96 
AEBU ISLANDS. 
"During tbe year previoiis to my visit, when tlie 
Govern or-genei-al Baron Van der Capcllen visited the 
Moluccas, he sent tvro schooners of war, the ''Daphne* 
and ' Pollux/ to the Arrus^to inquire into the condition of 
the people. The arrival of Mr* A. J. Bik, who was at 
the head of this expedition, had given rise to a hope 
among the natives that the government would take an 
interest in their affairs, so that my msit naturally excited 
much joy among them. They welcomed m in the most 
friendly manner, kissed our hands, and expressed the 
greatest joy when I informed them of the object of my 
visit, and of the purpose of our government to take them 
again under its protection. The frank and kind 
manner in which men and women, heathen as well as 
Christians, came forth to meet us, was truly striking and 
impressive, the more from these innocent people being, 
unlike many other of the Indian races, entirely free from 
di Bsimulation 
And it is satisfactory to know that after a sojourn of 
a fortnight among them, Mr. Kolflf still retained hia 
favourable impressions. He describes as jfollows the 
leading characteristics of the aboriginal Arrnans ; 
"Little or no information can be gathered from the 
charts concerning the position, the number, or the names 
of the Arru Islands. Valontyn laid them down very 
incorrectly, and was uncertain how far they extended to 
the eastward. The Alfoers, who are the aborigines of the 
islands, form a numerous body of people. They are not, 
as is generally supposed, entirely uncivilized, since they 
• Eolff. "Voyage of the 'Dourga,"' p. 179. 
