Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
XXX
The Aru Islands—Residence in Dobbo
(
JANUARY TO MARCH
1857)
On the 8th of January, 1857, I landed at Dobbo, the trading settlement of the Bugis and
Chinese, who annually visit the Aru Islands. It is situated on the small island of Wamma,
upon a spit of sand which projects out to the north, and is just wide enough to contain three
rows of houses. Though at first sight a most strange and desolate-looking place to build a vil-
lage on, it has many advantages. There is a clear entrance from the west among the coral
reefs that border the land, and there is good anchorage for vessels, on one side of the village
or the other, in both the east and west monsoons. Being fully exposed to the sea-breezes in
three directions it is healthy, and the soft sandy beach offers great facilities for hauling up the
praus, in order to secure them from sea-worms and prepare them for the homeward voyage.
At its southern extremity the sand-bank merges in the beach of the island, and is backed by a
luxuriant growth of lofty forest. The houses are of various sizes, but are all built after one
pattern, being merely large thatched sheds, a small portion of which, next the entrance, is
used as a dwelling, while the rest is parted off, and often divided by one or two floors, in or-
der better to stow away merchandise and native produce.
As we had arrived early in the season, most of the houses were empty, and the place
looked desolate in the extreme—the whole of the inhabitants who received us on our landing
amounting to about half-a-dozen Bugis and Chinese. Our captain, Herr Warzbergen, had
promised to obtain a house for me, but unforeseen difficulties presented themselves. One
which was to let had no roof, and the owner, who was building it on speculation, could not
promise to finish it in less than a month. Another, of which the owner was dead, and which I
might therefore take undisputed possession of as the first comer, wanted considerable repairs,
and no one could be found to do the work, although about four times its value was offered.
The captain, therefore, recommended me to take possession of a pretty good house near his
own, whose owner was not expected for some weeks; and as I was anxious to be on shore, I
