298 Amboyna. 



CHAPTER XX. 



AMBOYNA. 



DECEMBER, 1857 ; OCTOBER, 1859 ; FEBRUARY, 1860. 



Twenty hours from Banda brought us to Amboyna, the 

 capital of the Mohxccas, and one of the oldest European 

 settlements in the East. The island consists of two peninsu- 

 las, so nearly divided by inlets of the sea as to leave only a 

 sandy isthmus about a mile wide near their eastern extremity. 

 The western inlet is several miles long, and forms a fine har- 

 bor, on the southern side of which is situated the town of 

 Amboyna. I had a letter of introduction to Dr. Mohnike, 

 the chief medical officer of the Moluccas, a German, and a 

 naturalist. I found that he could write and read English, 

 but could not speak it, being, like myself, a bad linguist ; so 

 we had to use French as a medium of communication. He 

 kindly offered me a room during my stay in Amboyna, and 

 introduced me to his junior. Dr. Doleschall, a Hungarian, and 

 also an entomologist. He was an intelligent and most amia- 

 ble young man, but I was shocked to find that he was dying 

 of consumption, though still able to perform the duties of his 

 office. In the evening my host took me to the residence of 

 the Governor, Mr. Goldmann, Avho received me in a most 

 kind and cordial manner, and offered me every assistance. 

 The town of Aipboyna consists of a few business streets, and 

 a number of roads set out at right angles to each othei', bor- 

 dered by hedges of flowering shrubs, and inclosing country- 

 houses and huts embosomed in palms and fruit-trees. Hills 

 and mountains form the background in almost every direc- 

 tion, and there are few places more enjoyable for a morning 

 or evening stroll than these sandy roads and shady lanes in 

 the suburbs of the ancient city of Amboyna. 



There are no active volcanoes in the island, nor is it now 

 subject to frequent earthquakes, although very severe ones 

 have occurred, and may be expected again. Mr. William 



