400 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Eastern Mands. 



Noossa Laut ; but it is in Amboyna, and the three last islands only, that 

 cloves are now cultivated. 



Fort Victoria, the capital of the island, is in latitude 3° 40' S., and 

 longitude 12S° 15' E. The hay is very deep, and formed at its entrance by 

 Allang Point on its VV. side, and Noessaniva Point to the E. The best 

 anchorage is abreast the town, and rather above the wharf, in from 20 to 

 35 fathoms; moor with hawsers to the anchors, which are placed at conve- 

 nient distances on the shore for that purpose : the bank being very steep, 

 ships are frequently driven off by neglecting this precaution. 



Peovisions and Refreshments. — Fresh meat for a ship^s crew is sel- 

 dom to be procured. There are no sheep, and poultry^ scarce and dear ; 

 a few deer and wild hogs are m the woods, but difficult to be got Water 

 is procured up the harbour, seven or eight miles from where the ships lay. 

 The watering place is up a small inlet; it is a fine full river, running down 

 from the rocks, and with hoses you can fill your butts in a very short time : 

 it will be necessary to get the boats in and out as near high water as possible. 

 You will be directed to the watering place by two houses, which are situated 

 at about a musket shot on each side of it. 



HARAUCKA. — This island is about three miles to the E. of Am- 

 boyna* 



SAPAROUA is about 35 miles from Amboyna. This island and 

 Noossa Laut yield an abundance of fine cloves. 



NOOSSA LAUT is the easternmost and smallest of the Clove Islands, 

 and bears from Amboyna E. \ N. about 40 miles' distance. 



ARTICLES PROCURABLE AT AMBOYNA, &c. WITH DIRECTIONS. 



Cloves, (Laimg, Hind., Lavanga, San.) — The clove-tree is a native 

 of the Molucca Islands, particularly Amboyna, where it is principally culti- 

 vated. It is very handsome, somewhat resembling a large pear-tree; its 

 stem is straight, and at the distance of five feet from the ground its branches 

 begin ; the bark is thin and smooth, and adheres closely to the wood. The 

 wood is heavy and hard ; the leaves stand two and two opposite, about a 

 hand's breadth long, and two inches broad, pointed, ribbed, and reddish on 

 the upper side, but smooth and of a bright green colour on the under side ; 

 they have a very aromatic smell when bruised between the fingers. When 

 a tree is nine years old, and has been well attended to, it begins to yield 

 cloves ; they appear in the beginning of the rainy season ; they are then 

 little dark green longish buds, and become perfect cloves in shape in the 

 month of August or September ; they then turn yellow, and afterwards red. 



