344 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDUK ABCHIPELAGO, 



tlie arcbipelago, Fartlier to tlie east are the Am (in 

 Dutch, Aroe) IslandSj that is, " the islands of tlie casn- 

 arina-trees." They number about eighty, and ai'e 

 very low, forming a chain about a hundi*ed miles 

 long and half as broad. When seen on the west 

 they appear as one contimions, low island ; bnt on 

 coming nearer, intricate channels are found winding 

 among them, thi'ongh which set strong tidal cuiTents. 

 The people ai'e said to closely resemble those of 

 Harnkn, Sapai-na, and Nusalaut. The total popula- 

 tion is given at only fourteen thousand. A few are 

 Christians, and two or tkree native schoolmasters 

 from Amboina are employed there. Papuans ai'e 

 said to live on the most eaatem island. Large quan- 

 tities of tripang are gathered on the shallow coral 

 banks of these low islands, and in the sea the du- 

 gong, Halicore dwjong^ Cnv.^ is seen. The great bird 

 of paradise, P. apoda^ is found here, and also the 

 red bii'd of paradise, P. regia. The skins of these 

 beautiful birds were probably brought here to Banda 

 and sold to the Chinese traders for many ages, bnt 

 the first account we have of them is by Pigafetta, who 

 accompanied Magellan's fleet. He says that the king 

 of Bachian, an island west of the southern end of 

 Gilolo, gave his companions a slave and nearly two 

 hundred pounds of cloves as a present for their Em- 

 peror, Charles Y.^ and also " two most beautilul 

 dead birds. These are about the size of a thrush, 

 have small heads, long bills, legs a palm in length 

 and as slender as a m-itiug-quill. In lieu of proper 

 wings, they have long feathers of different colors, like 

 great ornamental plumes. The tail resembles that 



