i66 



Amboina. 



GoiDi 



SPIGV ISLANDS. 



169. tab. 105, is wholly of a pure white, except the greater 

 feathers of the wings, and the tail, w^hich are black. 



Let me queftion whether (from its name) the Aromatic 

 Pigeon, Latham, iv. 631 ; PL EnL 163, does not feed on thefe 

 pretious fruits, and contribute likewife to their difperfion. 



Amboina is about 30 leagues to the north-wefl of the Banda 

 iiles. This is in refpedl to cloves, what thofe are in refpei5t ta 

 nutmegs. The Dutch have made it the great and fole plantation 

 of that valuable fpice. They deftroy with the fame zeal all 

 that they can find on the iflands within their reach, or bribe or 

 compel the natives to do it for them. The governor of Amboina 

 makes annually in great ftate the tour of the illands, with a fleet 

 of perhaps fifty fail of Corocoros, the veffels of the country, to^ 

 enforce obedience, and to fhew his power to the people, and the 

 inhabitants of the ten iflands dependent on it. 



Some gold duft feveral years ago was obferved to be waflied 

 down by the mountain torrents ; it was traced to the fouree, and 

 the mine difcovered. I am not able to give my readers the con- 

 fequences, nor the prefent flate of the produce. This ifland has 

 alfo Its volcano. The B rimjone mount:u.a called IVawani, i\\ 

 1695 made a dreadful eruption. 



Amboina lies in Lat. 4° 25' fouth, and is divided very nearly 

 in two by a long bay, which, with the fea, contrafts it into two 

 peninfulas, joined at the eaflern end by fo very narrow and fandy 

 an ifihmus, that fmall veffels may eafily be dragged over. The 

 larger or more northern portion is called Hitoey the other Ley 

 Timor, The whole ifland is full of mountains, covered not only 

 with woods of clove trees, but with the richeft produdions of 

 * Flora',. 



