From A mali a,i we sailed westward across Elpa-
puti Bay to the peninsula already described as rejoicing
in tbe melodious name of Kaibobo. Here, at
a small village, a native of Amboina bad established
him self, and commenced planting cocoa-trees, wbicb
we found thriving most satisfactorily, even better
than in the gardens I had previously visited on Amboina.
At the present prices this is the most profitable
product that can be raised in the Moluccas, and
the good result of this trial shows what enormous
quantities might be shipped yearly from this single
great island of Ceram, if foreigners or natives would
devote themselves to its culture.
Hear by were two villagers of Alfura, who had
been induced to abandon their old habits of roaming
among the mountains and make for themselves a fixed
dwelling-place. The rajah of each place came to
the village where we landed, to acknowledge his
allegiance to the Dutch Government. From that
place we proceeded southward along the eastern
shore of the peninsula. While we were in the bay,
the opposite shore sheltered us from the heavy southeasterly
swell that now rolled in before a driving
rain-storm, and made our round-bottomed praus roll
and pitch so that the rowers could scarcely use their
oars. At length, near night, we came to anchor off
a village that the Resident was obliged to visit. It
was situated on a straight, open beach, which descended
so abruptly beneath the sea, that the high
swell never once broke before finding itself suddenly
stopped in its rapid course; it rose up in one huge
wall that reeled forward and fell on the steep shore