THE MOLUCCA ISLANDS. 
ix 
The partisans of the olden time, for they are not wanting, assert that without 
the monopoly of spices, the Moluccas would no longer he of any value to the 
state. The partisans of liberal ideas in their turn maintain, that this exclusive 
monopoly carries in itself a destructive germ which in the long run will cause 
the total Jobs of these valuable possessions. Nevertheless, all are agreed, that 
to make with success and without a great danger changes in the existing system, 
it will be necessary to act with prudence and slowly, according to a plan which 
shall only at first present preparatory means, and the effects of which will only 
manifest themselves proportionately to results obtained. 
It was for the purpose of examining for himself the real state of things and 
judging of the most efficacious remedies which could be opposed to the evil, 
that the Governor General Van der Capellen undertook hia voyage to the Moluc¬ 
ca islands in 1824 ; a circumstance without a parallel since the voyage of the 
Governor Van Diemen in 1688. 
The Molucca Islands, the native country of spices and up to the present time 
the only part of our possessions which yields us spices in abundance, form a 
government dependant ou the general government established in Java. The 
governor resides at Amboyna, and has under his orders several residents and 
sub residents, the first are those of Amhoyna, of Ternate and of Banda, while 
there are sub-residents at Saparoua, at Hila and Larique, at Booro and Ceram, 
and lastly a resident at Menado and a sub-resident of Gorontalo (Gounong Tello): 
establishments Bituated on the coast and at the northern point of the island of 
Celebes, but which for a long time have belonged to the jurisdiction of the resi¬ 
dency of Ternate as being nearer to this establishment than to the government 
of Macassar. Since the voyage of the Governor General in 1824 they have been 
definitively placed under the direct surveillance of the Governor of the Moluccas. 
The island of Amboyna is situated in 3' 4V 41” northern latitude and 125* 
47 5 of longitude east of the meridian of Paris ; it consists of two very distinct 
parts called Hitou and Leytimor, which would be two separate islands, but for a 
strip cf land which unites them, and which is not broader tham a good half league, 
thus offering on two sides of the island a bay and an excellent anchorage for 
large vessels. It is in the largest of these two bays or that to the South that 
the Portuguese built the fort of Vitoria, which we have preserved and which is 
still found in good repair. In the interior but not far from the fort, we see the 
town of Amboyna, the principal establishment or head quarters of the Moluccas ; 
the road leading to it from the port is bordered with very beautiful trees and two 
ranges of charming European houses, the most of one story ; the town itself 
consists of several largp and regular Streets, with brick houses of a true Dutch 
appearance. At half a league from the town, upon a plateau still more elevated, 
we find, by following a second umbrageous road, the country bouse of the Go¬ 
vernor, at the foot a very steep mountain ; this most agreeable residence called 
Batou gadja, is surrounded by beautiful gardens with rivulets of water as limpid 
as can be imagined. 
The inhabitants of Amboyna possess two protestaut churches, one of which is 
particularly reserved for natives who have embraced Christianity ; the number 
of these is very considerable, being increased above all in times past by the en¬ 
lightened and uninterrupted zeal of the worthy pastor Kam, who preached the 
gospel in these countries. 
The Amboiannese are of a middling height and well formed, and make good 
soldiers both for the cavalry and infantry ; generally they have more taste for a 
military life than the other natives of the Archipelago ; they are geutle although, 
brave, easily managed and very sober. Their costume is nearly the same as that 
of the Malays in Java, but those who have been baptised are distinguished by 
the black coloui of their outer garments ; in place of the handkerchiefs with 
which the Mai ys cover the head, they wear round hats, with the bair plaited 
in a qupue. They also wear shoes when in full costume. The cotton cloths, 
and other articles of our manufacture which the government send every year 
to the Moluccas find there a great outlet. 
