CHAPTER XXII.
GILGLO.
(MARCH AND SEPTEMBER- 1858.]
J MADE but few and comparatively short visits to this
large and little knoWn island, but obtained' a considerable
knowledge of its natural history by sending first my
boy Ali, and then my assistant, Charles Allen, who stayed
two or three months each in the northern peninsula, and
brought me back large collections of birds and insects. In
this chapter I propose to give a sketch of the parts which
I myself visited. My first stay was at Dbdinga, situated
at the head of a deep bay exactly opposite T’ernate, and a
short distance up a little stream which penetrates a few
miles inland. The village is a small one, and is completely
shut in by low hills.
As soon as I arrived, I applied to the head man of the
village for a bouse to live in, but all were occupied, and
there was much difficulty in finding one. In the meantime
I unloaded my baggage on the beach and made some
tea, and afterwards discovered a small hut which the
chap. xxn.] BODING A. 1 5
owner was willing to vacate if I would pay him five
guilders for a month’s rent. As this was something less
than the fee-simple value of the dwelling, I agreed to
give it him for the privilege of immediate occupation, only
stipulating that he was to make the roof water-tight.
This he agreed to do, and came every day to talk and
look at me; and when I each time insisted upon his
immediately mending the roof according to contract, all
the answer I could get was, “ Ea nanti,” (Yes, wait a little.)
However, when I threatened to deduct a quarter guilder
from the rent for every day it was not done, and a guilder
extra if any of my things were wetted, he condescended to
work for half an hour, which did all that was absolutely
necessary.
On the top of a bank, of about a hundred feet ascent from
the water, stands the very small but substantial fort erected
by the Portuguese. Its battlements- and turrets have long
since been overthrown by earthquakes, by which its massive
structure has also been ren t; but it cannot well be
thrown down, being a solid mass of stonework, forming a
platform about ten feet high, and perhaps forty feet square.
It is approached by narrow steps under an archway, and
is now surmounted by a row of thatched hovels, in which
live the small garrison, consisting of a Dutch corporal and
four Javanese soldiers, the sole representatives of the
Netherlands Government in the island. The village is