164 
WALLACE ON THE ARRU ISLANDS. [Feb. 22, 1858. 
side. It gradually narrows to about the eighth of a mile, which 
width it retains, with very little variation, till on approaching its 
eastern mouth it again spreads out to about one-third of a mile. Its 
course is winding moderately, with a general direction of E.N.E., 
the extreme range of the bearings in passing through it being 
105°. The banks (except near the eastern extremity, where there 
is much tidal swamp) are dry and moderately elevated. In many 
parts there are cliffs of hard rock, more or less worn away by the 
action of the water. A few smaller streams enter it right and left, 
at the mouths of which are some small rocky islands, and on the 
whole it has every feature of a true river. It is, in fact, difficult to 
believe you are in a small island, and not on a fine river watering 
some extensive country. But that the clear, cool water around you 
is briny as the ocean there is nothing to undeceive you. The depth 
of this stream is pretty regular, being from 10 to 15 fathoms. Its 
length is, according to the best estimate I could make, about 44 
miles. The other two rivers, whose names are Vorkai and Maykor, 
are stated to be very similar in general character. Between these 
two, however, which are near together, the country is flat and 
swampy, and there are innumerable cross channels cutting the land 
up in every direction. On the south side of Maykor the banks are 
very rocky, and from thence to the extreme southern end of Arru, 
near the small island of Kri, is an uninterrupted extent of rather 
elevated and very rocky country, penetrated by numerous small 
streams in the high limestone cliffs, bordering which the larger por- 
tion of the edible birds’ nests are obtained. The two southern rivers 
are universally declared to be longer than Watelai. 
The whole country of Arru is very low, but by no means so flat 
and swampy as has been represented, or as it appears from the sea. 
By far the greater part of it is dry rocky ground more or less undu- 
lating, now rising in abrupt hillocks, now cut into steep and narrow 
ravines. Except the actual tidal swamps, which extend on one 
side or the other at the mouths of most of the small rivers which 
everywhere penetrate it, there is no level ground, although the 
greatest elevation is probably not more than 200 feet. The rock, 
which everywhere appears in the ravines and brooks, is a coralline 
limestone, in some places soft and friable, in others so hard and 
crystalline, as to resemble the mountain limestone of England. The 
small islands which surround the central mass are very numerous, 
several hundreds in number. On the west are very few, Wamma 
and Pulo Babi being the chief. On the north-west extremity of the 
main land of Wokan is Qugia, and a little beyond it, Wassia, the 
north-westernmost of the group. To the east of these, and all along 
