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The Malay Archipelago, the land of the orang-utan and the bird of paradise; a narrative of travel, with studies of man and nature — Volume 2 by Alfred Russel Wallace
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island of Goram; but he was immediately sent for, and in the
meantime a large shed was given for our accommodation. At night
the Rajah came, and the next day I had a visit from him, and
found, as I expected, that I had already made his acquaintance
three years before at Aru. He was very friendly, and we had a
long talk; but when I begged for a boat and men to take me on to
Ke, he made a host of difficulties. There were no praus, as all
had gone to Ke or Aim; and even if one were found, there were no
men, as it was the season when all were away trading. But he
promised to see about it, and I was obliged to wait. For the next
two or three days there was more talking and more difficulties
were raised, and I had time to make an examination of the island
and the people.

Manowolko is about fifteen miles long, and is a mere; upraised
coral-reef. Two or three hundred yards inland rise cliffs of
coral rock, in many parts perpendicular, and one or two hundred
feet high; and this, I was informed, is characteristic of the
whole island, in which there is no other kind of rock, and no
stream of water. A few cracks and chasms furnish paths to the top
of these cliffs, where there is an open undulating country, in
which the chief vegetable grounds of the inhabitants are
situated.

The people here--at least the chief men--were of a much purer
Malay race than the Mahometans of the mainland of Ceram, which is
perhaps due to there having been no indigenes on these small
islands when the first settlers arrived. In Ceram, the Alfuros of
Papuan race are the predominant type, the Malay physiognomy being
seldom well marked; whereas here the reverse is the case, and a
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