cHAP.xxxii.] PREPARATIONS FOR LEAFING. 279 



Soon after we had returned to Dobbo, my Macassar boy, 

 Baderoon, took his wages and left me, because I scolded 

 him for laziness. He then occupied himself in gambling, 

 and at first had some luck, and bought ornaments, and had 

 plenty of money. Then his luck turned ; he lost every- 

 thing, borrowed money and lost that, and was obliged to 

 become the slave of his creditor till he had worked out the 

 debt. He was a quick and active lad when he pleased, 

 but was apt to be idle, and liad such an incorrigible pro- 

 pensity for gambling, that it will veiy likely lead to his 

 becoming a slave for life. 



The end of June was now approaching, the east monsoon 

 had set in steadily, and in another week or two Dobbo 

 would be deserted. Preparations for departure were every- 

 where visible, and every sunny day (rather rare now) the 

 streets were as crowded and as busy as beehives. Heaps 

 of tripang were finally dried and packed up in sacks ; 

 mother-of-pearl shell, tied up with rattans into convenient 

 bundles, was all day long being carried to the beach to be 

 loaded ; water-casks were filled, and cloths and mat-sails 

 mended and strenothened for the run home before the 

 strong east wind. Almost every day groups of natives 

 arrived from the most distant parts of the islands, with 

 cargoes of bananas and sugar-cane to exchange for tobacco, 

 sago, bread, and other luxuries, before the general de- 

 parture. The Chinamen killed their fat pig and made 



