300 Amboyna. 



Funnell, in his voyage with Dampier to the South Seas in 

 1705, says: "While we were here (at Amboyna) we had a 

 great earthquake, which continued two days, in which time 

 it did a great deal of mischief ; for the ground burst open in 

 many places, and swallowed up several houses and whole 

 families. Several of the people were dug out again, but most 

 of them dead, and many had their legs or arms broken by 

 the fall of the houses. The castle walls were rent asimder 

 in several places, and we thought that it and all the houses 

 would have fallen down. The ground where we were swelled 

 like a wave in the sea, but near us we had no hurt done." 

 There are also numerous records of eruptions of a volcano on 

 the west side of the island. In 1674 an eruption destroyed 

 a village. In 1694 there was another eruption. In 1V07 

 much vapor and heat was emitted. Other eruptions occurred 

 in 1816 and 1820, and in 1824 a new crater is said to have 

 been formed. Yet so capricious is the action of these sub- 

 terranean fires, that since the last-named epoch all eruptive 

 symptoms have so completely ceased that I was assured by 

 many of the most intelligent European inhabitants of Am- 

 boyna that they had never heard of any such thing as a vol- 

 cano on the island. 



During the few days that elapsed before I could make ar- 

 rangements to visit the interior, I enjoyed myself much in 

 the society of the two doctors, both amiable and well-educated 

 men, and both enthusiastic entomologists, though obliged to 

 increase their collection almost entirely by means of native 

 collectors. Dr. Doleschall studied chiefly the flies and spi- 

 ders, but also collected butterflies and moths, and in his 

 boxes I saw grand specimens of the emerald Ornithoptera 

 priamus and the azure Papillio ulysses, with many more of the 

 superb butterflies of this rich island. Dr. Mohnike confined 

 himself chiefly to the beetles, and had formed a magnificent 

 collection during many years' residence in Java, Sumatra, 

 Borneo, Japan and Amboyna. The Japanese collection was 

 especially interesting, containing both the fine Carabi of 

 northern countries and the gorgeous Buprestidae and Longi- 

 corns of the tropics. The doctor made the voyage to Jeddo 

 by land from Nagasaki, and is well acquainted with the char- 

 acter, manners, and customs of the people of Japan, and with 



