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The next morning was clear and fine； and I set out soon after sunrise to explore the neighbourhood。 The village had evidently been newly formed； and consisted of a single straight street of very miserable huts totally deficient in every comfort； and as bare and cheerless inside as out。 It was situated on a little elevated patch of coarse gravelly soil； covered with the usual high rigid grass； which came up close to the backs of the houses。 At a short distance in several directions were patches of forest； but all on low and swampy ground。 I made one attempt along the only path I could find； but soon came upon a deep mud…hole； and found that I must walk barefoot if at all； so I returned and deferred further exploration till after breakfast。 I then went on into the jungle and found patches of sago…palms and a low forest vegetation； but the paths were everywhere full of mud…holes； and intersected by muddy streams and tracts of swamp； so that walking was not pleasurable； and too much attention to one's steps was not favourable to insect catching； which requires above everything freedom of motion。 I shot a few birds； and caught a few butterflies； but all were the same as I had already obtained about Cajeli。
On my return to the village I was told that the same kind of ground extended for many miles in every direction； and I at once decided that Wayapo was not a suitable place to stay at。 The next morning early we waded back again through the mud and long wet grass to our boat； and by mid…day reached Cajeli； where I waited Ali's return to decide on my future movements。 He came the following day； and gave a very bad account of Pelah； where he had been。 There was a little brush and trees along the beach； and hills inland covered with high grass and cajuputi treesmy dread and abhorrence。 On inquiring who could give me trustworthy information； I was referred to the Lieutenant of the Burghers； who had travelled all round the island； and was a very intelligent fellow。 I asked him to tell me if he knew of any part of Bouru where there was no 〃kusu…kusu；〃 as the coarse grass of the country is called。 He assured me that a good deal of the south coast was forest land； while along the north was almost entirely swamp and grassy hills。 After minute inquiries； I found that the forest country commenced at a place called Waypoti； only a few miles beyond Pelah； but that； as the coast beyond that place was exposed to the east monsoon and dangerous for praus； it was necessary to walk。 I immediately went to the Opzeiner； and he called the Rajah。 We had a consultation； and arranged for a boat to take me the next evening but one； to Pelah； whence I was to proceed on foot； the Orang…kaya going the day before to call the Alfuros to carry my baggage。
The journey was made as arranged； and on May 19th we arrived at Waypoti； having walked about ten miles along the beach； and through stony forest bordering the sea； with occasional plunges of a mile or two into the interior。 We found no village； but scattered houses and plantations； with hilly country pretty well covered with forest； and looking rather promising。 A low hut with a very rotten roof； showing the sky through in several places； was the only one I could obtain。 Luckily it did not rain that night； and the next day we pulled down some of the walls to repair the roof； which was of immediate importance； especially over our beds and table。
About half a mile from the house was a fine mountain stream； running swiftly over a bed of rocks and pebbles； and beyond this was a hill covered with fine forest。 By carefully picking my way I could wade across this river without getting much above my knees； although I would sometimes slip off a rock and go into a hole up to my waist； and about twice a week I went across it in order to explore the forest。 Unfortunately there were no paths here of any extent； and it did not prove very productive either in insects or birds。 To add to my difficulties I had stupidly left my only pair of strong hoots on board the steamer； and my others were by this time all dropping to pieces； so that I was obliged to walk about barefooted； and in constant fear of hurting my feet； and causing a wound which might lay me up for weeks； as had happened in Borneo； Are； and Dorey。 Although there were numerous plantations of maize and plantains； there were no new clearings； and as without these it is almost impossible to find many of the best kinds of insects； I determined to make one myself； and with much difficulty engaged two men to clear a patch of forest； from which I hoped to obtain many fine beetles before I left。
During the whole of my stay； however； insects never became plentiful。 My clearing produced me a few fine； longicorns and Buprestidae； different from any I had before seen； together with several of the Amboyna species； but by no means so numerous or； so beautiful as I had found in that small island。 For example； I collected only 210 different kinds of beetles during my two months' stay at Bourn； while in three weeks at Amboyna； in 1857； I found more than 300 species： One of the finest insects found at Bouru was a large Cerambyx； of a deep shining chestnut colour； and with very long antennae。 It varied greatly in size； the largest specimens being three inches long； while the smallest were only an inch； the antenna varying from one and a half to five inches。
One day my boy Ali came home with a story of a big snake。 He was walking through some high grass； and stepped on something which he took for a small fallen tree； but it felt cold and yielding to his feet； and far to the right and left there was a waving and rustling of the herbage。 He jumped back in affright and prepared to shoot； but could not get a good vies of the creature； and it passed away； he said； like a tree being dragged along through the grass。 As he lead several times already shot large snakes； which he declared were all as nothing compared with this； I am inclined to believe it must really have been a monster。 Such creatures are rather plentiful here； for a man living close by showed me on his thigh the marks where he bad been seized by one close to his house。 It was big enough to take the man's thigh in its mouth； and he would probably have been killed and devoured by it had not his cries brought out his neighbours； who destroyed it with their choppers。 As far as I could make out it was about twenty feet long； but Ali's was probably much larger。
It sometimes amuses me to observe how； a few days after I have taken possession of it； a native hut seems quite a comfortable home。 My house at Waypoti was a bare shed； with a large bamboo platform at one side。 At one end of this platform； which was elevated about three feet； I fixed up my mosquito curtain； and partly enclosed it with a large Scotch plaid； making a comfortable little sleeping apartment。 I put up a rude table on legs buried in the earthen floor； and had my comfortable rattan… chair for a seat。 A line across one corner carried my daily… washed cotton clothing； and on a bamboo shelf was arranged my small stock of crockery and hardware： Boxes were ranged against the thatch walls； and hanging shelves； to preserve my collections from ants while drying； were suspended both without and within the house。 On my table lay books； penknives； scissors； pliers； and pins； with insect and bird labels； all of which were unsolved mysteries to the native mind。
Most of the people here had never seen a pin； and the better informed took a pride in teaching their more ignorant companions the peculiarities and uses of that strange European productiona needle with a head； but no eye！ Even paper； which we throw away hourly as rubbish； was to them a curiosity； and I often saw them picking up little scraps which had been swept out of the house； and carefully putting them away in their betel…pouch。 Then when I took my morning coffee and evening tea； how many were the strange things displayed to them！ Teapot； teacups； teaspoons； were all more or less curious in their eyes； tea； sugar； biscuit； and butter； were articles of human consumption seen by many of them for the first time。 One asks if that whitish powder is 〃gula passir〃 （sand…sugar）； so called to distinguish it from the