By George Beccaloni, April 2018
As noted in the preface to his book The Malay Archipelago (1869), Alfred Russel Wallace arranged the account of his travels around the region roughly biogeographically rather than chronologically. His route was convoluted to say the least (see below - the black lines show his journeys), and he felt that his readers would be confused by a chronological arrangement.
The list below is an attempt to reconstruct his journey chronologically, with dates compiled from a variety of sources, including: Wallace’s book and other publications; the journals he kept during his trip; his letters; and the known dates of arrival and departure of certain ships (especially mail steamers), as reported by newspapers of the time. Many of the dates remain tentative and will probably never be known with certainty, a situation not helped by the fact that Wallace many mistakes when recording dates in his journals and elsewhere. The list includes all of Wallace's major sea voyages between islands and the dates he stayed on them, but it does not detail his travels within or around the islands in question. Names of islands and towns are those used by Wallace, and their modern names (if different) are given in brackets.
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DATES |
STOP-OFFS |
PLACES (bold capital letters denote important sea voyages lasting one or more days ) |
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4 MARCH - 18 APRIL 1854 |
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - SINGAPORE. Departed England on P&O steamer Euxine |
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10 - 11 Mar. 1854 |
Gibraltar. Wallace did not disembark. |
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15 - 16 Mar. 1854 |
Malta |
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20 - 26 Mar. 1854 |
Alexandria, Egypt. By boat to Cairo, then overland to Suez. Departed Suez on steamer Bengal |
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9 - 10 Apr. 1854 |
Port de Galle, Ceylon [Sri Lanka] via Aden. Departed Port de Galle on steamer Pottinger |
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17 Apr. 1854 |
Penang |
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18 April 1854 - 13 July 1854 |
Singapore. One week spent on Pulau Ubin |
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13 - 15 JULY 1854 |
SINGAPORE - MALACCA [MELAKA]. On schooner Kim Soon Hin |
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15 July - 23 September 1854 |
Malacca [Melaka] |
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23 - 25 SEPTEMBER 1854 |
MALACCA [MELAKA] – SINGAPORE. Possibly on barque John Bibby. |
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25 September - 17 October 1854 |
Singapore |
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17 OCTOBER - 29 OCTOBER 1854 |
SINGAPORE – SARAWAK. On brig Weraff |
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29 October 1854 - 10 February 1856 |
Sarawak, Borneo |
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10 - 17 FEBRUARY 1856 |
SARAWAK – SINGAPORE. Possibly on barque Santubong |
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17 February - 23 May 1856 |
Singapore |
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23 MAY - 17 JUNE 1856 |
SINGAPORE - LOMBOCK [LOMBOK]. On barque Kembang Djepoon |
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13 - 15 Jun. 1856 |
Bali |
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17 June - 30 August 1856 |
Lombock [Lombok] |
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30 AUGUST - 2 SEPTEMBER 1856 |
LOMBOCK [LOMBOK] – MACASSAR [MAKASSAR]. On schooner Alma |
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2 September - 18 December 1856 |
Macassar, Celebes [Makassar, Sulawesi] |
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18 DECEMBER 1856 - 8 JANUARY 1857 |
MACASSAR [MAKASSAR] - ARU ISLANDS. By prau |
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31 Dec. 1856 – 6 Jan. 1857 |
Ké [Kai-besar] Island |
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8 January - 2 July 1857 |
Aru Islands: Wamar, Wokam, Maykor [Aru] |
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2 - 11 JULY 1857 |
ARU ISLANDS - MACASSAR [MAKASSAR]. By prau |
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11 July - 19 November 1857 |
Macassar, Celebes [Makassar, Sulawesi] |
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19 NOVEMBER - 30 NOVEMBER 1857 |
MACASSAR [MAKASSAR] - AMBOYNA [AMBON]. On Dutch mail steamer Padang |
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24 - 26 Nov. 1857 |
Coupang [Kupang] and Delli [Dili], Timor Island |
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28 - 29 Nov. 1857 |
Banda |
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30 November 1857 - 4 January 1858 |
Amboyna [Ambon] |
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4 - 8 JANUARY 1858 |
AMBOYNA [AMBON] - TERNATE. On Dutch mail steamer Ambon |
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8 - c. 20 January 1858 |
Ternate |
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c. 20 January - 1 March 1858 |
