a triangular, level area, about a paal * long, and on
tbis bas been built tbe city of t Amboina ” or “ Ambon,”
in tbe native language. Viewed from tbe anchorage,
tbe city bas a pleasing appearance, its streets
being broad, straight, and well shaded. About half
way from its southern end is Fort Nieuw Victoria.
Landing at a quay we passed through tbis old strong-
bold out into a pretty lawn, which is surrounded by
tbe Societeit, or Club-House, and tbe residences of
Officials and merchants. Tbe total population of tbe
city is about fourteen thousand. Of these, seven
hundred are Europeans, three hundred Chinese, and
four hundred Arabs. The others are natives. The
entire population of the island is about thirty-two
thousand. Like all the cities and larger settlements
in the Dutch possessions, Amboina is divided into a
native hampong or quarter, a Chinese Tcampong, and a
quarter where foreigners reside. The natives are directly
under the control of a rajah or prince, and he,
in turn, is responsible to a Dutch assistant resident.
In a similar manner the Chinese are subject to a
“ Captain China,” who, in the larger cities, has one
or more assistants or “ lieutenants.” He, likewise,
must report himself to the assistant resident. In this
way each separate people is immediately ruled by
officers chosen from its own nation, and consequently
of the same views and prejudices. Justice is thus more
perfectly administered, and the hostile feelings which
each of these bigoted Eastern nations always entertains
against every other are thus completely avoided.
* A paal, the unit of measure on land in the East Indian Archipelago,
is fifteen sixteenths of a statute mile.
On leaving Batavia, Cores de Vries & Co., who
who then owned all the mail-steamers in the Netherlands
India, kindly gave me a letter of credit so that
I might draw on their agents from place to place, and
wholly avoid the trouble and danger of carrying any
considerable sum with me. This letter further recommended
me to the kind attention of all their employés,
and Mr. Var Marie, their agent at this place,
at once said that I must make his house my home
while I remained in that part of the archipelago ; and
this unexpected and very generous invitation was
still more acceptable, as both he and his good lady
spoke English. A chamber was assigned me, and a
large room in an adjoining out-building, where I could
store my collections and pack them up for their long
transit to America ; and thus I was ready to commence
my allotted work without the least delay. I
then called on His Excellency the Governor of the
Spice Islands, who received me in the most cordial
manner, and said that boats, coolies,- and whatever
other assistance I might need, would be immediately
ordered whenever I wished.
Amboina has long been famous for its shells, and
the Dutch officials have been accustomed for years to
- purchase very considerable quantities as presents for
their friends in Europe. The natives, therefore, are in
the habit of gathering them for sale, and a few have
become extensive traders in these beautiful objects.
It was soon noised abroad that a foreigner had come
from a land even farther away than | Ollanda,” as
they call Holland, solely for the purpose of purchasing
shells j and immediately, to O ' my great delight, bas