SPICr IS LAN D s. 



Arrou Isles. 



Birds of 

 Paradise. 



WE now proceed to the Molucca iflands, and taking a coiirfe 

 due north, pafs between thofe of Timor-laut and Jrrou. 

 The laft is the moft eaftern of the Timorian chain, and forms a 

 group confifting of three or four larger ifles, and a multitude of 

 little rocks and reefs dofely cluftered, adjoining the eaft end of 

 Arrou proper. We are now arrived within reach of the 

 perfumed air of the Molucca,^ or famous fpicy iflands, a land 

 of romance, where nature affumes a new fhape in pitSturefque 

 fcenery, and in the beautiful and Angular form of numbers of 

 the animal and vegetable creation, whether inhabitants of land 

 or water. 



The long celebrated Manucodiatc?^ or birds of paradife, firft 

 begin to appear in thefe iflands. Thefe birds, fo Angular in the 

 ftrudtureand difpofition of their feathers, fo elegant in their form, 

 and fo romantic in their hiftory, gave occafion, foon after their 

 difcovery, to the fuppofition of their having been the celebrated 

 Phcenix of the antients. The learned Forjler, with his ufual depth 

 of judgment, hath colledted every thing relating to that ideal bird, 



in 



