in much greater abundance where the light- is admitted,
are so many attractions to the insects for miles around, and
cause a wonderful accumulation of species and individuals.
When the entomologist can discover such a spot, he does
more in a month than he could possibly do by a year’s
search in the depths of the undisturbed forest.
The next morning we left early, and reached the mouth
of the little river in about an hour. It flows through a
perfectly flat alluvial plain, but there are hills which
approach it near the mouth. Towards the lower part, in
a swamp where the salt-water must enter at high tides,
were a number of elegant tree-ferns from eight to fifteen
feet high. These are generally considered to be mountain
plants, and rarely to occur on the equator at an elevation
of less than one or two thousand feet. In Borneo, in the
Aru Islands, and on the banks of the Amazon, I have
observed them at the level of the sea, and think it probable
that the altitude supposed to be requisite for them
may have been deduced from facts observed in countries
where the plains and lowlands are largely cultivated, and
most of the indigenous vegetation destroyed. Such is the
case in most parts of Java, India, Jamaica, and Brazil,
where the vegetation of the tropics has been most fully
explored.
Coming out to sea we turned northwards, and in about
two hours’ sail reached a few huts, called Langundi, where
some Galela men had established themselves as collectors
of gum-dammar, with which they made torches for the
supply of the Ternate market. About a hundred yards
back rises a rather steep hill, and a short walk having
shown me that there was a tolerable path up it, I determined
to stay here for a few days. Opposite us, and all
along this coast of Batchian, stretches a row of fine islands
completely uninhabited. Whenever I asked the reason why
no one goes to live in them, the answer always was, “ For
fear of the Magindano pirates.” Every year these scourges
of the Archipelago wander in one direction or another,
making their rendezvous on some uninhabited island, and
carrying devastation to all the small settlements around ,
robbing, destroying, killing, or taking captive all they mee
with. Their long well-manned praus escape from the
pursuit of any sailing vessel by pulling away right in the
wind’s eye, and the warning smoke of a steamer generally
enables them to hide in some shallow bay, or narrow river,
or forest-covered inlet, till the danger is passed. The only
effectual way to put a stop bo their depredations would be
to attack them in their strongholds and villages, and
compel them to give up piracy, and submit to strict
surveillance, Sir James Brooke did. this with the pirates
of the north-west coast of Borneo, and deserves the thanks
of the whole population of the Archipelago for having rid
them of half their enemies.