The Owner Of The
House Was Supplied Gratis With A Little Rice, Fish, Or Salt,
Whenever He Asked For It, Which I Must Say Was Not Very Often.
On
parting, I distributed among them my remnant stock of salt and
tobacco, and gave my host a flask of arrack, and believe that on
the whole my stay with these simple and good-natured people was
productive of pleasure and profit to both parties.
I fully
intended to come back; and had I known that circumstances would
have prevented my doing so, shoed have felt some sorrow in
leaving a place where I had first seen so many rare and beautiful
living things, and bad so fully enjoyed the pleasure which fills
the heart of the naturalist when he is so fortunate as to
discover a district hitherto unexplored, and where every day
brings forth new and unexpected treasures. We loaded our boat in
the afternoon, and, starting before daybreak, by the help of a
fair wind reached Dobbo late the same evening.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE ARU ISLANDS. - SECOND RESIDENCE AT DOBBO.
(MAY AND JUNE 1857.)
DOBBO was full to overflowing, and I was obliged to occupy the
court-house where the Commissioners hold their sittings. They had
now left the island, and I found the situation agreeable, as it
was at the end of the village, with a view down the principal
street. It was a mere shed, but half of it had a roughly boarded
floor, and by putting up a partition and opening a window I made
it a very pleasant abode.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 241 of 412
Words from 64764 to 65027
of 111511
