Second Eesidence at Dobbo, 477 



the Chinamen's pigs were in a state of obesity that foreboded 

 early death. Parrots and lories and cockatoos, of a dozen 

 different kinds, were susi:)ended on bamboo perches at the 

 doors of the houses, with metallic green or white fruit-pigeons 

 which cooed musically at noon and eventide. Young casso- 

 waries, strangly striped with black and brown, wandered 

 about the houses or gambolled with the playfulness of kit- 

 tens in the hot sunshine, with sometimes a pretty little kan- 

 garoo, caught in the Aru forests, but already tame and grace- 

 ful as a petted fawn. 



Of an evening, there were more signs of life than at the 

 time of my former residence. Tom-toms, jews'-harps, and even 

 fiddles were to be heard, and the melancholy Malay songs 

 sounded not unpleasantly far into the night. Almost every 

 day there was a cock-fight in the street. The spectators 

 make a ring, and after the long steels spurs are tied on, and 

 the poor animals are set down to gash and kill each other, 

 the excitement is immense. Those who have made bets 

 scream and yell and jump frantically, if they think they are 

 going to win or lose, but in a very few minutes it is all over; 

 there is a hurrah from the winners, the owners seize their 

 cocks, the winning bird is caressed and admired, the loser 

 is generally dead or very badly wounded, and his master 

 may often be seen plucking out his feathers as he walks away, 

 preparing him for the cooking pot while the poor bird is still 

 alive. 



A game at foot-ball, whicb generally took place at sunset, 

 was, however, much more interesting to me. The ball used 

 is a rather small one, and is made of rattan, hollow, light, 

 and elastic. The player keeps it dancing a little while on 

 his foot, then occasionally on his arm or thigh, till suddenly 

 he gives it a good blow with the hollow of the foot, and 

 sends it flying high in the air. Another player runs to meet 

 it, and at its first bound catches it on his foot and plays in 

 his turn. The ball must never be touched with the hand ; 

 but the arm, shoulder, knee, or thigh are used at pleasure to 

 rest the foot. Two or three played very skillfully, keeping 

 the ball continually flying about, but the place was too con- 

 fined to show off the game to advantage. One evening a 

 quarrel arose from some dispute in the game, and there was 



