a bargain, for the
collection could not be broken up, and I did not care to give the
price asked for the lot. The owner presented me, however, with a
magnificent _Gordonia rubra_, which I regarded as a great acquisition,
having long searched vainly for this very plant. It is a specially
perfect specimen, with beautiful feathery tips. After great trouble
Mr. Pemberton also succeeded in buying for me a few spears, kreises,
and baskets from Celebes, Sumbawa, and Bali, together with some
so-called tortoiseshells (really turtle-shells) of a larger size than
any that we had seen before. Still more pleased was I to get ten skins
of the exquisite birds-of-paradise which Wallace so well describes. He
considered himself amply repaid for toil and hardship by the discovery
of their previously unknown splendour, which one can quite imagine,
even in their dried and imperfectly prepared state. I have seen them
alive at Singapore in an aviary, and they are indeed gorgeous.

Meanwhile Tom and I had returned to the yacht, where we were
endeavouring to hasten such necessary preparations as coaling,
watering, and provisioning. I vainly tried to get a little rest,
notwithstanding a stream of visitors, including the Governor,
Commandant, and many others. We all lunched ashore, and found most of
the officers messing at the hotel, but at a separate table.

After further trouble in money-changing we went on board the yacht
again, to find that the plentiful washing of decks, so necessary after
coaling, was in full force, as well as the general air of confusion
always prevailing before setting off on a long voyage. There being no
chance of a start at present, Mr. Pemberton kindly went off to try to
get back a cheque which Tom had given for the tortoiseshells and
birds-of-paradise already paid for by me on shore. Pratt reported that
he had the greatest difficulty in getting his stores off intact; for
as fast as he had bought a thing and paid for it, the object or
objects--as in the case of twenty-four chickens--suddenly disappeared
into the recesses of the market again, and had to be hunted up with
great difficulty and many excuses and subterfuges on the part of the
sellers. The poor man with the cheque soon came on board, looking very
frightened, and bringing a peace-offering of large green lemons and a
bunch of the finest gardenias I had ever seen, the blossoms being
eighteen inches round.

Just before dark we got under way. After our long pa