Brief Account of the Iflands of Banda. 357 



draggling houfcs. In the fpace between Banda Lantoir and 

 thele two iflands there is a very good harbour, formed with 

 entrances both from the eaft and weft, which enable veflek 

 to enter it in either of the monfoons : thefe channels are well 

 defended with feveral batteries, particularly the weftern one, 

 which is, moreover, very narrow. Between Gonong Api and 

 Banda Neira there is a third channel into this harbour from 

 the north, but it is navigable only to fmall vefTels. Pulo Ay 

 is about nine miles weft of Gonong Api, and Pulo Rondo 

 about four miles further, in fomewhat a more northerly di- 

 rection. On the latter ifland the Englifh had once a factory; 

 but at the time they were expelled from Ambovna they were 

 alfo driven from thence, and the Dutch, not choofing to in- 

 habit the ifland, it foon grew into a wildernefs. Pulo Pifang 

 is fituated north-eaft of Banda Neira about two miles, and 

 yields fome fine fruits, as well as mace and cocoa nuts, but 

 not any nutmegs. Rofyngen is about feven miles to the 

 fouth-eaft of Banda Lantoir; it produces mace and yams, 

 and feeds fome cattle. The convi&s of Amboyria ufed to be 

 kept on this ifland, and were compelled to cultivate the land 

 for the ufe of the fupreme government. The other three 

 iflands are nothing more than fmall barren rocks. 



The nutmeg-tree is cultivated only in the four firft men- 

 tioned of thefe iflands ; but the Dutch thought it advifable to 

 prohibit the cultivation of it in the other iflands, on account 

 of their diftance from the feat of government, and of their 

 thereby affording greater opportunities of fmuggling. The 

 ifland of Banda Lantoir appears very high from the fea; its 

 hills are fteep, and from the top of them there is a fort of 

 table land, which extends nearly from one end of the ifland 

 to the other. The Banda iflands are all high ; but Gonong 

 Api, which rifes 1 940 feet from the fea, is the higheft of them. 



The foil of all thefe iflands, except that of Gonong Api, 

 which is for the moft part lava, is an exceedingly rich black 

 mould, every where covered with trees, chiefly nutmegs. The 

 almond-tree grows in great plenty, and is very ufeful, as weH 

 for the (belter it affords the nutmeg-trees, as for the fruit it 

 yields. There are alfo fandal-wood trees, and a variety of 

 others which grow wild. Near the fea fide, round the dif- 

 ferent iflands, trees of all kinds are permitted to grow, as 

 they are confidered ufeful in keeping off the fpray of the fea 

 in ftormy weather from the nutmeg" trees, which is very pre- 

 judicial to them. 



The principal fortification in the Banda iflands is Fort Naf- 

 fan, which is fituated on the fouth fide of Banda Neira ; it is 

 a fmall fquare fort, with a wet ditch, defended by a horn- 



Z^ work 



