XIV 
THE MOLUCCA ISLANDS. 
an immense fortune ; in tbe memoir which I have quoted, we read of a park 
keeper of Pulo Aij, named V. D. B., who having been about the middle of the 
18th century brought ti justice and condemned to hard labour, offered to pay a 
hundred thousand florins to tbe company, for permission to wear a gold chain 
instead of an iron chain with which be was loaded, like the other malefactors. 
He possessed, it is added in the memoir, three parks and more than 1,200 slaves. 
The residency of Ternate is formed of tho island of that name and that of 
Tidore, which may be said to be its twin sister, although larger and more popu¬ 
lous, as there is a resemblance in the high mountain which rises in both of 
thorn, and of which the 6nmmits, of a pyramidal form, are about the height of 
6,000 feet above tbe 'evel of the sea. Some small islands, situated in the vici¬ 
nity, depend also on this residency ; the principal are Batjan and Motir. Tbe 
residency of Ternate contains also the Dutch establishment upon the coast of 
Gilolo, an island at least tea times larger than both Ternate and Tidore. 
Tbe island of Ternate, situated in 0* 52* of north latitude and 125- 12' lon¬ 
gitude to the eaBt of the meridian of Paris, belongs to a mahoroetan Sultan who 
resides there, and whose dalem, as large as magnificent, is built between the 
town of Ternate and the Dutch fort Orange. One of the predecessors of the 
sultan, as well for himself as for tbe Sultans of Tidore and Batjan bis vassals, 
concluded a treaty of alliance with tbe Company of the East Indies, by which 
he ceded a part of his sovereign rights in exchange for an annual pension. This 
Sultan consented besides to the extirpation of all the spice trees which were to 
be found or which afterwards might be found in his immense domains. 
This condition recalls to us the devastating system of monopoly, aod the 
spirit of the times in which it was made ; but it has ceased to exist and the 
Baron Van d j r Capellen during his stay at Temate,by bis decreo of the 27th 
May, 1824, not only broke tbe shackles which weighed down the industry, and 
proscribed the culture far which these countries appear to be destined by na¬ 
ture, but on the contrary he encouraged it by fixing a very reasonable price for 
the cloves, mace and nutmegs which the iuhaoidants deliver to government, 
viz : 10 sous per lb for cloves, 12 sous per lb for mace, and 8 sous per lb for 
nutmegs. 
The town of Ternate is beautiful and very well built, in the form of an am¬ 
phitheatre upon the borders of the sea ; as the country rises rapidly, we may 
find ourselves, on advancing a few leagues into tbe interior, at a considerable 
height, and there enjoy the pure air of the mountains, of a temperature nearly 
similar to that of the south of Europe. 
In general, the soil of the islands which compose the residency of Ternate, is 
extremely good and fertile, it certainly produces all kinds of tropical productions. 
These islands are well populated, the inhabitants are gentle, tranquiiand sober ; 
indolent because they have few wants and because, in the they are time of the 
Company, no effort was made to stimulate their industry. Those of the island of 
Motir exercise tbe calling of potters „■ they Bupply the surrounding islands with 
their pottery of red earth, which, without being of an elegant form, is of a good 
quality. The Christian religion has already made many proselyteB there, above 
ail in the neighbourhood of Ternate and in the island of Batjan or Batchian. 
Under the administration of the Company, the establishment at Ternate was 
considered as the most important, for the maintenance of the exclusive com¬ 
merce in spices of the Moluccas ; at present it is still so for the defence of these 
possessions and for our commerce, in general, in the Indian Archipelago. 
Ternate, during the late maritime war was several times attacked by powerful 
English forces, but they could not make themselves masters of it, before the 
surrender of Java, thanks to tbe firmness of the courageous governor V. Budach, 
to whom this post was entrusted. 
Cotton cloths and other productions of our manufactures find a favorable 
market id these countries ; this trade will extend itself considerably, when the 
agricultural industry has made progress there. 
