that with people in this low state of civilization religion
is almost wholly ceremonial, and that neither are the
doctrines of Christianity comprehended, nor its moral
precepts obeyed. At the same time, as far as my own
experience goes, I have found the better class of “ Oran«O
Sirani” as civil, obliging, and industrious as the Malays,
and only inferior to them from their tendency to get
intoxicated.
Having written to the Assistant Eesident of Saparua
(who has jurisdiction over the opposite part of the coast of
Ceram) for a boat to pursue my journey, I received one
rather larger than necessary with a crew of twenty men.
I therefore bade adieu to my kind friend Captain Van der
Beck, and left on the evening after its arrival for the
village of Elpiputi, which we reached in two days. I
had intended to stay here, but not liking the appearance
of the place, which seemed to have no virgin forest near
it, I determined to proceed about twelve miles further up
the bay of Amahay, to a village recently formed, and
inhabited by indigenes from the interior, and where some
extensive cacao plantations were being made by some
gentlemen of Amboyna. I reached the place (called
Awaiya) the same afternoon, and with the assistance of
Mr. Peters (the manager of the plantations) and the native
chief, obtained a small house, got all my things on shore,
and paid and discharged my twenty boatmen, two of
■whom had almost driven me to distraction by beating
■tom-toms the whole voyage.-
I found the people here very nearly in a state of nature,
Band going almost naked. The men wear their frizzly hair
■(fathered into a flat circular knot over the left temple, I ¡which has a very knowing look, and in their ears cylinders
¡of wood as thick as one’s finger, and coloured red at the
lends. Armlets and anklets of woven grass or of silver,
¡with necklaces of beads or of small fruits, complete their
[attire. The women \year similar ornaments, but have their
hair loose. All are tall, w ith^ dark brown skin, and well
[marked Papuan physiognomy. There is an Amboyna
[schoolmaster in the village, and ,a good number of children
[attend school every morning. Such of the inhabitants as
I have become Christians may b,e known by their wearing
Itheir hair loose, and adopting to some extent the native
¡Christian dress—trousers and a loose shirt. Very few
I ¡speak Malay, all these coast villages having been recently formed by inducing natives to leave the inaccessible
[interior. In all the central part of Ceram there now7
[remains only one populous village in the mountains.
[Towards the east and the extreme west are a few others,
[with which exceptions ah the inhabitants of Ceram are
¡ collected on the coast. In the northern and eastern distric
ts they are mostly Mahometans, while on the south-
[ west coast, nearest Amboyna, they are nominal Christians.