342 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



tlie midst of a pleasant family after so long and lone- 

 ly an exile. 



The next morning I walked through the village. 

 Its total population is only about 2,500, of which 

 300 are Europeans and mestizoes ; about 600 China- 

 men, and 1,200 natives, half of whom are Christians 

 and the other half Mohammedans. The Eesident's 

 house is suiTOunded by large grounds, abounding in 

 the choicest of tropical plants. Not far from it is 

 the market, a house without walls, the roof resting 

 on pillars of wood and masonry. This is the uni- 

 versal style of the markets in all parts of the archi- 

 pelago. Here various kinds of fi'uits, gambler, betel- 

 nuts, and sii'i are sold by the natives, and salt, cotton 

 fabrics, and cutlery, by Chinese. The salt used here 

 is not imported from Java, as that used on the other 

 islands I have visited, but is made by the natives 

 themselves in the following manner : Littoral-plants 

 are gathered and bui'ned. The ashes are then placed 

 in a bamboo, which is filled with water. After this 

 has remained for some time, the water is strained off 

 and evaporated. The residuum is a dark, impure 

 salt, but the natives prefer it to any that can be im- 

 ported. This custom seems to have been introduced 

 lately, for in 1841 the government sold three hun- 

 dred and twelve thousand pounds of imported salt, 

 but in 1853 only two thousand. From the village 

 of Menado I walked northward ^^arallel to the bay, 

 and, crossing the little stream Menado, came to the 

 village of the Bantiks, a peculiar people, numbering 

 about two thousand five hundi'ed, who refuse to be- 

 come Mohammedans or Christians, and continue to 



