336 
COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
southern shore, and forming one of the neatest and 
cleanest settlements in the whole of the Dutch Indies. 
In the western outskirts live the Chinese traders, dealers 
in and exporters of the varied products of New Guinea 
and the surrounding islands. In the middle of the town 
is Fort Nassau, built by the Dutch in 1609, and a 
ruined fortress built by the Portuguese more than 350 
years ago stands at the eastern extremity of Lontar; but 
the most important and largest—the most conspicuous 
building on the island both from its size and position— 
is Fort Belgica, pentagonal in shape and very massive, 
placed on a small plateau above the town. It was com¬ 
menced in 1611, and has remained unharmed through 
the many earthquakes it has experienced, so solidly has 
it been constructed. Behind it rises an abrupt jungle- 
covered rock, 800 feet in height, from which there is a 
beautiful view of the town, the volcano, and the nutmeg 
gardens, which cover most of the larger island. 
The nutmeg trees are here grown, as they grow in 
their native forests, under the shade of lofty forest trees; 
the tree used here being the kanari, which grows to a 
great height, its nuts producing a valuable oil. The 
light volcanic soil, the partial shade, and the constant 
moisture of these islands, where it rains more or less 
every month in the year, seem highly favourable to the 
nutmeg tree, which here reaches a large size, produces 
abundance of fruit, and is quite free from those diseases 
which have led to the practical abandonment of nutmeg¬ 
growing in Singapore. The nutmeg tree was a native of 
Banda, and man’s cultivation has followed the method of 
nature, without attempting to force her to an unduly 
rapid production. The Government monopoly has long 
since been given up, and every one is permitted to plant 
and sell as he pleases, but the industry is chiefly in the 
