CHAP. XXI.] THE MOUNTAIN. 5 



boys and girls, go up every day to bring down the ripe 

 fruit. Durians and Mangoes, two of the very finest tropical 

 fruits, are in greater abundance at Ternate than I have ever 

 seen them, and some of the latter are of a quality not 

 inferior to any in the world. Lansats and Mangustans are 

 also abundant, but these do not ripen till a little later. 

 Above the fruit trees there is a belt of clearings and cul- 

 tivated grounds, which creep up the mountain to a height 

 of between two and three thousand feet, above which is 

 virgin forest, reaching nearly to the summit, which on the 

 side next the town is covered with a high reedy grass. On 

 the further side it is more elevated, of a bare and desolate 

 aspect, with a slight depression marking the position of the 

 crater. From this part descends a black scoriaceous tract, 

 very rugged, and covered with a scanty vegetation of scat- 

 tered bushes as far down as the sea. This is the lava of 

 the great eruption near a century ago, and is called by the 

 natives " batu-angas " (burnt rock). 



Just below my house is the fort, built by the Portu- 

 guese, below which is an open space to the beach, and 

 beyond this the native town extends for about a mile to 

 the north-east. About the centre of it is the palace of 

 the Sultan, now a large untidy, half-ruinous building of 

 stone. This chief is pensioned by the Dutch Government, 

 but retains the sovereignty over the native population of 

 the island, and of the northern part of Gilolo. The sultans 



