CONTINUED. 377 



placed in the centre, by which it is held; while the Illanon 

 shield is very large and wide, and of an entirely different 

 construction. The Malukus speak the Tarnata, the lan- 

 guage of the Moluccas, the name of which is evidently 

 derived from Ternate. Once free and formidable as 

 pirates, these natives in times past must have offered a 

 curious example of a paradise peopled by devils ; of a 

 group of islands probably the most delicious in the 

 world, with a soil the most fecund, abounding in spices 

 and other commodities of enormous commercial value ; 

 enjoying a climate at once healthful and undisturbed by 

 hurricanes or violent alternations of temperature ; but, 

 alas ! inhabited by a set of fierce, vindictive, blood-thirsty 

 savages, whose only delight was in rapine and murder. 

 They are now fortunately almost deprived of the power 

 to injure, are reduced to a state of servile vassalage, and 

 even their Rajahs are but regal slaves, whose pomp and 

 state are maintained by the dollars of the Dutch. 



Mr. Brooke in his Journal gives a short account of the 

 war-dance of the Malukus, which he witnessed at Sarawak. 

 He observes that it is of a more gentle nature ^than that 

 of the Illafions of Mindanao, and that instead of the 

 sword or " kempilan," they prefer the spear, advancing 

 with it stealthily, casting it, and then retreating with the 

 sword and shield. The dancers mad with rage and 

 opium, whom we observed stamping, turning, and yelling 

 on the fighting-deck of the pirate prahus, during our 

 engagement, were most probably Illation- " Datus," or 

 " free men," commanding the expedition. Mr. Brooke 

 states that the sword of the Malukus of Gilolo is similar 

 to that of the Moskokos of Boni Bay, in Celebes. 



