The Keffing Islands.--Dwellings of the Chiefs.--Pass the Goram Islands.--Description of the same.--Acquaintance of the Natives with the Coast of New Guinea.--The Products of these Islands of vital Importance to Banda.--Small Portion of the Trade enjoyed by our Settlements.--Coin.--Costume of the Inhabitants.--Equipment of Paduakan.--Snake-Eaters.--The Fishery.--Arrival of the Brig at Wadia.--Number of trading Prahus at Dobbo.--Adjustment of Disputes.--Christian Teachers on the Arru Islands.--Their Poverty.--Visit Wokan.--Appointment of an Upper Orang Kaya, and other Transactions on the Arru Islands. The islands of Great and Little Keffing are situated close to the south-east extreme of Ceram, to which they are joined by reefs under water. Little Keffing is well peopled, and contains several villages enclosed by stone walls, each village being governed by an independent Raja. The two largest are under the command of the Major of Keffing and Raja Kelu. The island is low, and the groups of huts, shaded and half hidden by cocoa-nut and other fruit trees, present a very picturesque appearance. Each village possesses a _Masidiet_ or temple, to which several priests are attached, those from Java being held in particularly high respect. The houses of the Rajas are always larger than the other buildings, over the top of which they are visible to those at a distance. A short description of the residence of the Raja of Kilwari will convey to the reader an idea of the sort of house in which the chiefs dwell, as they all bear a considerable resemblance to each other. On each side of the entrance to that of the Raja of Kilwari, two pieces of cannon are planted, (these being tokens of the important station of the owner), from which a salute was fired as I entered. The house itself was raised four feet above the ground, and was accessible by means of a stair, or rather a stout ladder. The centre apartment was very dark, being only lighted by a hole in the roof and the opening which served for a door-way, on each side of which were chambers used as sleeping-rooms, store-rooms, and kitchens. The earthen pans, plates, dishes, &c., used in preparing their meals, were obtained from the Ki Islands. The rooms were floored with bamboos, or with narrow strips of the wood of the Areka tree, separated an inch or two from each other. Through these openings the offal is thrown, which renders the ground under the house very dirty and unpleasant, as the Mohammedans, unlike their heathen neighbours, keep no pigs to remove it. The walls and partitions of the house were adorned with arms, such as lelahs, muskets, large and well-tempered parangs, bows and arrows, spears, &c., and over the floor were spread elephants' tusks, gongs, and painted chests with gilt mouldings, which probably contained clothes and valuables. We sat cross-legged on the floor in the centre apartment, after the manner of the natives, by a number of whom, clad