TIJE EASTERN ABCHIPELAGO. 



Gftnong-Api (I860), in tho ftanda group, one of the mart m-ttve in tho 

 u Iii.lV Archipelago, Dhd Ihu scene t>f at least seven vtok'tit imjitiriiiR during 

 thchutt two centuries. The outburst of 1835 wim jnvptiipniiiGU liv tneiueiid- 

 fins i'.'ir?hi[iinki-s F i% 1 1 i • 3 ■ n-' ir'y il«-st p-V' 1 ' I (hir.'it Bnnda nml the nt'igh honr- 

 lng islf-t at' Nidm. Many nf tlm voleanm-s nrr nf rfmijuirnt JVely rvcciit date, 

 and It BeeuiH evident that for many nge.i the whole it-ginn htm been tliQ 

 isni'iiti (if conlinurHLK dlslurbaUiT-ii, whieh Ijmvh r<HL*mv*] it 1u L1.- fiji-si-nt 

 J ; i . r 1 1 1 ■ ■ 1 1 1 'i l y htiih'. I hiring Jv ■■•••m-. il n- ! -n-n Mi- >■■ in limes, it pr<il :iMy 

 loniicil ron1 inimii.s hind with <VJf-ln:.s ntid the Phili ppine.i, the ;ii\f ural 

 liitfnry of sill tUusts groups having iminy ffefttome in common, which an 

 oh» best explained, on. thin Mippoisitiou. 



Fauna and Flora. — Tlie fauna of iliia region iii connected with 

 that of Celebes by the babirusa, found also in JJuru. Other charac- 

 teristic forms ftro the bird of Paradise and inonkeji of Bachfnn, 

 ihu civet, kits, and swine, besides the mamiipiul discus and flying 

 opossum. Of birds, parrots, pigeons, and kingfishers arc the pre- 

 vailing species, Including the rare green-fruit dove, and racket- 

 lutlcd kingfishers. The crimson lori, ground -thrush, fly-catcher, 

 OMSOWftiy, and mound-buildura, are also met, Here, as elsewhere 

 in the Archipelago, are found butterflies of the largest size and most 

 vivid hues. Ttw beetles also are remarkable fur their afee ami beauty j 

 the long-armed beetle of Auiboynu being one of tho giants of the 

 insect world 



This region is the nativn homo of thn nutmeg, cWo, and other spices, 

 which nppcar t» b*W spread thence to various parts of the Archipelago and 

 IndcrChiiia. Hut in the Moluccas [wwr the clove is no longer iirodnced, 

 tbt? plant having: been extirpated by the early Dutch rulers, who desired 

 to enhance the, value of tlie spins by restricting their cultivation to the 

 Handa Islands. Other valuable vegetable product* are cardamoms, the 

 kunary nut, Cayaput oil, dmnimr, |«nuilaTii, and >ago, the la*t- mentioned 

 forming the staph of food in most of the islands. 



Jilolo, pmperly Halm ahem, largest of the whole proup, it of 

 :m cMrnnrlv irregular fi.rtn, citH.-u-ty jv-.tokni- thai of Celebes, 

 ami like it developing three spacious inlet* on it* ea«i cidu, Tlio 

 inii'ri'T, wh : .i-lt nlill ii',i,j5:t> tliDruii^h fXpluriLlii.il, is ■.n-ncraliy 3"i i ^ 1 

 and mountainous, culminating in the north urn p^niuHidu witli tlio 



rob-rmi.: l'u\ kioiora, said U> have been ujdieavod in ltl73 T Jilolo,, 



which has a (ntal length of smiie 2iW mile", with an extreme breadth 

 cif GO, and an aroa of about (S. r iOO a | mire mile^ is mostly occupied by 

 poopleR f*f Malay flbk-k, akin to those of (he adjacent islands nf 

 T< niiLle and Tidor. But the northern part* are .«.till held by the so- 

 called " Alfuros," wild tribes betniying both Papuan and Indonesian 



