m Herr Warzbergen's house, which he had entered by making a hole
through the thatch wall. In the evening the chief traders of the place,
Bugis and Chinese, assembled, the offender was tried and found guilty,
and sentenced to receive twenty lashes on the spot. They were given
with a small rattan in the middle of the street, not very severely,
the executioner appeared to sympathise a little with the culprit. The
disgrace seemed to be thought as much of as the pain; for though any
amount of clever cheating is thought rather meritorious than otherwise,
open robbery and housebreaking meet with universal reprobation.

CHAPTER XXXI. THE ARU ISLANDS.--JOURNEY AND RESIDENCE IN THE INTERIOR.

(MARCH TO MAY 1857.)

MY boat was at length ready, and having obtained two men besides my own
servants, after an enormous amount of talk and trouble, we left Dobbo on
the morning of March 13th, for the mainland of Aru. By noon we reached
the mouth of a small river or creek, which we ascended, winding among
mangrove, swamps, with here and there a glimpse of dry land. In two
hours we reached a house, or rather small shed, of the most miserable
description, which our steersman, the "Orang-kaya" of Wamma, said was
the place we were to stay at, and where he had assured me we could get
every kind of bird and beast to be found in Aru. The shed was occupied
by about a dozen men, women, and children; two cooking fires were
burning in it, and there seemed little prospect of my obtaining
any accommodation. I however deferred inquiry till I had seen the
neighbouring forest, and immediately started off with two men, net, and
guns, along a path at the back of the house. In an hour's walk I saw
enough to make me determine to give the place a trial, and on my return,
finding the "Orang-kaya" was in a strong fever-fit and unable to do
anything, I entered into negotiations with the owner of the house for
the use of a slip at one end of it about five feet wide, for a week,
and agreed to pay as rent one "parang," or chopping-knife. I then
immediately got my boxes and bedding out of the boat, hung up a shelf
for my bird-skins and insects, and got all ready for work next morning.
My own boys slept in the boat to guard the remainder of my property; a
cooking place sheltered by a few mats was arranged under a tree close
by, and I felt that degree of satisfaction and enjoyment which I always
experience when, after much trouble and delay, I am on the point of
b