404 M J CASS J n TO THE AUU ISLANDS [chap, xxvin. 



These i&laiuls are quite out of the track of all European 

 trade, and are inhabited only by blaek mop-headed savages, 

 who yet contribute to the luxurious tastes of the most 

 civilized races. Pearb, mother-of-pearl, aud torloiscshelh 

 tind their way to liurope, while edible birds* uests and 

 "tripaug" or sea-slug are obtained by shiploads for the 

 gastronomic enjoyment of the Chinese, 



TJie trade to these islands has existed from very early 

 times, and it is tVoui them that IMrds of ramdise, of the 

 two kinds known to Linmens, were first brought, Tlie 

 native vessels can only make the voyage once a year, 

 owing to the monsoons. They leave Maeassar in Decem- 

 ber or January at the beginniog of the west numsoon, and 

 retnra in July or August with the full strength of the 

 eiist nionsoon. Even by the Alacaasar people tliemselves, 

 the voyjige to the Aru Islands is looked upon as a rather 

 wild aud ronjantic expedition, full of novel sights aud 

 strange adventures. He who has made it is looked up to 

 JUS an authority, and it remains with uumy the unachieved 

 audiition of their lives. 1 myself had hopeil rather than 

 exiiected ever to reach this *' Ultima Tluile " of the East ; 

 aiui when 1 fonod that 1 really could do so now, lu\d 1 but 

 courage to trust myself for a thousand miles' voyage in a 

 JSugis pran, and for six or seven months anujug lawless 

 traders and ferocious savages, — I felt somewhat a^ 1 did 

 when, a schoolboy, 1 was for the first time oUowed to 

 travel outside the stage-coadi, to visit that scene of all that 

 Is strange and new aud wouderful to young imaginatiouB 

 — London ! 



By the help of some kind friends I was introduced to 

 the owner of one of the hirge pmus which was to sail in a 

 few days. He was a Javanese half-caste, intelligent, mild, 

 and gentlemanly in liis niaunei-s, and had a young and 

 luetly Dutch wife, whom he was going to leave belnud 

 during his absence. When m'C talked about passage money 

 he would fix no sum, but insisted on leaving it entirely to 

 me to pay on my return exactly what 1 liked. "And then," 

 said he, " whether you give me one dollar or a bundred, 1 

 shall be satisfied, and shall ask no more," 



Tiie remainder of niy stay was fully occu])ied in laying 

 in stores, engaging servants, aud making every other pi-e* 



