THE MOLACCA ISLANDS. 
XI 
was a separate Government, is composed of several islands, of which the princi¬ 
pal are; Banda or Banda Neira (situated in 4'30’ of south latitude, and 128* 18 T 
of longitude to the east of Paris) ; Gounong Api so named from the terrible vol¬ 
cano which is found there ; Lonthoir commonly called the high land, Rosingain, 
Poulou Aii and Pinang The island of Rosingain has been little inhabited sirce 
the extirpation of spices which the company caused to be made there in 1634, a 
measure which foiced the natives to emigrate and retire to Lonthoir and Pulo 
Aij : later however some liberated slaves (Mardikers) established themselves 
there and the Company caused several lime kilns to be built and planted jattis 
trees. There are likewise wild cattle to be found there ; the hunting of which 
offers a source of amusement to the garrisons established in the Banda islands. 
We shall confine ourselves principally to the three most remarkable islands 
and those which are exclusively reserved for the cultivation of the nutmeg, 
which has became for Banda what the clove is for Amboyna. These three 
islands are Banda Neira, Lonthoir and Pulo Aij. The two first, with the Gu- 
nong Api (which is unfortunately but too near and of which the malignant in* 
fiuerce is often experienced, as much in the devastations which follow its frequent 
eruptions, as by the insalubrity which it occasions in the surrounding countries) 
form the road of Banda, as beautiful as safe, and perfectly defended by several 
forts of which the most remarkable are those of Belgica and Nassau on Banda 
Neira, and that of Hollandia on the heights of Lonthoir. 
Its rich harvests of nutmegs (in Malay bua pala) and mace (kambang pala) 
its position and its superb roadstead, are nevertheless the only advantages of 
Banda ; they are purchased at the cost of a great insalubrity, and of frighful 
earthquakes; which ordinarily precede or follow the eruptions of the volcano; the 
most strong of which have been, according to descriptions found in the archives, 
those of 15ys, 1615,1632, 1691, 1711, 1749, 1793 and 1820 ; while the most 
fatal earthquakes from their consequences, took place in 1629, 1683, 1686, 
1743 and 1816. To give an idea of the confusion of the elements which takes 
place on such occasions, I will note, according to memoirs which I have looked 
over, some of the circumstances which occurred when the trembling of the 
earth and sea happened in 1629. On the 1st August at 9 in the evening, after 
the inhabitants had felt several very strong movements, the furious waves en¬ 
tered with such vehemence by the three straits of Lonthoir, Celamine, and that 
which is called the Zonneng&t, that they raised and heaped themselves up to a 
height of 25 feet above the highest tides ; many bouses, built on the east point 
of Fort Nassau were swept from their foundations and buried in the sea with 
their inhabitants ; but these had already quitted their houses ; they were as iby 
a mirncle thrown upon the beach at the return of the swell, with the exception 
of the fiscal Van der Voort and his family. A cannon of great calibre placed 
upon the jetty and weighing 3,500 lbs, was carried to a distance of 30 feet, and 
the bull of the ship Amsterdam and those of two other vessels which had been 
sunk with 400 tons of stones in each, to secure the jetty, disappeared without 
the wrecks being ever found. In 1691 the ravages of the volcanic eruption 
were so terrible, that the more wealthy inhabitants emigrated to Ternate, Am- 
boyna and Macassar ; the courage and firmness of the governor Goyet, decided 
ia not quitting his post, alone prevented the total abandonment of this establish¬ 
ment. 
At present the administration of Banda is entrusted to a resident assisted jy 
a secretary, an administrator in chief for the finances and stores, and an in¬ 
spector of the parks of spiceB, having sub-iospectors at Lonthoir and 1 nlo Aij ; 
there is also at Neira a council of justice, a bench of magistrates and an orphun 
chamber. , ... . 
Missionaries are engaged at Banda in the propagation of the Christian religion; 
from the earliest times of our occupation of these countries, this religion was 
embraced by a great number theof natives of this part of cur possessions in 
