826 
A GIjANCR AT«M1NAHASSA. 
was changed under Mr. Fraux in 16/3 into a stone fort ness named 
Amsterdam, which name is still bears. In 1703 it was enclosed by 
a circular stone wall by a sergeant, Henri Duchielz ; * afterwards 
at different times other changes have been made, hut the govern¬ 
ment has not yet succeeded in making a regular work of defence 
of it. 
The garrison, which is stationed in the fort, with the exception 
of the commander and the doctor who live outside, consist partly of 
Europeans, and for the remainder of natives. Inside also is the 
old Residency house, which is now appropriated to the different ad¬ 
ministrative civil offices, treasury, prison kc. 
The place has borrowed its name from the island which is now 
called Menado Tuiva, or Old Menado ; it was formerly inhabited, but, 
on account of the continual wars with the princes of Bolang , and the 
want of water, it was abandoned by the population in 1082, when they 
removed to the continent, and their kampong to the present day is 
considered as a district and bears this name. But the Alfoers call 
it, from the name of the river at its outlet, Wenangd. 
The total subjection of the highlands, dates from 1677, when tiie 
East India Company, with the assistance of the king or Sultan of 
Ternate, took Amsterdam from the prince of Bolang, ami drove 
away the Spaniards from thence.f During: nearly two hundred 
years this coast appears to have alternately belonged to the prince 
of Bolang and the Sultan of Ternate; the accounts relating to these 
changes are very confused. 
It appears that in the year 1682 a chief of Bolling was stillreign- 
Ing over all the districts of the so called Minahassa, with the ex¬ 
ception of Amurang. But, according to the accounts of native tradi¬ 
tions which we have collected, which however are without dates, 
Minahass^, was formerly divided into two parts under the chiefs of 
Aris and Sonder, named Tololio and Ranton, who were of one family 
originally from Toncea, the capital of which is Kenya. This division 
is now entirely superseded, Minahassa being divided into 27 districts 
or, as they were formerly called, balken (beams), a designation very 
old, and originating hi the period when we made a requisition for 
beams to construct our factory and other buildings. 
These districts, the soil of which is generally very fertile, and 
* Yalenlyn Old and New East India, vol. I. p, 62. 
t Valentyn. lb. vob i. p. 62. 
