172 



KAflTKUS OEnoilAl'llV. 



we*t end nf Coram, and 'is little over 30 miles long, by 10 or 12 

 broad, with tin area of 210 wpure miles. The mrfaoe is hilly but 

 fertile, yielding large quantitiea of clovea, of.which n million pounds 

 have been exported in favourable yean The clove plant, which 

 resembles the pair-tree, growa to a height of 40 feet,, bearing fruit for 

 100 Beasmis nfW iu ninth year, Other products are cinnamon, 

 cotton, coffee, indigo, pepper, and sago, the latter being the chief food 

 of the Malayan and Ueramese Alohunimiid&n natives. Am boy no, 

 like all curaline island* in tlu^e waters, i a noted for its beautiful 

 shells, corals, autl sponges, which completely carpet the bed of the sen. 



The town of Auibayjia, capital of the Dutch poascaftiana io the Molucca*, 

 carries on a briat trade Lu cloves, cabinet weed from Oram, ami other 

 local produce, through thu Netherlands Trading Company.. Tike juliaccnt 

 Uhitu «F JIantka, Supitnut, ntid Nuft Ltutt, also produce cloves, and form 

 \v : f 1 1 A 1 1 1 1 •• iy 3i :l l)\>- fir- famed clove-gardetts of the ] hitch Government, 

 Many of the native- Mohammedan* h*v* become "'Orang Simui," that in, 

 " Uozarens," or ChrbtiauH, although their new religion. tl aeeuw to He on 

 them like an awesome thraldom," (Forbes.) 



Bands, — The small lint valuable Banda group, which gives its 

 name to the neighbouring waters, wna long the exclusive nutmeg 

 garden of the world, arid here thia bum 1 if ul plunt fltill grows in the 

 greatest perfection. The islands "which lie same fiO mi lea south of 

 Ceram, are all volcanic, one of them forming the superb {-turning 

 Api (2000 feet), with a still active cratOT. The gTonp consist* alio- 

 gether of twelve inlets, with a collective area of not more than IS 

 square miles, lint hero is concentrated some of the most enchanting 

 scenery in the whole Archipelago. 



The produce, including sago and cocoa-nuts, besides thestapto exports, 

 nutmeg ami mace, "Is grown in beautiful bowcra, and garnered round its 

 umbrageous bay le led shores in long, gaudily-painted prau», whiili are 

 constantly darting altout, propellrd by little rowers, who plunge and flash 

 tt^ ir fWdh-s iu tl'e nun to a buoyant hierry time. Tim atmospVro is 

 charged with aromatic exhalation* ; its wharfs and streets are thu picture 

 ol tidiness, and the vi-ry wjiti-r that laps its coral shores is brighter and 

 purer than almost anywhere ebjo in the: world." (Forbes.) Rut eruptions 

 and earthquakes arc freojmnt, ami often vary destructive. The chief town 

 imd I'l'iilre df tv:»*l f i> Xfn&ttrr in I'auda Xeira. 



The Pcrkeruers, descendants of Kumpeana, settled in this group since 

 1B21, enjoyed a monopoly of the uutnu^ trade till 1SC0. 



Political Divisions, — The whole of this region, officially named 

 the Moluccas, comprises three separate Dutch Itesidencic* as under ; — 



