488 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Jan. 1, 1900. 
a volcano, one-half of which has sunk beneath the 
surface of the water. Of this volcanic formation 
there still remains one active crater the Ooenong 
Api, literally Fire-mountain, which ever keeps 
its neighbourhood in awe of new eruptions, 
though fortunately the days of destruction which 
marked the 16th and 17th Century have been 
great exceptions in the latter part of this century. 
The Bay of Banda itself is part of an extinct 
crater ; over the whole Archipelago we meet with 
the same geological formation. Nevertheless, 
danger has always been overlooked in the 
Molucofts by the Natives as well as by the Con- 
querors, owing first of all to the much-prized 
spices, with which Nature gifted the islands, but 
no doubt also to the charming impression which 
the islands, and especially Banda Neira and 
Lonthoir leave upon everyone who visits them. 
The aspect of the islands simply surpasses every- 
thing which tropical vegetation offers in the 
usual way. In the Guide through the Archipelago 
issued b'y the Koyal Mail Packets Co. of the 
Kether.ands India, the pages 186 etc.* give a 
most picturesque description of the voyage from 
Amboina to the Banda-group as follows :— 
"As a crowning effect of the trip to the Moluc- 
■ ca?s as a finale of all the incomparable natural 
phenomenae between which the steamer smoothly 
conveys its passengers every night, the silhouette 
of the Banda islands with the high Goeuong Api 
rises above the brilliant easterly horizon on the 
morning after the departure from Ambon. Every- 
thing is delicate aiiid fine in this enchanting group 
of islands, which reminds us of nothing so much 
as of scenic decorations on a gigantic scale. The 
sea is more intensely blue, the green is deeper and 
more brilliant, the yellow and grey stripes on the 
smooth slopes of the ash-cone are more marked, 
the clouds of morning are more etherial than any- 
where else. 
"It is still early in the morning when the 
steamer runs past the islands of Rhun and Ay on 
starboard, whilst on the uotherly horizon the 
rocky masses of Swangi loom up, but by the time 
the steamer reaches the harbour, we are well on 
in the morning. The rapture which the lover of 
nature experiences on entering this unique bay 
baffles all description. On passing between the 
steep cliffs the steamer skirts the coast so closely 
that one can almost grasp the impending 
branches of the dense forest, when suddenly we 
find ourselves in a glassy lake enclosed by high 
precipices, from which with hardly any shore at 
its foot the Goenong Api rises its gigantic cone. 
But even more striking than this threat- 
ening volcanic funnel is the view straight 
ahead of us, where we discover a little 
town built against the slopes of a verdant rocky 
island, above whose white houses and terraces a 
medi;cval castle towers high." 
The 15uropean dwellings in Banda testify by 
size and condition to the welfare which the cul- 
tivation of nutmegs has spread amongst the 
planters. They are however far from making an 
impression of luxury. All the large houses are 
built of bricks, but very low, reminding us of the 
* Dr. D. F, V. Bemmelen and (i. B. Hooyer. 
danger of eruptions [the one of 1852 caused serious 
damage to all the buildings]. 
According to the same authorities the aspect of 
the nutmeg gardens is perfectly unique, yea we 
may fancy ourselves in the holy woods of which 
the poets sang. 
" Not a trace of wilderness and yet everything 
grand and luxuriant. The eye glances along an 
unintercepted view of the magnificent nutmeg trees 
with their crowns of foliage of shiny dark green 
leaves between which the dead-yellow fruit are 
hanging in abundant profusion. The dark red 
mace glows in the recesses of the opening fruit. 
And over these dense orchards huge canary-trees 
move their dark green crowns in one interwoven 
protecting leafy roof, borne as on columns by 
trunks of a gii th such as hardly ever seen in Java." 
The interior arrangement of an estate house-is 
extremely simple : a front-gallerj-, inner-gallery or 
hall, into which open all the private rooms, and a 
backroom which is practically the sitting-room. 
Society life in Banda is of course rather mono- 
tonous, one of the principal diversions of the 
colonist and his family being the tropical sky- 
gazing (klimaatschieten). Meanwhile a reception- 
day on the estate is a very pleasant event. The 
invited guests meet at noon at the profusely pro- 
vided rice-table, which is followed by the siesta. 
After the usual Indian ablutions, the guests meet 
in full dress, pumps and gloves being " de 
rigueur." Supper follows at 7 o'clock and 
the well-spent day is finished up with a dance, 
varied by theatrical or musical entertainment. 
Families are usually very large, ten to sixteen or 
more children being no exception. In religious 
matters the colonist is exemplary tolerant. A 
special trait of the colonist's character is his pro- 
nounced love of the House of Orange, chiefly 
dating from the festive visit of the late Prince 
Henry, the happy memory of which is revived on 
every occasion." 
Another Indian specialist! describing the nut- 
meg gardens in Banda says : " The agreeable scent 
which is wafted from the wood invites us 
irrisistibly. The high canary-, warringin-, and 
teak-trees act as a protection against heavy showers 
and gales for the conical nutmeg trees, whose 
foliage is formed by pointed leaves hanging down 
from branches shooting out regularly. Between 
the shiny foliage sparkles the ripe open fruit of 
which the dark brown nut is the kernel, whilst the 
bright-red mace envelopes the nut as an elegant 
network. Occasionally we meet in the wood with 
bamboo bushes and other jungle vegetation. 
Sweetly blows the cool air, invigorating and 
bracing is the scent of the nutmeg, whilst the 
wood echoes with the merry voices of men and 
women gathering nutmegs, and children picking 
canary-nuts, mingled with the various sounds of 
the cooing nut-pigeons {manoeh faloer), parrots^ the 
Indian nightingale (baikolie), the canary-yellow 
karajamoe." 
A peculiarity of the nut-pigeon inhabiting the 
Archipelago is that they swallow the fruit bodily 
and discharge the nut whole and undigested. 
This curiosity, which no doubt leads to the dis- 
tribution of the plant, was formerly connected 
* V. d. Linden, 
t Prof. V, d, Lith. 
