THE MOLUCCA ISLANDS, 
i« t 
XIII 
its possessions, by engaging Europeans settled in Java and elsewhere, retired 
militarynjen, or other individuals having the burgher right to whom they distri¬ 
buted lands in Banda gratis, under certain restrictions, of which the principal 
was the exclusive delivery of spices to the Company, at a fixed price. This 
concession of lands was accompanied by some very advantageous clauses ; for 
example, they were bound to furnish the planters with rice at the Java price, 
and with slaves at 40 rix dollars a head ; thus, in the space of five years this 
operation was accomplished and the parks distributed amongst the colonists, 
who then called themselveB and are still called perkeniers (parkkeepers); at this 
epoch, there were at Pulo Aij 31 parks , at Lonthoir 34, and at Neira 3 parks 
each,* of 25 souls of land (zielen land's). It is said that this singular denomina¬ 
tion was given from the quantity of trees which it was calculated a slave could 
take care of, haviug regard to difference of lands more or less advantageously 
situated ; others assert that at toe first distribution of spice gardens, the soul of 
land was fixed at 50 square perches (german roods) and that when this division 
was made, it was calculated that a park of 25 souls would be sufficient to bring 
in to its proprietor annually a sum of 625 to 650 rix dollars. This revenue was 
naturally increased in proportion to the pains bestowed on the culture and to 
the new plantations which the park keepers made in their parks ; but they had 
much expense, above all in the maintenance of the slaves for the culture ; and 
after the cessation of the agreement they experienced great difficulty, from not 
being able to replace them. But the government, by sending to Banda the 
natives sentenced by the competent tribunals to a long term of banishment, 
afford to the park keepers the means of engaging them to work in their parks. 
This measure has besides the double advantage of favoring an interesting branch 
of agricul tural industry, and of serving to reclaim to a laborious and honest life 
those who without this would not only be useless, but at the same time nuisances 
to society. 
In general this experiment of European colonisation at Banda, does not give 
a very favorable idea of the advantages which the partisans of colonisation on a 
large scale, promise themselves from the alienation of lands to European plan¬ 
ters (sketches of M, de Haan p. 288). On the contrary, the example of what 
has occurred at Banda is rather calculated to inspire government with well 
founded scruples against a state of things which, if they at all extend it to other 
lands than those still uncultivated and unpeopled, like the Banda islands, must 
besides entail a diminution of the public revenues. 
The European colonists, to whom the company conceded the nutmeg parks 
at Banda, with scarcely any exceptions, soon abandoned themselves to an in¬ 
dolent and dissipated life; they left the task of cultivation to some infirm slaves, 
for the best wereemployed in home work or in other labours j they only regard¬ 
ed the lands which had been entrusted to them, as a means of procuring money 
by hypothicating them upon loans, and to bave constantly at a low price, slaves, 
rice and provisions, which the company had engaged to furnish then at prime 
cost. Their heirs or those who succeeded them in the possession of these lands, 
did not conduct themselves better, thus this class of colonists at all times vege¬ 
tated in a state of misery, of ignorance and of irregularity ; nearly all the park 
keepers were overwhelmed with the weight of debts which they had successively 
contracted by pledging their parks. The amount of these debts, to the com¬ 
pany alone, already amounted in 1796 to more than 300,000 rix-dollars, accor¬ 
ding to the report made by the governor F. Von Boeckholtz 29th March,1798. 
If some of the inhabitants of Banda acquired riches, they did not at ail owe 
them to agricultural industry, but to smuggling and trade with the Arauw is¬ 
lands, where they sent shipments under the care of slaves whom they had pro* 
cured for the labour of the parks. Some individuals have made in this way* 
* By the union of some of these parks, there are only at present (1830)S25 
at Lonthoir, 6 at Pulo Aij, and 3 at Neira. 
