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wooden plough easily makes its way； the ploughman holding the plough…handle with one hand while a long bamboo in the other serves to guide the buffaloes。 These animals require an immense deal of driving to get them on at all； a continual shower of exclamations is kept up at them； and 〃Oh！ ah！ Gee！ ugh！〃 are to be heard in various keys and in an uninterrupted succession all day long。 At night we were favoured with a different kind of concert。 The dry ground around my house had become a marsh tenanted by frogs； who kept up a most incredible noise from dusk to dawn。 They were somewhat musical too； having a deep vibrating note which at times closely resembles the tuning of two or three bass…viols in an orchestra。 In Malacca and Borneo I had heard no such sounds as these； which indicates that the frogs； like most of the animals of Celebes； are of species peculiar to it。
My kind friend and landlord； Mr。 Mesman； was a good specimen of the Macassar…born Dutchman。 He was about thirty…five years of age； had a large family； and lived in a spacious house near the town； situated in the midst of a grove of fruit trees； and surrounded by a perfect labyrinth of offices； stables； and native cottages occupied by his numerous servants； slaves； or dependants。 He usually rose before the sun； and after a cup of coffee looked after his servants； horses； and dogs； until seven； when a substantial breakfast of rice and meat was ready in a cool verandah。 Putting on a clean white linen suit； he then （trove to town in his buggy； where he had an office； with two or three Chinese clerks who looked after his affairs。 His business was that of a coffee and opium merchant。 He had a coffee estate at Bontyne； and a small prau which traded to the Eastern islands near New Guinea； for mother…of…pearl and tortoiseshell。 About one he would return home； have coffee and cake or fried plantain； first changing his dress for a coloured cotton shirt and trousers and bare feet； and then take a siesta with a book。 About four； after a cup of tea； he would walk round his premises； and generally stroll down to Mamajam to pay me a visit； and look after his farm。
This consisted of a coffee plantation and an orchard of fruit trees； a dozen horses and a score of cattle； with a small village of Timorese slaves and Macassar servants。 One family looked after the cattle and supplied the house with milk； bringing me also a large glassful every morning； one of my greatest luxuries。 Others had charge of the horses； which were brought in every afternoon and fed with cut grass。 Others had to cut grass for their master's horses at Macassarnot a very easy task in the dry season； when all the country looks like baked mud； or in the rainy season； when miles in every direction are flooded。 How they managed it was a mystery to me； but they know grass must be had； and they get it。 One lame woman had charge of a flock of ducks。 Twice a day she took them out to feed in the marshy places； let them waddle and gobble for an hour or two； and then drove them back and shut them up in a small dark shed to digest their meal； whence they gave forth occasionally a melancholy quack。 Every night a watch was set； principally for the sake of the horses the people of Goa； only two miles off； being notorious thieves； and horses offering the easiest and most valuable spoil。 This enabled me to sleep in security； although many people in Macassar thought I was running a great risk； living alone in such a solitary place and with such bad neighbours。
My house was surrounded by a kind of straggling hedge of roses； jessamines； and other flowers； and every morning one of the women gathered a basketful of the blossoms for Mr。 Mesman's family。 I generally took a couple for my own breakfast table； and the supply never failed during my stay； and I suppose never does。 Almost every Sunday Mr。 M。 made a shooting excursion with his eldest son； a lad of fifteen； and I generally accompanied him； for though the Dutch are Protestants； they do not observe Sunday in the rigid manner practised in England and English colonies。 The Governor of the place has his public reception every Sunday evening； when card…playing is the regular amusement。
On December 13th I went on board a prau bound for the Aru Islands； a journey which will be described in the latter part of this work。
On my return； after a seven months' absence； I visited another district to the north of Macassar； which will form the subject of the next chapter。
CHAPTER XVI。
CELEBES。
（MACASSAR。 JULY TO NOVEMBER； 1857。）
I REACHED Macassar again on the 11th of July； and established myself in my old quarters at Mamajam； to sort； arrange； clean； and pack up my Aru collections。 This occupied me a month； and having shipped them off for Singapore； had my guns repaired； and received a new one from England； together with a stock of pins； arsenic； and other collecting requisites。 I began to feel eager for work again； and had to consider where I should spend my time until the end of the year； I had left Macassar seven months before； a flooded marsh being ploughed up for the rice…sowing。 The rains had continued for five months； yet now all the rice was cut； and dry and dusty stubble covered the country just as when I had first arrived there。
After much inquiry I determined to visit the district of Maros； about thirty miles north of Macassar； where Mr。 Jacob Mesman； a brother of my friend； resided； who had kindly offered to find me house…room and give me assistance should I feel inclined to visit him。 I accordingly obtained a pass from the Resident； and having hired a boat set off one evening for Maros。 My boy Ali was so ill with fever that I was obliged to leave him in the hospital； under the care of my friend the German doctor； and I had to make shift with two new servants utterly ignorant of everything。 We coasted along during the night； and at daybreak entered the Maros river； and by three in the afternoon reached the village。 I immediately visited the Assistant Resident； and applied for ten men to carry my baggage； and a horse for myself。 These were promised to be ready that night； so that I could start as soon as I liked in the morning。 After having taken a cup of tea I took my leave； and slept in the boat。 Some of the men came at night as promised； but others did not arrive until the next morning。 It took some time to divide my baggage fairly among them； as they all wanted to shirk the heavy boxes； and would seize hold of some light article and march off with it； until made to come back and wait until the whole had been fairly apportioned。 At length about eight o'clock all was arranged； and we started for our walk to Mr。 M。's farm。
The country was at first a uniform plain of burned…up rice… grounds； but at a few miles' distance precipitous hills appeared； backed by the lofty central range of the peninsula。 Towards these our path lay； and after having gone six or eight miles the hills began to advance into the plain right and left of us； and the ground became pierced here and there with blocks and pillars of limestone rock； while a few abrupt conical hills and peaks rose like islands。 Passing over an elevated tract forming the shoulder of one of the hills； a pictu