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company, and the neighbouring island of Banka was 

 once a noted resort of pirates, but is now only inhabited 

 by a few fishermen. About 35 miles KN.E. lies Ruang, 

 an active island-volcano about 2200 feet high, which, 

 though of insignificant size, has been the scene of several 

 eruptions, the most important in 187l, when 400 

 persons lost their lives, chietiy from a seismic wave which 

 was said to have been over 80 feet in height. Siau 

 Island, 2 miles to the north, is about 1 miles in length, 

 and has four volcanic peaks, the most northern, 6000 

 feet high, being active. The Eajas of this island were 

 in former days very powerful, sharing the rule of the 

 Salibabu group with the Eajas of Sangir. We next 

 come — passing over a number of small islands — to Great 

 Sangir, the most important of the chain. It produces 

 considerable quantities of copra, which is chiefly shipped 

 by Chinese traders from Taruna, the capital, which is the 

 residence of the Controleur, and a port of call for the 

 Netherlands India S.S. Company's steamers. This island 

 is about 2 5 miles in length, and has many extinct craters, 

 and more than one active, the most important being Awu, 

 which has an altitude of about 5000 feet, and has been 

 one of the most formidable volcanoes in the archipelago. 

 In 1711 its eruption caused the death of 2000 people, 

 and in 1856 nearly 3000 perished. On the 7th June 

 1892a destructive eruption took place, which appears to 

 have caused the loss of many hves, for within four days 

 of its cessation the Controleur had recovered 300 bodies. 

 Dr. Hickson describes the Sangir people as consisting 

 of nobles, freemen, and slaves— a race of sailors, building 

 excellent praus. A good cloth of banana fibre is made, 

 and coco-nuts largely grown. The language is pecuHar, 

 the marriage system matriarchal. North-east of Sangir, 

 and some distance from the main chain of islands, is the 



