244 THE ARU ISLANDS. [chap. xxxi. 



natives. It resembled in size, and in its white woolly- 

 covering, a small fat lamb, but bad short legs, hand-like 

 feet with large claws, and a long prehensile tail. It was 

 a Cuscus (C. maculatus), one of the curious marsupial 

 animals of the Papuan region, and I was very desirous to 

 obtain the skin. Tlie owners, however, said they wanted 

 to eat it ; and though I offered them a good price, and 

 promised to give them all the meat, there was great 

 hesitation. Suspecting the reason, I offered, though it was 

 night, to set to Avork immediately and get out the body for 

 them, to which they agreed. The creature was much 

 hacked about, and the two hind feet almost cut off, but it 

 was the largest and finest specimen of the kind I had seen ; 

 and after an hour's hard work I handed over the body to 

 the owners, who immediately cut it up and roasted it for 

 supper. 



As this was a very good place for birds, I determined to 

 remain a month longer, and took the opportunity of a 

 native boat going to Dobbo, to send Ali for a fresh supply 

 of ammunition and provisions. They started on the 10th 

 of April, and the house was crowded with about a hundred 

 men, boys, women, and girls, bringing their loads of sugar- 

 cane, plantains, sirih-leaf, yams, &c. ; one lad going from 

 each house to sell the produce and make purchases. The 

 noise was indescribable. At least fifty of the hundred 

 were always talking at once, and that not in the low 



