CHAP. XXX.] THE TOWN OF DOBBO. 213 



little, but am busy getting ready a boat I have purchased, 

 for an excursion into tlie interior. There is immense 

 difficulty about men, but I believe the " Orang-kaya," or 

 head man of Wamma,, will accompany me to see that I 

 don't run into danger. 



Having become quite an old inhabitant of Dobbo, I will 

 endeavour to sketch the sights and sounds that pervade it, 

 and the manners and customs of its inhabitants. The 

 place is now pretty full, and the streets present a far more 

 cheerful aspect than when we first arrived. Every house 

 is a store, where the natives barter their produce for what 

 they are most ia need of Knives, choppers, swords, guns, 

 tobacco, gambler, plates, basins, handkerchiefs, sarongs, 

 calicoes, and arrack, are the principal articles wanted by 

 the natives ; but some of the stores contain also tea, coffee, 

 sugar, wine, biscuits, &c., for the supply of the traders; and 

 others are full of fancy goods, china ornaments, looking- 

 glasses, razors, umbrellas, pipes, and purses, which take 

 the fancy of the wealthier natives. Every fine day mats 

 are spread before the doors and the tripang is put out to 

 dry, as well as sugar, salt, biscuit, tea, cloths, and other 

 things that get injured by an excessively moist atmosphere. 

 In the morning and evening, spruce Chinamen stroll about 

 or chat at each other's doors, in blue trousers, white jacket, 

 and a queue into which red silk is plaited till it reaches 

 almost to their heels. An old Bugis hadji regularly takes 



