Brief Account of the Iflands of Banda, 359 



however, which have been recently made to the batteries of 

 Batavia and Sebergorberg, have put the weftem channel into 

 a ftate of fecurity ; and a new battery, which has been erected 

 on the north-eaft part of Banda Neira, renders it a difficult 

 matter to force an entrance into the harbour by the eaftern 

 channel. 



The frame of this government is different from that of 

 Amboyna; the whole fociety confifts of the company's ferv- 

 ants, iome burghers, and (laves. The fole object of their 

 attention being the care and cultivation of the nutmeg-trees, 

 the afTairs of government cannot be fuppofed to be very com- 

 plicated : neverthelefs it is at prefent a diftinct eftablifhment, 

 confiding of a governor, a council of three, and a fecretary, 

 together with a regular court of juflice as at Amboyna; but 

 the governor of Banda not being fubject to the check, much 

 lefs the control, of any fuperior authority, his will may be 

 juftly confidered the only law of the fettlement. 



The Dutch company were the abfolute proprietors of the 

 foil, as well as of the flaves who cultivate it. The rearing of 

 the nutmeg-tree being the only object in view, thofe iflands 

 that produce it are divided into a number of plantations, or 

 parks, as they are termed, which are fuperintended by native 

 burghers, defendants of the Dutch, who originally fettled 

 in thefe iflands. A certain number of flaves belonging to 

 the company is allotted to each park, whom the park-keepers 

 employ in the cultivation of the nutmeg-trees. They are 

 ordered to fend daily two-thirds of their flaves to the parks to 

 clear the trees and to gather the ripe fruit, as well as to pick up 

 all that may have fallen from the trees in the night: for this 

 purpofe each (lave is furnifhed with a fmall bafket and a hoe. 



When the nutmegs are brought in, the mace is dripped 

 off, and kept in bafkets to dry in the fun; and the nutmegs 

 with (hells on, are put into a drying-houfe allotted for the 

 purpofe, where they remain, on hurdles expofed to the in- 

 fluence of a flow fire, and to fmoke, for about three months ; 

 when they are dry, their fhells are broken, and the fruit put 

 immediately into chunam or lime, which is neceflary to pre- 

 ferve them from worms and other infects. It requires much 

 experience, as well as a confiderable degree of judgment, to 

 afcertain the precife time that they fhould be differed to re- 

 main in the lime; for if they be taken out too foon they are 

 worm-eaten, and if left too long in it, they are burnt up, and 

 rendered ufelefs. After the nutmegs are taken out of the 

 lime, they are cleaned and packed up in rattan bales of 

 aoolb. ready for being fhipped. The mace is delivered into 

 ilorehoufes every month, and the nutmegs every three 



Z 4 months : 



