218 
CRUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
spices, in order to restrict the cultivation to the two 
or three that they were able to watch over, showed a 
narrowmindedness in the government of that time 
which has since happily passed away. After spending 
some hours here, we returned to the vessel, well 
pleased with the day’s recreation. 
Shooting parties left for the interior, as it was 
reported that the forests contained deer, pig, and a 
species of cuscus, but none were met with. Of birds, 
the naturalists collected some seven or eight species ; 
the most remarkable being a fine and handsome 
fruit-pigeon, which feeds upon the nutmegs, or 
rather on the mace, and as we strolled through the 
forests, its loud booming note was continually heard. 
Oct . 2nd . — Our stay was limited to three days, 
when we proceeded on our way. The sea was 
beautifully calm, and the bright sun and clear sky 
threw a flood of golden light over all. The distance 
was only 115 miles, and we were now approaching 
Amboyna, the most important of the Spice Islands, 
where we arrived and anchored on the 4th October. 
Amboyna is the name both of the island and its chief 
city — in fact, it is regarded as the capital of the 
Moluccas. 
The island consists of two peninsulas, so nearly 
divided by inlets of the sea as to leave only a sandy 
isthmus about a mile wide near the eastern extre- 
mity. The western inlet is several miles long, 
and forms a fine harbour, on the southern side of 
