The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

XXX.] THE ARU ISLANDS.—RESIDENCE IN DOBBO. 327CHAPTER XXX.THE AEU ISLANDS.—RESIDENCE IN DOBBO.(JANUARY TO MARCH 1857.)On the 8th of January, 1857, I landed at Dobbo, the tradingsettlement of the Bugis and Cliinese, who annually visit theAru Islands. It is situated on the small island of Wamma, upona spit of sand which projects out to the north, and is just wideenough to contain tliree rows of houses. Though at first siglita most strange and desolate-looking place to build a village on,it has many advantages. Tliere is a clear entrance from tlieAvest among the coral reefs that border tlie land, and there isgood anchorage for vessels, on one side of the village or theother, in both tlie east and west monsoons. Being fully exposedto the sea-breezes in three directions it is healthy, and the softsandy beach offers great facilities for hauling up tlie praus, inorder to secure tliem from sea-worms and prepare them for thehomeward voyage. At its southern extremity the sand-bankmerges in the beach of the island, and is backed by a luxuriantgrowth of lofty forest. The houses are of various sizes, but areall built after one pattern, being merely large thatched sheds, asmall portion of wliich, next the entrance, is used as a dwelling,while the rest is parted off, and often divided by one or twofloors, in order better to stow away merchandise and nativeproduce.As we had arrived early in the season, most of the houses wereempty, and the i^lace looked desolate in the extreme—the wholeof the inhabitants who received us on our landing amountingto about half-a-dozen Bugis and Chinese. Our captain, HerrWarzbergen, had promised to obtain a liouse for me, but unforeseendifficulties presented themselves. One which was to lethad no roof, and the owner, who was building it on si^eculation,could not promise to finish it in less than a month. Another,of which the owner was dead, and of which I might thereforetake undisputed possession as the first comer, wanted considerablerepairs, and no one could be found to do the work, altlioughabout four times its value was ottered. Tlie captain, therefore,recommended me to take possession of a pretty good house nearhis own, whose owner was not expected for some weeks ; and asI was anxious to be on shore, I immediately had it cleared out,and by evening had all my things housed, and was regularlyinstalled as an inhabitant of Dobbo. I had brought witli me acane chair, and a few light boards, which were soon I'igged upinto a table and shelves. A broad bamboo bench served as sofaand bedstead, my boxes were conveniently arranged, ray mats