^54 



Banda 

 Islands.. 



SPICY ISLANDS. 



piert the Burning IJle, and was, when he paiTed by it in 

 1699*, a moft fierce volcano. 



The Banda iflands lie in about Lat. 4" 30', foinh, and are in- 

 cluded under the general name of the Spicy IJJands. Their 

 names are GonnipOi Banda (which gives name to the whole 

 group) Lontare, Poohzvay, and Pooloroon. Thefe, and the 

 neighboring Moluccas, were difcovered at the fame time, in 151 1, 

 by Francis Serrano, and Antonio UAbreau, who were fcnt on 

 that fervice by the gx^iX Albuquerque \ they fpent io\TiQ years 

 in the difcovery. The Po.rtuguefe, to deter other nations from 

 paying attention to thefe fources of wealth and luxury, gave 

 out that they were fcarcely approachable by reafon of the flial- 

 lownefs of the feas; Pigafetta difproved the report, by, founding 

 the coafts, and finding a depth of a hundred and two hundred 

 fathoms. 



The Cbinefe were the firft who had made themfelves mafters 

 of thefe iflands. The Javans and the Malayan Moors next fnc- 

 Geeded,and with them were introduced the religion and language 

 Qi Mahomet, which in thefe and the Moluccas found their mofh 

 Portuguese, remote but wonderful extent.. The Portuguefe arrived after 

 them at the period juft mentioned. Argenfola reprefents fome 

 of the kings of thefe little iflands as incredibly powerful, and 

 alierts, that they could coUedively raife above a hundred and 

 twenty thoufand fighting men. The prince of Ternate was 

 the moft potent ; he was lord of feventy-two ifles. 



Thp: Portuguefe, h^ violence or treachery, eftabliflied them- 

 felves in thefe valuable pofleffions. The Spaniards indeed laid 



* Voyages, iii. p. i8o. 



clame 



Chinese. 



i 



