about the country and prosecuting my researches in
natural history. We conversed in French, which all Dutch
officials speak very well.
Finding it very inconvenient and expensive to stay in
the town, I removed at the end of a week to a little
bamboo house, kindly offered me by Mr. Mesman. It was
situated about two miles away, on a small coffee plantation
and farm, and about a mile beyond Mr. M/s own country-
house. It consisted of two rooms raised about seven feet
above the ground, the lower part being partly open (and
serving excellently to skin birds in) and partly used as
a granary for rice. There was a kitchen and other outhouses,
and several cottages near were occupied by men in
Mr. M/s employ.
After being settled a few days in my new house, I found
that no collections could be made without going much
further into the country. The rice-fields for some miles
round resembled English stubbles late in autumn, and were
almost as unproductive of bird or insect life. There were
several native villages scattered about, so embosomed in
fiuit trees that at a distance they looked like clumps or
patches of forest. These were my only collecting places,
but they produced a very limited number of species, and
were soon exhausted. Before I could move to any more
promising district it was necessary to obtain permission
from the Rajah of Goa, whose territories approach to within
two miles of the town of Macassar, I therefore presented
myself at the Governor’s office and requested a letter to
the Rajah, to claim his protection, and permission to travel
in his territories whenever I might wish to do so. This
was immediately granted, and a special messenger was
sent with me to carry the letter.
My friend Mr. Mesman kindly lent me a horse, and
accompanied me on my visit to the Rajah, with whom he
was great friends. We found his Majesty seated out of
doors, watching the erection of a new house. He was naked
from the waist up, wearing only the usual short trousers
and sarong. Two chairs were brought out for us, but all
the chiefs and other natives were seated on the ground.
The messenger, squatting down at the Rajah’s feet, produced
the letter, which was sewn up in a covering of
yellow silk. It was handed to one of the chief officers,
who ripped it open and returned it to the Rajah, who read
it, and then showed it to Mr. M., who both speaks and
reads the Macassar language fluently, and who explained
fully what I required. Permission was immediately
granted me to go where I liked in the o o territories of Goa,
but the Rajah desired, that should I wish to stay any time
at a place I would first give him notice, in order that he
might send some one to see that no injury was done me.
Some wine was then brought us, and afterwards some
detestable coffee and wretched sweetmeats, for it is a fact