NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
5(31 
CHAPTER XIV. 
Banda Islands — The Monaxonida —Banda to Ainboina — Actiniaria — Amboina — Mimicry in Butterflies 
and Moths — The Brachyura — Ainboina to Ternate— Ternate — The Medusa;. 
Banda Islands. 
The Banda Islands, 1 twelve in number, were known to, and frequently visited by, the 
Malays and Javanese before the advent of Europeans. The first European who landed 
at Banda was Bartema, of Bologna, who returned to Europe in 1506, and gave the first 
account of the clove tree. In 1511 Affonso Alboquerque, after his conquest of Malacca, 
despatched Antonio d’Abreu, one of his lieutenants, to trade with, and take possession of, 
the Spice Islands. On his way d’Abreu touched at Gressic, in Java, and procured Malay 
and Javanese pilots, who took him first to Amboina and then to Banda. He loaded, his 
ships with mace and nutmegs, and left the islands well satisfied with his reception. 
The Banda group consists of twelve islands, the names of which are written as follows 
on the Admiralty charts : — Banda (or Great Banda), Neira, Goonong Api, Kraka, Pisang, 
Kapal, Waii, Rhun, Naailaka, Swangi, Rozengain, and Poeloe (see Sheet 33). Their 
names were correctly given by the Malayan traders who had frequented them for ages. 
Banda, correctly Bandan, means in Javanese, “ the. thing or things tied or united,” or 
with the word Pulo, “ united islands.” Pulo Nera is the “ island of palm-wine,” Lontar, 
written by Europeans Lonthor, is the name of the palm, the leaf of which is used for 
writing on, the word being half Sanscrit and half Javanese. Pulo Ai, properly Pulo Wai, 
means “water island.” Pulo Pisang, “banana island.” Pulo Run (Rung), “chamber 
island.” Pulo Suwanggi, “sorcery island.” Gunung-api, “fire mountain” or “volcano.” 
The whole Banda group, which has an area of not less than 18 square miles, is of 
volcanic formation, and the island of Gunung Api is an active volcano, the summit of 
which is 1860 feet above the level of the sea. 
The eruptions of this mountain have been frequent and destructive. The first of which 
there is any record took place in 1629 ; this was followed by others in 1690 and the five 
following years, also in the years 1765, 1775, 1816, 1820, and 1852. In the months of 
November and December of 1852 a succession of fearful earthquakes, unaccompanied 
by any eruption of Gunung Api, took place, which nearly overwhelmed the islands of 
1 Crawford's Descriptive Dictionary of Indian Islands ; Crawfnrd’s Indian Archipelago ; Wallace’s Malay Archi- 
pelago; Hakluyt Society’s Publications ; Pinkerton’s Voyages, 1808-14; Stavorinus’ Voyages; Somerot’s Spice Islands; 
Rozengain, Een der Eilanden van de Banda Groep ; Samuel Purchas, his Pilgrimes, Lond. 1625 ; Harris’s Collection of 
Voyages. 
