CHAP, xii.] 



THE MOUITTALV. 



30/ 



regioa, 1 enjoy ixl the unwonted luxuries of milk and fresh 

 hroad, anj rf;gular supplies of tish and eggs, meal; and 

 vegeUibles, which were often sorely needed to restore my 

 health and energy. I had ample apace and convenience 

 lor unpaekiui?, sorting, and arranging my treasares, and I 

 had delightful walk,^ in the suburbs of the town, or up the 

 h>wer slopes of the mountain, when I desired a little 

 exercise^ or had time for collecting. 



Tlie lower part of tlie mountain, behind the town of 

 Ternate, is almost entirely covered with a forest of fruit 

 trees, and during the sesison hundreds of men and women, 

 hoys Jind girls, go up every day to bring down the ripe 

 fruit, Durians and Ttiangoes, t^vvo of the very iinest tropical 

 fruite^are in greater almndance 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 

 ahso abundant, but these do not ripen till a Lttlo later. 

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

 tivated grounds, which creep up the mount^iin to a height 

 of between two and three thousand feet, above vvhicli is 

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

 side next the town is covered with a high reeily gra-ss. On 

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

 a*<pect, with a slight depression marking the position of the 

 crater. From this part descends a black scoriaceoua tract, 

 \ ery rugged, and covered with a scanty vegetation of scat- 

 l(;red bushes as far down as the sea. This is the lava ftf 

 tiie 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- 

 gue.'Se, below whicli is an open space to the beach, and 

 beyond this the mitive town extends for about a mile to 

 the north-ea.«5t. About the centre of it is the j^alace 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 nortliern part of Gilolo. The sultans 

 of Temate anti Ticlore were once celebrated thr<3iigh the 

 East for their power and regal magnificence. When Drake 

 visit^ed Ternate in 1579, the Portuguese bad lieen diiven 

 out of the island, although they still liad a settlement at 



x2 



