340 THE ABU ISLANDS. [chap. 



has been so admirably described by ]\Ir. Wallace in his " Malay 

 Archipelago," is busy enough, but at the period of our \'isit there 

 was about as much life in it as in a Belgravian street at the end 

 of August. 



We walked up to the Posthouder's house, and chatted with him 

 over the ine^dtable cheroot. Previous to his arrival all disputes or 

 crimes occurring among the people were tried among themselves, 

 but Dutch authority having stepped in, a gaol was considered 

 necessary, and this, together with the other desideratum of Dobbo, 

 — a market-place — he was engaged in constructing. Ironwood 

 alone was to be used, owing to the abundance of white ants. We 

 watched the few Buginese engaged in the w^ork ; they used the 

 adze with the dexterity of a European, but leisurely, and as if 

 impressed with the importance of their work. We felt that we 

 should have done the same. Dobbo is not the place for any 

 violent physical exertion. 



It was not long before we foresaw that our stay in Aru would 

 be a short one. We had come at the wrong season to see the 

 trading life of the place, and this, of course, we were prepared for. 

 But we had not expected to find — as we were assured on all hands 

 was the case — that the Great Bird of Paradise was out of plumage 

 at this time of year, and would not assume its full dress until 

 April. Every one told us the same story, and that the beautiful 

 plumes remained for not more than two or three months.^ This 

 was a great disappointment, as we had looked forward to adding 

 the bird to the already large list of Paradiseidffi we had collected, 

 and w^ere anxious to watch its curious habit of courtship, when 

 perched, a dozen or more at a time, in the " play trees," the 

 males display their lovely plumage to the sober-coloured females 

 around. We had come, in fact, chiefly for this very purpose, and 

 now that we had failed in it, there was little to keep us in the 



^ It is curious to note that, iu the closely allied Paradisea minor, of which we 

 had obtained so man}' specimens on Jobi Island, the full plumage is not merely a 

 breeding dress, but is retained the whole year round. 



