CHAPTEE XXX. 



THE AIIU ISLANDS. — RESIDENCE IN DOBBO. 



(.JANI'AKY TO MARCH 1857.) 



r\N the 8th of January, 1857, I landed at Dobbo, the 

 trading settlement of the Bugis and Chinese, who 

 annually visit the Aru Islands. It is situated on the 

 small island of Wamma, upon a spit of sand which 

 projects out to the north, and is just Avide enough to 

 contain three rows of houses. Though at first sight a 

 most strange and desolate-looking place to build a village 

 on, it has many advantages. There is a clear entrance 

 from the west among the coral reefs that border the land, 

 and there is good anchorage for vessels, on one side of the 

 village or the other, in both the east and west monsoons. 

 Being fully exposed to the sea-breezes in three directions 

 it is healthy, and the soft sandy beach offers great facilities 

 for hauling up the praus, in order to secure them from 

 sea-worms and prepare them for the homeward voyage. 

 At its southern extremity the sand-bank merges in the 

 beach of the island, and is backed by a luxuriant growthj 



