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ich are black； thin； and semi…cylindrical； and droop gracefully in a spiral curve。 Several other interesting birds were obtained； and about half…a…dozen quite new ones； but none of any remarkable beauty； except the lovely little dove； Ptilonopus pulchellus； which with several other pigeons I shot on the same fig…tree close to my house。 It is of a beautiful green colour above； with a forehead of the richest crimson； while beneath it is ashy white and rich yellow； banded with violet red。
On the evening of our arrival at Muka I observed what appeared like a display of Aurora Borealis； though I could hardly believe that this was possible at a point a little south of the equator。 The night was clear and calm； and the northern sky presented a diffused light； with a constant succession of faint vertical flashings or flickerings； exactly similar to an ordinary aurora in England。 The next day was fine； but after that the weather was unprecedentedly bad； considering that it ought to have been the dry monsoon。 For near a month we had wet weather； the sun either not appearing at all； or only for an hour or two about noon。 Morning and evening； as well as nearly all night； it rained or drizzled； and boisterous winds； with dark clouds； formed the daily programme。 With the exception that it was never cold； it was just such weather as a very bad English November or February。
The people of Waigiou are not truly indigenes of the island； which possesses no 〃Alfuros；〃 or aboriginal inhabitants。 They appear to be a mixed race； partly from Gilolo； partly from New Guinea。 Malays and Alfuros from the former island have probably settled here； and many of them have taken Papuan wives from Salwatty or Dorey； while the influx of people from those places； and of slaves； has led to the formation of a tribe exhibiting almost all the transitions from a nearly pure Malayan to an entirely Papuan type。 The language spoken by them is entirely Papuan； being that which is used on all the coasts of Mysol； Salwatty； the north…west of New Guinea； and the islands in the great Geelvink Bay；a fact which indicates the way in which the coast settlements have been formed。 The fact that so many of the islands between New Guinea and the Moluccassuch as Waigiou； Guebe； Poppa； Obi； Batchian； as well as the south and east peninsulas of Gilolopossess no aboriginal tribes； but are inhabited by people who are evidently mongrels and wanderers； is a remarkable corroborative proof of the distinctness of the Malayan and Papuan races； and the separation of the geographical areas they inhabit。 If these two great races were direct modifications； the one of the other； we should expect to find in the intervening region some homogeneous indigenous race presenting intermediate characters。 For example； between the whitest inhabitants of Europe and the black Klings of South India； there are in the intervening districts homogeneous races which form a gradual transition from one to the other； while in America； although there is a perfect transition from the Anglo… Saxon to the negro； and from the Spaniard to the Indian； there is no homogeneous race forming a natural transition from one to the other。 In the Malay Archipelago we have an excellent example of two absolutely distinct races； which appear to have approached each other； and intermingled in an unoccupied territory at a very recent epoch in the history of man； and I feel satisfied that no unprejudiced person could study them on the spot without being convinced that this is the true solution of the problem； rather than the almost universally accepted view that they are but modifications of one and the same race。
The people of Muka live in that abject state of poverty that is almost always found where the sago…tree is abundant。 Very few of them take the trouble to plant any vegetables or fruit； but live almost entirely on sago and fish； selling a little tripang or tortoiseshell to buy the scanty clothing they require。 Almost all of them； however； possess one or more Papuan slaves； on whose labour they live in almost absolute idleness； just going out on little fishing or trading excursions； as an excitement in their monotonous existence。 They are under the rule of the Sultan of Tidore； and every year have to pay a small tribute of Paradise birds； tortoiseshell； or sago。 To obtain these； they go in the fine season on a trading voyage to the mainland of New Guinea； and getting a few goods on credit from some Ceram or Bugis trader； make hard bargains with the natives； and gain enough to pay their tribute； and leave a little profit for themselves。
Such a country is not a very pleasant one to live in； for as there are no superfluities； there is nothing to sell； and had it not been for a trader from Ceram who was residing there during my stay； who had a small vegetable garden； and whose men occasionally got a few spare fish； I should often have had nothing to eat。 Fowls； fruit； and vegetables are luxuries very rarely to be purchased at Muka； and even cocoa…nuts； so indispensable for eastern cookery； are not to be obtained； for though there are some hundreds of trees in the village； all the fruit is eaten green； to supply the place of the vegetables the people are too lazy to cultivate。 Without eggs； cocoa…nuts； or plantains； we had very short commons； and the boisterous weather being unpropitious for fishing； we had to live on what few eatable birds we could shoot； with an occasional cuscus； or eastern opossum； the only quadruped； except pigs； inhabiting the island。
I had only shot two male Paradiseas on my tree when they ceased visiting it； either owing to the fruit becoming scarce； or that they were wise enough to know there was danger。 We continued to hear and see them in the forest； but after a month had not succeeded in shooting any more； and as my chief object in visiting Waigiou was to get these birds； I determined to go to Bessir； where there are a number of Papuans who catch and preserve them。 I hired a small outrigger boat for this journey； and left one of my men to guard my house and goods。 We had to wait several days for fine weather； and at length started early one morning； and arrived late at night； after a rough and disagreeable passage。 The village of Bessir was built in the water at the point of a small island。 The chief food of the people was evidently shell…fish； since great heaps of the shells had accumulated in the shallow water between the houses and the land； forming a regular 〃kitchen…midden 〃for the exploration of some future archeologist。 We spent the night in the chief's house； and the next morning went over to the mainland to look out for a place where I could reside。 This part of Waigiou is really another island to the south of the narrow channel we had passed through in coming to Muka。 It appears to consist almost entirely of raised coral； whereas the northern island contains hard crystalline rocks。 The shores were a range of low limestone cliffs； worn out by the water； so that the upper part generally overhung。 At distant intervals were little coves and openings； where small streams came down from the interior； and in one of these we landed； pulling our boat up on a patch of white sandy beach。 Immediately above was a large newly…made plantation of yams and plantains； and a small hot； which the chief said we might have the use of； if it would do for me。 It was quite a dwarf's house； just eight feet square； raised on posts so that the floor was four and a half feet above the ground； and the highest part of the ridge only five feet above the flour。 As I am six feet and an inch in my stockings； I looked at this with some dismay； but finding that the other houses were much further from water； were dreadfully dirty； and were crowded with people； I at once accepted the little one； and determined to make the best of it。 At first I thought of taking out the floor； which would leave it high enough to walk in and out without stooping； but then there would not be room enough； so I left it just as it was； had it thoroughly cleaned out； and brought up my baggage。 The upper story I used for sleeping in； and for a store…room。 In the lower part （which was quite open all round） I fixed up a small table； arranged my boxes； put up