57 
CHAPTER V. 
BANDA FIRE MOUNTAIN ARAB SCHOOL — -NUTMEG WOODS — 
LIFE ON SHIPBOARD CLOTHING FOR THE EAST — BAY OF 
AMBOINA. 
Qth May. 
Thebe had been much talk during the voyage of* 
the islands of Banda, the chief nutmeg-garden 
of the world, and we were naturally curious to 
see them for ourselves* 
Banda is the most lovely spot we have yet 
visited. Coming on deck early, we found our- 
selves approaching a dense and brilliant vegeta- 
tion, in strong contrast to the bare spurs of 
Timor, which we had left a few days before. 
Steaming in through a narrow winding en- 
trance, which seemed after giving us passage 
to glide together, we found ourselves in a deep- 
blue inland lake. But only apparently. The 
Banda group is composed of four small islands, 
three of which form this secure harbour. Three 
of the four are covered over almost their entire 