Gilolo [Halmahera] |
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1 - 25 March 1858 |
Ternate |
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25 MARCH - 11 APRIL 1858 |
TERNATE – DOREY [MANOKWARI]. On schooner Esther Helena |
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26 Mar. 1858 |
Makian |
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28 Mar. 1858 |
Gani, Gilolo [Halmahera] |
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11 Apr. 1858 |
Mansinam [Mansman] Island |
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11 April - 29 July 1858 |
Dorey, New Guinea [Manokwari, West Papua] |
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29 JULY - 15 AUGUST 1858 |
DOREY [MANOKWARI] – TERNATE. On schooner Esther Helena |
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15 August - 13 September 1858 |
Ternate |
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14 September - 1 October 1858 |
Gilolo [Halmahera] |
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2 - 9 October 1858 |
Ternate |
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9 - 21 OCTOBER 1858 |
TERNATE - BATCHIAN [BACAN]. By local boat |
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9 - 10 Oct.1858 |
Tidore |
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10 - 11 Oct. 1858 |
Mareh [Mare] |
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11 Oct. 1858 |
Motir [Moti] |
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11 - 13 Oct. 1858 |
Makian |
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13 - 19 Oct. 1858 |
Kaióa [Kayoa] |
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20 October 1858 - 21 March 1859 |
Batchian [Bacan] |
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21 March - 1 April 1859 |
Kasserota [Kasiruta] |
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1 - 13 April 1859 |
Batchian [Bacan] |
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13 - 20 APRIL 1859 |
BATCHIAN [BACAN] – TERNATE. By local boat |
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20 April - 1 May 1859 |
Ternate |
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1 MAY - 13 MAY 1859 |
TERNATE - TIMOR. On Dutch mail steamer |
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5 - 7 May 1859 |
Amboyna [Ambon] |
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7 - 9 May 1859 |
Banda |
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13 - 17 May 1859 |
Coupang [Kupang], Timor |
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c. 17 - 21 May 1859 |
Semao [Semau] Island |
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21 - 27 May 1859 |
Coupang [Kupang], Timor |
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27 MAY - 10 JUNE 1859 |
COUPANG [KUPANG] – MENADO [MANADO]. On Dutch mail steamer |
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31 May - ? Jun. 1859 |
Banda |
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? - 3 Jun. 1859 |
Amboyna [Ambon] |
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7 Jun. 1859 |
Ternate |
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10 June - 23 September 1859 |
Menado, Celebes [Manado, Sulawesi] |
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23 - 29 SEPTEMBER 1859 |
MENADO [MANADO] - AMBOYNA [AMBON]. On Dutch mail steamer |
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25 - 26 Sept. 1859 |
Ternate |
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29 September - 29 October 1859 |
Amboyna [Ambon] |
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29 - 31 OCTOBER 1859 |
AMBOYNA - CERAM [SERAM]. By local boat |
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31 October - 28 December 1859 |
Ceram [Seram] |
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28 - 31 DECEMBER 1859 |
CERAM [SERAM] - AMBOYNA [AMBON]. By local boat |
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31 December 1859 - 24 February 1860 |
Amboyna [Ambon] |
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24 - 26 FEBRUARY 1860 |
AMBOYNA [AMBON] - CERAM [SERAM]. By local boat |
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26 February - 4 April 1860 |
Ceram [Seram] |
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8 - 12 April 1860 |
Manowolko [Manawoka] Island |
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12 - 13 April 1860 |
Kissiwoi, Matabello [Watubela] Island |
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14 - 16 April 1860 |
Uta [Kisyui] Island |
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17 - 18 April 1860 |
Bam [Baam] Island |
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18 - 25 April 1860 |
Matabello [Watubela] Island |
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25 April 1860 |
Manowolko [Manawoka] Island |
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26 April - 27 May 1860 |
Goram [Gorong] Island |
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29 May - 1 June 1860 |
Kilwaru Island |
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2 - 17 June 1860 |
Ceram [Seram] |
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17 JUNE - 4 JULY 1860 |
