Every seaman will admit that my first voyage in my own boat was a most unlucky one.
Charles Allen had obtained a tolerable collection of birds and insects at Mysol, but far less than he would have done if I had not been so unfortunate as to miss visiting him.

After waiting another week or two till he was nearly starved, he returned to Wahai in Ceram, and heard, much to his surprise, that I had left a fortnight before.

He was delayed there more than a month before he could get back to the north side of Mysol, which he found a much better locality, but it was not yet the season for the Paradise Birds; and before he had obtained more than a few of the common sort, the last prau was ready to leave for Ternate, and he was obliged to take the opportunity, as he expected I would be waiting there for him.
This concludes the record of my wanderings.

I next went to Timor, and afterwards to Bourn, Java, and Sumatra, which places have already been described.

Charles Allen made a voyage to New Guinea, a short account of which will be given in my next chapter on the Birds of Paradise.