The Sultan of Ternate. 315 



the native town extends for about a mile to the north-east. 

 About the centre of it is the palace of the Sultan, now a large, 

 untidy, half ruinous building of stone. This chief is pension- 

 ed by the Dutch Government, but retains the sovereignty over 

 the native population of the island, and of the northern part of 

 Gilolo. The sultans of Ternate and Tidore were once cele- 

 brated through the East for their power and regal magnifi- 

 cence. When Drake visited Ternate in 1579, the Portuguese 

 had been driven out of the island, although they still had a 

 settlement at Tidore. He gives a glowing account of the Sul- 

 tan : " The King had a very rich canopy with embossings of 

 gold borne over him, and was guarded with twelve lances. 

 From the waist to the ground was all cloth of gold, and that 

 very rich ; in the attire of his head were finely wreathed in, 

 diverse rings of plaited gold, of an inch or more in breath, 

 which made a fair and princely show, somewhat resembling a 

 crown in form ; about his neck he had a chain of perfect gold, 

 the links very great and one fold double ; on his left hand was 

 a diamond, an emerald, a ruby, and a turky ; on his right 

 hand in one ring a big and perfect turky, and in another ring 

 many diamonds of a smaller size." 



All this glitter of barbaric gold was the produce of the 

 spice trade, of which the Sultans kept the monopoly, and by 

 which they became wealthy. Ternate, with the small islands in 

 a line south of it as far as Batchian, constitute the ancient 

 Moluccas, the native country of the clove, as well as the only 

 part in which it was cultivated. Nutmegs and mace were 

 procured from the natives of New Guinea and the adjacent 

 islands, where they grew wild ; and the profits on spice cargoes 

 were so enormous that the European traders were glad to 

 give gold and jewels, and the finest manufactures of Europe 

 or of India in exchange. When the Dutch established their 

 influence in these seas, and relieved the native princes from 

 their Portuguese oppressors, they saw that the easiest way to 

 repay themselves would be to get this spice trade into their 

 own hands. For this purpose they adopted the wise principle 

 of concentrating the culture of these valuable products in those 

 spots only of Avhich they could have complete control. To do 

 this effectually, it was necessary to abolish the culture and trade 

 in all other places, which they succeeded in doing by treaty 



