Dear Alma - Wallace Makes Me Want to Go to Seram.

My Dearest Alma,

I spent the last few days reading letters between Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin. Their letters both as scientists and friends are compelling. Unfortunately though, the friendship later on faltered greatly that Wallace was thoroughly undermined in the science world and almost forgotten; thanks to Darwin-led effort in making him be so. They started off as being very good scientist friends, with warm admiration and adoration from both sides. Darwin even referred Wallace in his letter to be “the man to turn to in difficulty”, and Wallace was always credited as the one who stimulated Darwin’s work in evolution and the book “On the Origin of Species”. Some even speculated that Darwin stole the idea from Wallace (I do not think that was the case, however, there are four books written on this conspiracy theory alone).

Alma, did you know that Wallace was knee-deep in research for eight years in the Malay archipelago? I was steeped in curiosity as I read how Wallace passionately described the metallic and soft orange tints of the moths in Amboyna and Macassar. Yet how at ease Wallace wrote about this honeycomb he had sent to Darwin,

“I beg you to accept a wild honeycomb from the island of Timor, not quite perfect but the best I could get. It is of a small size but of characteristic form & I think will be interesting to you. I was quite unable to get the honey out of it, so fear you will find it somewhat in a mess but no doubt you will know how to clean it.”

Can you imagine how difficult it must have been two centuries ago, Alma? To send something as delicate as raw, wild, honeycomb from the jungles of Timor, through the oceans and lands, to the residence of Darwin in Kent? Oh the storms and docks that honeycomb must have witnessed! I wonder if the honey tasted sweeter to Darwin, or perhaps even aromatic and exotic, from having gone through such voyage!

Timor Men, drawing by Thomas Baines

Alma, Wallace did quite a lot of work in insects and birds in these Malay islads. I know you are mostly now immersed in the study of mosses, but just have a look at the excitement Wallace had in his writings about them:

    "In a few days I commence work in Ceram, where I hope to make a very fine collection, especially of Psittacidæ, the Lories of Ceram surpassing even those of New Guinea in variety and beauty. I live in hopes too of a new Semioptera, or some equally interesting form.”

  "The species of Ceram birds mentioned in Bonaparte's 'Conspectus' are very few: how is it, then, that it has such a name for fine birds? I know nothing fine from it, but the Lories, which are superb. However, I hope and believe it will produce some very fine things--new Pigeons, perhaps. The Cassowary is said to be abundant in Ceram.”

That reminded me to the work J did in Seram, and the hundreds of beautiful pictures he once showed me. Of sunrises and sunsets viewed from his wooden house that was on stilts and floating, a small dock at the front with a rickety boat tied to it for when he needed to go places. J said, “How can a person feel like working when your office is this beautiful?”

Seram island

I wonder if Wallace also thought the same. How mad I was to turn down a field work offer in Seram two years ago! All this has made me want to explore all the places Wallace been in this archipelago. Call it, the Great Wallace Pilgrimage. Let's see if this would manifest in the immediate future.

But Alas! For now I am home-bound in my city, doing remote literature studies on the indigenous people. I had not slept as much as I needed, doing all the reading and writing the last two nights. My professor is in town, but not for long. He seemed to not be as disappointed in my desultory work; kindly understanding the whirlwind of madness I had been in, as well as workload from other professors.

I dared myself in mentioning to him today about the indigenous tribe of the Ibans, living along the Utik river. I, of course, silently hoped we would do some work in Seram which I could join, but he had done that last year. So maybe if I were lucky enough to still keep the job at least for the next few months, I might stand a chance to see this tribe that was still headhunting as recent as eight decades ago.

More on Wallace, the evolution of intelligence, and Rumi's thoughts on that – yes, Rumi! – in my next letter. I have to get back to my readings and produce three writings tonight. At least, that is the intention.

Hoping the weather is favourable in Philadelphia,

Yours very sincerely,

GR.