336 TRADE OF THE ARROU ISLANDS. 



increased considerably of late years, four or five 

 ships and brigs, with a number of Macassar and 

 Bughis proas, whose united crews were said to 

 have amounted to 5,000 persons, having 'sailed 

 with cargoes about two months previous to our 

 visit. 



The produce of the Arrou Islands consists 

 chiefly of pearls, mother-of-pearl shell, tortoise- 

 shell, birds of paradise, and Trepang ; but the 

 trade of Dobbo is not dependent on the productions 

 of the Arrou Islands alone. The Bughis proas im- 

 port large quantities of British calico, iron, hard- 

 ware, muskets, gunpowder, &c. from Singapore, to 

 obtain which Dobbo is visited by the natives of 

 Ceram, Buru, New Guinea, and of all the adjacent 

 islands, it being the only spot in this part of the 

 world where British manufactures can at present be 

 procured. The articles brought for sale from New 

 Guinea consist of nutmegs, tortoise and mother-of- 

 pearl shell, ambergris, birds-of-paradise, ebony, 

 clove, and Massay bark, rosamala (an odoriferous 

 wood), and Kayu-buku, a wood much prized for 

 cabinet-work. British calicoes and iron are the 

 principal articles taken in exchange for these by the 

 proas from New Guinea. 



The closeness with which the native traders 

 conceal their commercial transactions, even from 

 each other, rendered it impossible for me to learn 

 the amount of exports and imports. Each Bughis 

 proa imports to the amount of from 10,000 to 



