290 Dtfmphdn of the JJland of Cetehegf 



tains, but the foil, taken in general, is fertile. Rice, coco- 

 nut trees, mangoeSj bananas, melons, and oranges, grow 

 here exceedingly well, and are cultivated in abundance, to- 

 gether with the cotton flirub, uby, and batla *. There are 

 here alfo plenty of horfes, oxen, buffaloes, deer, wild fwine, 

 and birds <>f all kinds, and in particular a variety of beautiful 

 parrots. Abundance of fifli are caught on the fea-coafts as 

 well as in the rivers and lakes. 



The Dutch carry hither opium, fpirits, lack, coarfe and 

 fine cloths, &c. and receive in exchange rice, wax, (laves, 

 and gold. Here, as well as in many parts on the coaft ot 

 Africa, the unfortunate beings doomed to flavcry are not 

 prifoners taken in war, or criminals, but people in general 

 who have been kidnapped for the purj^fe of being fold ; and 

 it often ha:ppens that relations do not hefitate, for the fake of 

 gain, to deprive their fellow-creatures of liberty, the greateft 

 bleffing which mankind enjoy in the prefent life. The ifland 

 is well peopled : on the coaft of Celebes alone there are Aiid 

 to be fifty-fix thoufand inhabitant?, feventeen thoufand of 

 tv'hom are capable of bearing arms. 



In this ifland there is a multitude of fmall kingdoms and 

 ftates, the greater part of which, however, depend on the 

 two great kingdoms of Macaffar and Rony. The king of 

 Ternate, alfo, has extenfive poflcffions, which occupy alnioft 

 the whole of the northern and eaftern part of Celebes. The 

 two moll powerful kings, whom the Dutch, by the prepon- 

 derance of their arms, obtained as allies, are the kings of 

 Macaffiir and Bonv. The kings of Tello and Sandrabony are 

 in alliance with the king of Macaffar ; and thofe of Soping^ 

 Luhu, and Tanette, with that of Bony. Some fmall iiates, 

 fuch as Wadjo, Mandhaar, &cc. are independent. Though 

 the kings of Macaffar and Bony are allies of the Dutch, they 

 arc always fworn enemies to each other ; and this is not un- 

 favourable to the policy of the Dutch, who in their Indian 

 poffeffions ftill keep in view the maxim di-vulc et Impera, anJ 



* Uhy is a root ufed as food, and batta is a kind of buck-wheat, which' 

 formerlywas the chief fi)od uf the Javanrfe btrioie thty WLte acquainted 

 with the ufe of rite, 



who 



