34<6 BAY OF AiMBOYNA. 



The annual produce of the island is said to 

 average from 300,000 to 400,000 pounds of nut- 

 megs ; and about one-fourth that quantity of mace. 

 Nutmegs are the only produce of Banda. Cloves 

 are grown upon the island, but are considered to be 

 so much inferior in quality to those produced at 

 Amboyna, that they are not exported. 



In returning to the ship, the bearers amused 

 themselves by racing with each other, a proceeding 

 far from agreeable to us who were carried, particu- 

 larly when we came to the flight of steps, which 

 they descended at full speed, shaking the chairs to 

 such a degree that we had some trouble in keeping 

 our seats. On arriving at the bottom we were 

 most hospitably received by one of the nutmeg 

 planters. 



On the 6th July we sailed from Banda, passing 

 out through the western entrance, between the shoal 

 extending from Great Banda and the Gounung Api; 

 though very narrow, it is quite safe, and by keeping 

 over on the Gounung Api shore, which is very steep, 

 we found plenty of water. 



July 7 — We entered the bay of Amboyna; but 

 light winds prevented our reaching the anchorage 

 till noon on the 8th. We found a Dutch frigate, 

 the Bellona, a 14-gun brig, and several merchant 

 vessels under Dutch colours lying in the roads. 



On landing, I was most kindly received by the 

 Governor- General of the Moluccas, Colonel de 

 Stuers, who gave me a most pressing invitation to 



