V o l c a n o e s .
55' north, and Lat. 5° 50' louth ; it is of an oblong form, but al-
moft divided by two deep bay«, one, which penetrates far weft
into the country near the north end ; and another which penetrates
ftill moft extenlively from the north, running above a
hundred and fifty miles due fout'h.
T h i s ifland is prodigioufly mountanous, and lofty; the
mountains increafe in height towards the central parts, and are
generally richly clothed with wood. In Macajfar, as well as in
Mindanao, are fome active volcanoes. Mr. Dalrymple, in the 29th
plate of his elegant views o f land, gives a fine idea o f the country.
Mr. Loten informed me that none o f the TndianiQznds hadfuch
grand and beautiful fcenery. It abounds with rivers, which
fpring high in the mountains, and precipitate down vaft rocks,
among a fylvan fcene o f lofty and Angular trees. The lakes, and
more ftill parts o f the rivers, give fecurity to numberlefs water
fowl o f the larger and more clumfy kinds, which retire there
by fear o f the crocodiles, which haunt the lower and marlhy
parts. Thofe are not deferted by the lefier palmated birds, fuch
as ducks and teal, which being quick lighted and nimble, eafily
evade the approach of the enemy.
T h i s ifland was diicovered in 1525, by Antonio de Britto and
Garcias Henriguez, who at that time commanded in the Moluccas.
Celebes was reckoned one o f the greateft of thofe iflands.
The Portuguese eftabliihed themfelves here, and whether their
conduit was more moderate than in other places I know not,
but they gained the good opinion o f the inhabitants, who pre-
ferved towards them the moft inviolable fidelity, They kept their
ground here till the year 166o, when the Dutch, with a ftrong
fquadron,
fquadron, landed and defeated them, and their faithful ally the
king of Macajfar, a potent prince on the weft fide o f the ifland,
and near the fouthern end. Here the Portuguefe had their colony.
The Dutch expelled them, rafed their churches to the ground,
and feized all the effefts of -the Jefuits, whom they juftly con-
iidered as their greateft enemies. The king made one more attempt
to expel thefe invaders; but was unfuccefsful, and obliged
to fubmit to the Batavian yoke. The Englijh had alfo for a long
time great intercourfe with this ifland, for the fake of the rich
productions of the Spicy ifles, till at length the fubtile Dutch
fucceeded in preventing all commerce with Macajfar. The Dutch
have now the monarch of this ifland, and all its other princes, at
their command, fo they may more truly he faid to be the governors
of the country. The Chinefe are the only people who are permitted
to trade here to fupply the wants o f the iflanders. The
MacaJJdrs have a great commercial fiihery around their ifland;
they go in fleets o f more than a hundred fail, which confift o f
proas from twelve to twenty tons burden, and carry from fixteen
to twenty men; they go out with one monfoon,and come in with
another, and fend their fifh to the China market; the produce of
its own feas not being equal to the demand of that overftocked
empire. It is remarkable that all thefe proas carry Dutch colors.
The ifland itfelf exports gold, rice, fago, wax, and flaves; but
its chief ufe to the Dutch is to keep other nations at a diftance
from the great repofitories of fpiees. Our old voyagers feldom
failed o f touching at Celebes to profit of the trade.
I am forry to obferve, in the account I meet with o f ail the
iflands, even from Sumatra itfelf, that the infamous Have trade
prevales
S l a v e s .