In the time of the old East India Company, the Arru Islands were garrisoned by a party of Dutch soldiers; and on Wokan there was then a fine fort. While Amboyna and Banda engrossed the entire trade of these islands, the inhabitants of the two settlements were in a state of great prosperity, but now the Arrus are visited yearly by about thirty paduakans of from fifty to one hundred and twenty tons burthen (twenty-five to sixty lasten), from Macassar, Boni, and other places, from whom the natives obtain goods by barter, and at so cheap a rate, that the traders of Amboyna and Banda are unable to compete with them.
The Arru Islands, when viewed from a distance, appear low, but small green elevations occasionally show themselves among the limestone rocks. These islands, in all probability, owe their origin to a small archipelago of limestone rocks, between which the polypes, uninterrupted in their labour by heavy seas, have built up their coral branches to the surface of the water, during the prevalence of the westerly monsoon; and drying during other monsoons, owing to the tides being much lower, their habitations have formed a coral bank or reef. Some of the masses of plants, which are always floating about these seas, may have lodged on the reef and taken root, in which case the decayed vegetable matter, arising from their fallen leaves, together with sea-weed and other rubbish which may be washed upon them, would soon form a low morassy soil. The islands are separated from each other by channels of salt water. The centre of these is called Sunghy Kobi-Wato, the northernmost Sunghy Maba-Wato, and the southernmost Sunghy Maykor-Wato.
Little or no information can be gathered from the charts, concerning the position, the number or the names of the Arru Islands. Valentyn laid them down very incorrectly, and was uncertain how far they extended to the eastward.
The Arafuras, who are the aborigines of the islands, form a numerous body of people. They are not, as is generally supposed, entirely uncivilized, since they live in villages, containing ten or twelve houses each, under the control of their elders. Their food consists chiefly of fish and hogs, which they shoot with iron-pointed arrows. They also grow excellent vegetables, Indian corn, labu (a sort of pumpkin, resembling the turnip in flavour), sugar-cane, together with a little red and white rice. Their clothing is not more costly than their food. The men wear a strip of white, blue or coloured calico round the waist, one end being brought between the legs, and fastened on one side with a knot; and adorn themselves with armlets made from white shells, with small pieces of brass wire in four or five holes, pierced above one another in the ears, and with beads around the neck. Their hair is usually black, and strongly curled. As I have remarked elsewhere, they wash it with ash or lime-water, which imparts to it a lightish colour and causes it to appear rough, both these peculiarities being considered very tasteful by the Arafuras, and also by the Papuas (the inhabitants of the coasts of New Guinea.) Some of these, who have very long hair, twist it up into a knot at the back of the head, confining it by means of a bamboo comb. Nearly all their head-dresses are adorned by some strings of coral beads extending from both ears, and meeting over their forehead. They always carry a chopping knife thrust through their waist-cloth.
The women wear a chain girdle, made of thick brass wire, round the waist, the ends fastened by a hook, from which a small piece of cloth, generally of Macassar sarong stuff, hangs down in front, a square piece of fine matting depending in like manner from behind; these forming their sole covering. The numerous strings of coral beads, which they wear round the neck, hang down upon the breast, and are triced up to each ear, which has by no means an ungraceful appearance. The entire lobe of the ear is pierced with numerous holes, through which are drawn pieces of copper and tin, and sometimes a species of marine plant, this last being also often used as armlets. Under the knee and above the elbow they wear bands of fine plaited cane, through which they often draw the leaves of a certain plant. The hair of the women is very long and fine, and in general but slightly curled. They plait it in different sections, and twist the whole up into a knot on the top of the head. Their colour is black or transparent brown (doorschijnend bruin.)
Among the Arafuras the greater portion of the labour is performed by the women; they carry water, cut wood, cure trepang, catch the crabs and shell fish, and prepare the meals, carrying their young children at their back while pursuing their avocations.
Although I can hardly coincide with the opinion entertained by one of my officers, who had visited these islands in 1824 with M. Bik, that the Arafuras had no religion whatsoever, I will here insert some of the observations he made, as contributing greatly to give a knowledge of these people. The facts he relates are not to be doubted.
"Although," says he, "I found in a house at Old Affara (a village on Vorkay, one of the southernmost of the Arrus) an image rudely formed of wood, together with a post on which different figures, such as snakes, lizards, crocodiles and human forms were carved, and which the owner stated to be intended for preserving the house from evil spirits (Swangi), yet it is evident that the Arafuras of Vorkay possess no religion whatsoever. There are no sacred groves or similar places on the island. They certainly hold a feast at the time in which they have perceived that the Christians of Wama hold one also, namely, at the commencement of the year, when they, in imitation of the Christians, celebrate the Advent of the new year, by arraying themselves in their best clothes, and drinking a considerable quantity of arrack.
"Of the immortality of the soul they have not the least conception. To all my enquiries on this subject they answered, 'No Arafura has ever returned to us after death, therefore we know nothing of a future state, and this is the first time we have heard of it.' Their idea was, Mati, Mati sudah, (When you are dead there is an end of you.) Neither have they any notion of the creation of the world. They only answered, 'None of us are aware of this; we have never heard any thing about it, and therefore do not know who has done it all.'
"To convince myself more fully respecting their want of knowledge of a Supreme Being, I demanded of them on whom they called for help in their need, when, far from their homes, engaged in the trepang fishery, their vessels were overtaken by violent tempests, and no human power could save them, their wives and children from destruction. The eldest among them, after having consulted the others, answered that they knew not on whom they could call for assistance, but begged me, if I knew, to be so good as to inform them.