A GliANCE AT MINAHASSA, 
843 
Prom liere we went on over a dry and naked {ilnin, strewed with 
stones, between the mountain Seputfin and Sempo, and descended 
along a path quite unconfined until we came to a thick wood, through 
which we pursued our way with as much speed as possible. It pre¬ 
sented nothing worth remark save a number of aren and other thick 
trees peopled with legions of black apes. At two o’clock we arrived 
at Tonib&tu. 
This negory, which is not very extensive, is surrounded by lakes 
and sawa fields, rice being the only cultivation followed by the inha¬ 
bitants, who are far behind the population of other districts in civili¬ 
zation. They will long remain in the same state, because they will 
not abandon their old customs. Poverty is general, but their wants 
being few they do not feel it, and although they have the means of 
cultivating other necessaries, sago remains the delicacy which they 
most prize. 
The mode in wdiich the houses are built differs wholly from that 
of the other districts. They are placed twenty and sometimes more 
feet above the ground on thick posts ; some are 15 to 20 fathoms 
long and 8 fathoms broad, while in one of such houses sometimes 
15 or 16 to 20 hearths or households are united. Allowing for 
each household five souls, we have 70 to 80 men swarming in 
one of these houses. Each household has its apartment and its 
dapor or cooking place, from which the custom has arisen of 
enumerating the population by dapors. The same custom prevails 
all over Minahassa, just as in Borneo this is done by kettles (kwan- 
tangs) in which the rice for each household is cooked. Cleanliness 
is a word not yet known in the Tongsawang language; beneath the 
houses all the household work is done, and the same place serves 
for the accomodation of the pigs and also sometimes of the dead. 
Messr. van Diemen and Moraux made an excursion from here 
to Bolang, which lies 16 miles off on the east coast. The way is 
over acclivities and hollows, and from its sandiness very difficult. They 
found a fine loge and a more civilized population, chiefly employed 
in taking fish and digging for gold. Formerly this was the perma¬ 
nent residence of the superintendent of this division, but as it is very 
unhealthy and the Bolang fever very dangerous, he removed to Ton- 
dfino w hen it w f as also placed under him. 
From Tombatu to Amurang is a distance of 16 miles; the road, 
when rain has not fallen, is most difficult, as we sink to the ankle 
in the soft sand. It is monotonous, for w e ride through a thick 
