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company, and the neighbouring island of Banka was 
once a noted resort of pirates, but is now only inhabited 
by a few fishermen. About 35 miles N.N.E. lies Ruang, 
an active island-volcano about 2200 feet high, which, 
though of insignificant size, has been the scene of several 
eruptions, the most important in 1871, when 400 
persons lost their lives, chiefly from a seismic wave which 
was said to have been over 80 feet in height. Siau 
Island, 2 0 miles to the north, is about 10 miles in length, 
and has four volcanic peaks, the most northern, 6000 
feet high, being active. The Rajas of this island were 
in former days very powerful, sharing the rule of the 
Salibabu group with the Rajas of Sangir. We next 
come—passing over a number of small islands—to Great 
Sangir, the most important of the chain. It produces 
considerable quantities of copra, which is chiefly shipped 
by Chinese traders from Taruna, the capital, which is the 
residence of the Controleur, and a port of call for the 
Netherlands India S.S. Company’s steamers. This island 
is about 2 5 miles in length, and has many extinct craters, 
and more than one active, the most important being Awu, 
which has an altitude of about 5000 feet, and has been 
one of the most formidable volcanoes in the archipelago. 
In 1711 its eruption caused the death of 2000 people, 
and in 1856 nearly 3000 perished. On the 7th June 
1892 a destructive eruption took place, which appears to 
have caused the loss of many lives, for within four days 
of its cessation the Controleur had recovered 300 bodies. 
Dr. Hickson describes the Sangir people as consisting 
of nobles, freemen, and slaves—a race of sailors, building 
excellent praus. A good cloth of banana fibre is made, 
and coco-nuts largely grown. The language is peculiar, 
the marriage system matriarchal. North-east of Sangir, 
and some distance from the main chain of islands, is the 
