304 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



this and tlie adjoining islands. It is divided into 

 two parts, tlie soutliern or European quarter, known 

 by the peculiar name Malayu, and north of this the 

 Chinese and Arab quarter. Kear the latter is Fort 

 Orange, which was built in 1607, as early as the set- 

 tlement of Jamestown. In 1824 this tort was pro- 

 nounced by the governor-general the best in all the 

 Netherlands India, Beyond the fort is " the palace " 

 of the Sultan of Temate, and north of this is the 

 native village. The palace is a small residence, built 

 in the European style, and stands on a terrace, facing 

 a wide, beautiful lawn, that descends to the sea. 

 Near it is a fiag-staif, which leaus over as if soon to 

 fall, a fit emblem of the decaying power of its owner, 

 whose ancestors ^ere once so mighty as to make the 

 Dutch regard them w^th fear as well as with 

 respect. 



According to Valentyn, who gathered his infor 

 mation from the native records, there were formerly 

 in Gilolo a number of independent states, each with 

 its "kolano" or chief. In about a. i>. 1250, two 

 hundred and seventy years before any European 

 sailed in these seas, a great migi-ation took place to 

 the neighboring islands, and a village named Tabona 

 was formed on the top of this mountaio, which has 

 been an active volcano ever since it was known to 

 Europeans. In a. D. 1322, many Javanese and 

 Arabs came here to buy cloves. This is the fimt 

 historical record we have of the spice-trade. Tlie 

 inhabitants of Obi and Bachian now united to coun- 

 teract the growing power of the piince of Teniate, 

 l)ut this union effected little, for, in a. d. 1350, Mo- 



