shion, so that on a journey it becomes clothing, house, bedding, and
furniture, all in one.

The only ornaments in an Aru horse are trophies of the chase--jaws of
wild pigs, the heads and backbones of cassowaries, and plumes made from
the feathers of the Bird of Paradise, cassowary, and domestic fowl.
The spears, shields, knife-handles, and other utensils are more or less
carved in fanciful designs, and the mats and leaf boxes are painted or
plaited in neat patterns of red, black, and yellow colours. I must not
forget these boxes, which are most ingeniously made of the pith of
a balm leaf pegged together, lined inside with pandanus leaves, and
outside with the same, or with plaited grass. All the joints and angles
are coffered with strips of split rattan sewn neatly on. The lid is
covered with the brown leathery spathe of the Areca palm, which is
impervious to water, and the whole box is neat, strong, and well
finished. They are made from a few inches to two or three feet long, and
being much esteemed by the Malay as clothes-boxes, are a regular article
of export from Aru. The natives use the smaller ones for tobacco or
betel-nut, but seldom have clothes enough to require the larger ones,
which are only made for sale.

Among the domestic animals which may generally be seen in native houses,
are gaudy parrots, green, red, and blue, a few domestic fowls, which
have baskets hung for them to lay in under the eaves, and who sleep on
the ridge, and several half-starved wolfish-baking dogs. Instead of rats
and mice there are curious little marsupial animals about the same size,
which run about at night and nibble anything eatable that may be left
uncovered. Four or five different kinds of ants attack everything not
isolated by water, and one kind even swims across that; great spiders
lurk in baskets and boxes, or hide in the folds of my mosquito curtain;
centipedes and millepedes are found everywhere. I have caught them under
my pillow and on my bead; while in every box, and under every hoard
which has lain for some days undisturbed, little scorpions are sure to
be found snugly ensconced, with their formidable tails quickly turned
up ready for attack or defence. Such companions seem very alarming
and dangerous, but all combined are not so bad as the irritation of
mosquitoes, or of the insect pests often found at home. These latter are
a constant and unceasing source of torment and disgust, whereas you
may live a long time amo