The country round about Bessir was very hilly and rugged； bristling with jagged and honey…combed coralline rocks； and with curious little chasms and ravines。 The paths often passed through these rocky clefts； which in the depths of the forest were gloomy and dark in the extreme； and often full of fine…leaved herbaceous plants and curious blue…foliaged Lycopodiaceae。 It was in such places as these that I obtained many of my most beautiful small butterflies； such as Sospita statira and Taxila pulchra； the gorgeous blue Amblypodia hercules； and many others。 On the skirts of the plantations I found the handsome blue Deudorix despoena； and in the shady woods the lovely Lycaena wallacei。 Here； too； I obtained the beautiful Thyca aruna； of the richest orange on the upper side； while below it is intense crimson and glossy black； and a superb specimen of a green Ornithoptera； absolutely fresh and perfect； and which still remains one of the glories of my cabinet。
My collection of birds； though not very rich in number of species； was yet very interesting。 I got another specimen of the rare New Guinea kite （Henicopernis longicauda）； a large new goatsucker （Podargus superciliaris）； and a most curious ground… pigeon of an entirely new genus； and remarkable for its long and powerful bill。 It has been named Henicophaps albifrons。 I was also much pleased to obtain a fine series of a large fruit…pigeon with a protuberance on the bill （Carpophaga tumida）； and to ascertain that this was not； as had been hitherto supposed； a sexual character； but was found equally in male and female birds。 I collected only seventy…three species of birds in Waigiou； but twelve of them were entirely new； and many others very rare； and as I brought away with me twenty…four fine specimens of the Paradisea rubra； I did not regret my visit to the island； although it had by no means answered my expectations。
CHAPTER XXXVII。
VOYAGE FROM WAIGIOU TO TERNATE。
（SEPTEMBER 29 To NOVEMBER 5； 1860。）
I HAD left the old pilot at Waigiou to take care of my house and to get the prau into sailing orderto caulk her bottom； and to look after the upper works； thatch； and ringing。 When I returned I found it nearly ready； and immediately began packing up and preparing for the voyage。 Our mainsail had formed one side of our house； but the spanker and jib had been put away in the roof； and on opening them to see if any repairs were wanted； to our horror we found that some rats had made them their nest； and had gnawed through them in twenty places。 We had therefore to buy matting and make new sails； and this delayed us till the 29th of September； when we at length left Waigiou。
It took us four days before we could get clear of the land； having to pass along narrow straits beset with reefs and shoals； and full of strong currents； so that an unfavourable wind stopped us altogether。 One day； when nearly clear； a contrary tide and head wind drove us ten miles back to our anchorage of the night before。 This delay made us afraid of running short of water if we should be becalmed at sea； and we therefore determined； if possible； to touch at the island where our men had been lost； and which lay directly in our proper course。 The wind was； however； as usual； contrary； being S。S。W。 instead of S。S。E。； as it should have been at this time of the year； and all we could do was to reach the island of Gagie； where we came to an anchor by moonlight under bare volcanic hills。 In the morning we tried to enter a deep bay； at the head of which some Galela fishermen told us there was water； but a head…wind prevented us。 For the reward of a handkerchief； however； they took us to the place in their boat； and we filled up our jars and bamboos。 We then went round to their camping…place on the north coast of the island to try and buy something to eat； but could only get smoked turtle meat as black and as hard as lumps of coal。 A little further on there was a plantation belonging to Guebe people； but under the care of a Papuan slave； and the next morning we got some plantains and a few vegetables in exchange for a handkerchief and some knives。 On leaving this place our anchor had got foul in some rock or sunken log in very deep water； and after many unsuccessful attempts； we were forced to cut our rattan cable and leave it behind us。 We had now only one anchor left。
Starting early； on the 4th of October； the same S。S。W wind continued； and we began to fear that we should hardly clear the southern point of Gilolo。 The night of the 5th was squally； with thunder； but after midnight it got tolerably fair； and we were going along with a light wind arid looking out for the coast of Gilolo； which we thought we must be nearing； when we heard a dull roaring sound； like a heavy surf； behind us。 In a short time the roar increased； and we saw a white line of foam coming on； which rapidly passed us without doing any harm； as our boat rose easily over the wave。 At short intervals； ten or a dozen others overtook us with bleat rapidity； and then the sea became perfectly smooth； as it was before。 I concluded at once that these must be earthquake waves； and on reference to the old voyagers we find that these seas have been long subject to similar phenomena。 Dampier encountered them near Mysol and New Guinea； and describes them as follows： 〃We found here very strange tides； that ran in streams； making a great sea； and roaring so loud that we could hear them before they came within a mile of us。 The sea round about them seemed all broken； and tossed the ship so that she would not answer her helm。 These ripplings commonly lasted ten or twelve minutes； and then the sea became as still and smooth as a millpond。 We sounded often when in the midst of them； but found no ground； neither could we perceive that they drove us any way。 We had in one night several of these tides； that came mostly from the west； and the wind being from that quarter we commonly heard