336 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



southern shore, and forming one of the neatest and 

 cleanest settlements in the whole of the Dutch Indies. 

 In the western outskirts live the Chinese traders, dealers 

 in and exporters of the varied products of New Guinea 

 and the surrounding islands. In the middle of the town 

 is Fort Nassau, built by the Dutch in 1609, and a 

 ruined fortress built by the Portuguese more than 350 

 years ago stands at the eastern extremity of Lontar ; but 

 the most important and largest — the most conspicuous 

 building on the island both from its size and position — 

 is Fort Belgica, pentagonal in shape and very massive, 

 placed on a small plateau above the town. It was com- 

 menced in 1611, and has remained unharmed through 

 the many earthquakes it has experienced, so solidly has 

 it been constructed. Behind it rises an abrupt jungle- 

 covered rock, 800 feet in height, from which there is a 

 beautiful view of the town, the volcano, and the nutmeg 

 gardens, which cover most of the larger island. 



The nutmeg trees are here grown, as they grow in 

 their native forests, under the shade of lofty forest trees ; 

 the tree used here being the kanari, which grows to a 

 great height, its nuts producing a valuable oil. The 

 light volcanic soil, the partial shade, and the constant 

 moisture of these islands, where it rains more or less 

 every month in the year, seem highly favourable to the 

 nutmeg tree, which here reaches a large size, produces 

 abundance of fruit, and is quite free from those diseases 

 which have led to the practical abandonment of nutmeg- 

 growing in Singapore. The nutmeg tree was a native of 

 Banda, and man's cultivation has followed the method of 

 nature, without attempting to force her to an unduly 

 rapid production. The Government monopoly has long 

 since been given up, and every one is permitted to plant 

 and sell as he pleases, but the industry is chiefly in the 



