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bring me dead and broken shells； such as l can pick up by hundreds on the beach； and seem quite puzzled and distressed when I decline them。 If； however； there are any snail shells among a lot； I take them； and ask for morea principle of selection so utterly unintelligible to them； that they give it up in despair； or solve the problem by imputing hidden medical virtue to those which they see me preserve so carefully。
These traders are all of the Malay race； or a mixture of which Malay is the chef ingredient； with the exception of a few Chinese。 The natives of Aru； on the other hand； are； Papuans； with black or sooty brown skims； woolly or frizzly hair； thick… ridged prominent noses； and rather slender limbs。 Most of them wear nothing but a waist…cloth； and a few of them may be seen all day long wandering about the half…deserted streets of Dobbo offering their little bit of merchandise for sale。
Living in a trader's house everything is brought to me as well as to the rest；bundles of smoked tripang； or 〃beche de mer；〃 looking like sausages which have been rolled in mud and then thrown up the chimney； dried sharks' fins； mother…of…pearl shells； as well as birds of Paradise； which； however； are so dirty and so badly preserved that I have as yet found no specimens worth purchasing。 When I hardly look at the articles； and make no offer for them； they seem incredulous； and； as if fearing they have misunderstood me； again offer them； and declare what they want in returnknives； or tobacco； or sago； or handkerchiefs。 I then have to endeavour to explain； through any interpreter who may be at hand； that neither tripang nor pearl oyster shells have any charms for me； and that I even decline to speculate in tortoiseshell； but that anything eatable I will buy… …fish； or turtle； or vegetables of any sort。 Almost the only food； however； that we can obtain with any regularity； are fish and cockles of very good quality； and to supply our daily wants it is absolutely necessary to be always provided with four articlestobacco； knives； sago…cakes； and Dutch copper doits because when the particular thing asked for is not forthcoming； the fish pass on to the next house； and we may go that day without a dinner。 It is curious to see the baskets and buckets used here。 The cockles are brought in large volute shells； probably the Cymbium ducale； while gigantic helmet…shells； a species of Cassis； suspended by a rattan handle； form the vessels in which fresh water is daily carried past my door。 It is painful to a naturalist to see these splendid shells with their inner whorls ruthlessly broken away to fit them for their ignoble use。
My collections； however； got on but slowly； owing to the unexpectedly bad weather； violent winds with heavy showers having been so continuous as only to give me four good collecting days out of the first sixteen I spent here。 Yet enough had been collected to show me that with time and fine weather I might expect to do something good。 From the natives I obtained some very fine insects and a few pretty land…shells； and of the small number of birds yet shot more than half were known New Guinea species； and therefore certainly rare in European collections； while the remainder were probably new。 In one respect my hopes seemed doomed to be disappointed。 I had anticipated the pleasure of myself preparing fine specimens of the Birds of Paradise； but I now learnt that they are all at this season out of plumage； and that it is in September and October that they have the long plumes of yellow silky feathers in full perfection。 As all the praus return in July； I should not be able to spend that season in Aru without remaining another whole year； which was out of the question。 I was informed； however； that the small red species； the 〃King Bird of Paradise；〃 retains its plumage at all seasons； and this I might therefore hope to get。
As I became familiar with the forest scenery of the island； （perceived it to possess some characteristic features that distinguished it from that of Borneo and Malacca； while； what is very singular and interesting； it recalled to my mind the half… forgotten impressions of the forests of Equatorial America。 For example； the palms were much more abundant than I had generally found them in the East； more generally mingled with the other vegetation； more varied in form and aspect； and presenting some of those lofty and majestic smooth…stemmed； pinnate…leaved species which recall the Uauassu （Attalea speciosa） of the Amazon； but which I had hitherto rarely met with in the Malayan islands。
In animal life the immense number and variety of spiders and of lizards were circumstances that recalled the prolific regions of south America； more especially the abundance and varied colours of the little jumping spiders which abound on flowers and foliage； and are often perfect gems of beauty。 The web…spinning species were also more numerous than I had ever seen them； and were a great annoyance； stretching their nets across the footpaths just about the height of my face； and the threads composing these are so strong and glutinous as to require much trouble to free oneself from them。 Then their inhabitants； great yellow…spotted monsters with bodies two inches long； and legs in proportion； are not pleasant to o run one's nose against while pursuing some gorgeous butterfly； or gazing aloft in search of some strange…voiced bird。 I soon found it necessary not only to brush away the web； but also to destroy the spinner； for at first； having cleared the path one day； I found the next morning that the industrious insects had spread their nets again in the very same places。
The lizards were equally striking by their numbers； variety； and the situations in which they were found。 The beautiful blue… tailed species so abundant in Ke was not seen here。 The Aru lizards are more varied but more sombre in their coloursshades of green； grey； brown； and even black； being very frequently seen。 Every shrub and herbaceous plant was alive with them； every rotten trunk or dead branch served as a station for some of these active little insect…hunters； who； I fear； to satisfy their gross appetites； destroy many gems of the insect world； which would feast the eyes and delight the heart of our more discriminating entomologists。 Another curious feature of the jungle here was the multitude of sea…shells everywhere met with on the ground and high up on the branches and foliage； all inhabited by hermit… crabs； who forsake the beach to wander in the forest。 I lave actually seen a spider carrying away a good…sized shell and devouring its （probably juvenile） tenant。 On the beach； which I had to walls along every morning to reach the forest； these creatures swarmed by thousands。 Every dead shell； from the largest to the most minute； was appropriated by them。 They formed small social parties of ten or twenty around bits of stick or seaweed； but dispersed hurriedly at the sound of approaching footsteps。 After a windy night； that nasty…looking Chinese delicacy the sea…slug was sometimes thrown up on the beach； which was at such times thickly strewn with some of the most beautiful shells that adorn our cabinets； along with fragments and masses of coral and strange sponges； of which I picked up more than twenty different sorts。 In many cases sponge and coral are so much alike that it is only on touching them that they can be distinguished。 Quantities of seaweed； too； are thrown up； but strange as it may seem； these are far less beautiful and less varied than may be found on any favourable part of our own coasts。
The natives here； even those who seem to be of pare Papuan race； were much more reserved and taciturn than those of Ke。 This is probably because I only saw them as yet among strangers and in small parties； One must see the savage at home to know what he really is。 Even here； however； the Papuan character sometimes breaks out。 Little boys sing cheerfully as they walk along； or talk aloud to themselves （quite a negro characteristic）； and try all they can； the men cannot conceal their emotions in the true Malay fashion。 A number of them were one day in my house； and having a fancy to try what sort of eating tripang would be； I bought a couple； paying for