CERAM [SERAM] - WAIGIOU [WAIGEO]. On Wallace's own prau |
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23 - 26 Jun. 1860 |
Mesmon Islands [Jefdoif Islands] |
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4 July - 7 August 1860 |
Waigiou [Waigeo], New Guinea |
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7 August - 25 September 1860 |
Bessir [Besir], Gam Island |
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25 - 30 September 1860 |
Waigiou [Waigeo], New Guinea |
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1 - 2 October 1860 |
Bessir [Besir], Gam Island |
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2 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1860 |
BESSIR [Besir] - TERNATE. On Wallace's own prau |
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3 - 4 Oct. 1860 |
Gagie [Gag] Island |
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11 - 16 Oct. 1860 |
Canidiluar, Gilolo [Halmahera] |
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18 - 21 Oct. 1860 |
Gani, Gilolo [Halmahera] |
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25 Oct. - 1 Nov. 1860 |
Kaióa [Kayoa] |
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5 November 1860 – 2 or 3 January 1861 |
Ternate |
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2 or 3 JANUARY - 12 JANUARY 1861 |
TERNATE - DELLI [DILI]. On Dutch mail steamer |
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? 7 – 8 Jan. 1861 |
?Amboyna [Ambon] |
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? 8 - 9 Jan 1861 |
?Banda |
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12 January - 25 April 1861 |
Delli, Timor [Dili, East Timor] |
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25 APRIL - 4 MAY 1861 |
TIMOR - BOURU [BURU]. On Dutch mail steamer Macassar |
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29 Apr. - 1 May 1861 |
Banda |
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1 - 3 May 1861 |
Amboyna [Ambon] |
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4 May - 3 July 1861 |
Bouru [Buru] |
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3 JULY - 16 JULY 1861 |
BOURU [BURU] - JAVA. On Dutch mail steamer Ambon |
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6 - 7 Jul. 1861 |
Ternate |
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9 - 10 Jul. 1861 |
Menado, Celebes [Manado, Sulawesi] |
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12 - 13 Jul. 1861 |
Macassar, Celebes [Makassar, Sulawesi] |
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16 July - 15 September 1861 |
Sourabaya [Surabaya], Java |
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15 - 18 SEPTEMBER 1861 |
SOURABAYA [SURABAYA] - BATAVIA [JAKARTA] VIA SAMARANG [SEMARANG]. On Dutch mail steamer Batavia |
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18 September - 1 November 1861 |
Batavia [Jakarta], Java |
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1 - 2 NOVEMBER 1861 |
BATAVIA [JAKARTA] - BANCA [BANGKA]. On Dutch mail steamer Prins van Oranje |
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2 - 4 November 1861 |
Banca [Bangka] Island |
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4 - 8 NOVEMBER 1861 |
BANCA [BANGKA] - SUMATRA. By local boats |
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8 November 1861 - 15 January 1862 |
Sumatra |
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15 - 16 January 1862 |
Banca [Bangka] Island |
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16 - 18 JANUARY 1862 |
BANCA [BANGKA] - SINGAPORE. On Dutch mail steamer Macassar |
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18 January - 8 February 1862 |
Singapore |
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8 FEBRUARY - 31 MARCH 1862 |
SINGAPORE - ENGLAND. Departed on P&O steamer Emeu |
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10 Feb. 1862 |
Penang |
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16 - ? Feb. 1862 |
Port de Galle, Ceylon [Sri Lanka] |
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22 - 25 Feb. 1862 |
Bombay [Mumbai], India. Departed on P&O steamer Malta |
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12 - 13 Mar. 1862 |
Egypt: Suez to Alexandria by train. Departed Alexandria on P&O steamer Ellora |
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17 - 25 Mar. 1862 |
Malta. Departed on steamer |
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27 - 30 Mar. 1862 |
France: Marseilles to Boulogne by train |
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31 March 1862 |
Folkestone, England |
This chronology is a corrected and updated version of that published in Beccaloni, G. W. 2017. Chronology of Wallace's travels in the Malay Archipelago. pp. xlvii-lii. In: Wallace, A. R. The Malay Archipelago. UK: Folio Society. This was in turn based on the chronologies published by van Wyhe, J. (Ed.). 2015. The Annotated Malay Archipelago by Alfred Russel Wallace. Singapore: NUS Press, and Berry, A. Timeline of Wallace's travels. In: Wallace, A. R. 2014. The Malay Archipelago. UK: Penguin.