A BIRTH-MAEK. 315 



vious to the bii*tli of the child, the family were liv- 

 ing there. One night a heavy earthquake occurred, 

 and a brilliant cloud was seen rising out of the top 

 of the mountain. Immediately they began to pre- 

 pare to hasten down, and the mother, being greatly 

 fi'ightened, attempted to run before, but fell hea\'ily 

 on her right arm, bruising it severely in one place. 

 Soon afterward the child was born, and on its right 

 arm, and exactly in the same relative position as 

 where the mother had received the injury from her 

 fall, ^^'as found a red spot, or mark, which all agreed 

 had exactly the outline of the bright cloud seen by 

 them on the mountain-top. 



The chief articles of export from this place are 

 those brought fi-om the islands to the east, namely, 

 tortoise-shell, tripang, paradise - bii'ds, massoi-bark, 

 and wax. Up to 1837, paradise-bii'ds formed a very 

 important article of export from Ternate. In 1836 

 over 10,000 guilders' worth were exported, chiefly 

 to China. In 1844 over 10,000 guilders' worth of 

 massoi-bark was exported from this small emporium. 

 It comes from the interior of New Guinea, and is 

 sent to Java, where its aromatic oil is used by the 

 natives in rheumatic diseases. Until 1844, from 

 14,000 to nearly 70,000 guilders' worth of tortoise- 

 shell was annually exported, chiefly to China ; but 

 since that time it has frequently not exceeded 4,000. 

 The chief imports are rice, salt, and cotton goods. 

 A merchant who sends a small vessel each year to 

 Misol, and along the northern coast of Papua, kindly 

 offered me an opportunity to take passage on her ; 

 but as it woidd be a])out six months })ef()re she 



