CELEBES 295 



village is Eurukciii, 3500 feet above the sea; and liere, 

 in the month of June, the thermometer is usually 62° 

 Fahr. in the morning, and rarely rises above 80^ during 

 the day. Here oranges thrive better tliau in the low- 

 lands, bearing abundance of most delicious fruit, and 

 rice produces good crops without irrigation. The scenery 

 is magnificent. Numerous volcanic mountains clothed 

 with the richest vegetation lend grandeur to the prospect, 

 and form a charming contrast to the coffee plantations, 

 the rice fields, the gardens, and the neat cottages that 

 everywhere meet the eye. 



The chief towns of Minahasa are Menado and Kema, 

 on opposite sides of the peninsula, the former used as the 

 chief port during the eastern, and the latter during the 

 western monsoon. They are less than tw^enty miles 

 apart, and are connected by a good road. Menado is 

 the capital town, and the place where the Eesident lives. 

 It is a small but picturesque town, and as almost every 

 house stands in a garden and is surrounded by beautiful 

 shrubs, trees, and flowers, it has a very charming effect 

 as compared wdth the more mercantile appearance of 

 Makassar. Its population is over 4000. An excellent 

 system of roads connects all the chief towns and villages 

 of Minahasa. The district has of late become very 

 populous, and there are now probably not less than 

 160,000 inhabitants. 



The coffee tree was first introduced into the Minahasa 

 district in 1822, and at the end of 1889, 7,767,159 

 trees were under Government cultivation, without includ- 

 ing private plantations. The industry has been the 

 means of converting the country from a wilderness of 

 jungle, peopled by head-hunting savages, into a well- 

 cultivated garden tilled by natives who are almost with- 

 out exception Christians. Yet this result has been 



