210 
CRUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
savages. We anchored off the trading settlement 
of Dobbo, which the Malays and Chinese annually 
visit for procuring the birds of paradise, &c. We 
landed on the beach, along which a luxuriant grove 
of cocoa-nut trees extended for more than a mile. 
Under their shade were the houses, arranged with 
much regularity, so as to form one wide street, 
from which narrow alleys branched off on each 
side. 
The people who thronged the shore were of a 
dark brown colour, many with large mop-like heads 
of hair ; besides a few Papuans, Malays, and Chinese. 
From what could be seen of the natives, they 
appeared to be a strange race ; with an intelligent 
expression of countenance. Their dress consisted of 
a cloth round their waist, reaching to their knees ; 
their arms and ankles were decorated with rings 
made of wood, shell, beads, or coloured glass. The 
lobes of their ears were perforated with large holes, 
from which enormous earrings were suspended, some- 
times two and three in each ear. They wore neck- 
laces and finger-rings; and all appeared to have a 
band of plaited grass tight round the arm, to which 
they attached a bunch of hair or bright-coloured 
feathers, by way of ornament : this seemed to com- 
plete their ordinary decorations. 
At the southern extremity of the landing-place 
the sandbank merges into the beach of the island, 
and is backed by a luxuriant growth of lofty forest 
