&ONTQIR.
entirely to fill a noted fiihing place in the neighboring fea of
the depth o f forty fathoms, fo as to leave it entirely dry. The
fame volume fully accounts for the appearance o f thefe iilands,
and the Banda, fo graphically defcribed by the French Abbé.
In the year 1693 and 1694 feveral other iilands, as i f by confent,
raged with volcanic fury. The mountains of Celebes, Sorea, Ter-
n-ate, Banda, and Neyra, at one time, call up fire, lava, aihes,
cinders, and boiling water. There was no approaching'the
water by reafon o f the exceffive heat. In Sorea the ground
funk in, and difcovered a great lake,
A fiery deluge, fed
With ever-burning fulphur, unconfum’d :
Which fpreading farther and farther, threatening the whole
ifiand, terrified the inhabitants fo much that they unanimoufly
tranfported themfelves to Banda, leaving their moveables behind
for want o f veflels. All thefe iilands are fubject to terrible earth-
quakes, which affeCt the fea fo greatly as particularly to endanger
the ihips lying at anchor in the fine harbor between this ifland
and Banda. I am not certain that Goenongrs, inhabited fince the
dreadful eruption.
Banda is defended by a flrong caille. The name o f the capital
is Nera. A powerful garrifon is kept in this ifland, it being the
feat o f government, notwithftanding it is not above twelve
leagues in circumference.
Lontoir, the largefl of all the group, is inacceflible on moil
parts’, by reafon .of its lofty precipitous ihores ; yet the Dutch
hay®
have given it the additional defence of a eaftle. It has not" a tree
on it but which bears fruit,, and is particularly productive o f
nutmegs. If
Palo aya, \ or Puloway, fays my old informant Humphrey
Fitzherbert*, “ is the Paradife o f . all the reft,, entermitting
f‘ pleafure with profit. There, is not a tree on that ifland but
“ the nutmeg and other delicate fruits- o f fuperfluitie, and
“ withall full o f pleafant walkes,. fo that the whole countrey
M feemes a contriued orchard with varieties. They haue none
“ but raine water, which, the keep in jarres and cifternes, or
“ fetch it frome the aboue-named iilands, which is their only
H defedt. The fea ihore is fo fteepe, that it feemeth Nature
“ meant to referue this ifland particularly to herfelfe. There is
“ but one place about the whole ifland for a ihip to anchor in,
“ and that fo dangerous,, that he that letteth fall his anchor fel-
“ dome feeth the weighing o f it a ga inb e fid e s hee incurreth
“ the imminent dangers o f his-ihip.”
Poloroon, or more properly Poeloron, is the Taft. Thefe P oloeoows
iilands are the antient feats o f the nutmegs, as the Moluccas Nutmeg®.
were of the cloves. At firft they grew fpontaneoufl-y on. moil
o f the neighboring ifles,, and poifibly we ihall have dccafion to
ftiew, that they.fpread much farther than is generally known,
Marco Polo% fpeaks of the Noix d'lnde, and the des clous de
Girojle, or cloves, as being found on the ifland of Necuram<\
but where that ifland ftoed I am not certain. Originally the
Arabs engrafted this rich trade, and conveyed-the fpices up the
Red Sea, and from thence to Alexandria, from whence they were
* Purchas, i. 698.. f Bergeron, 135.
V ol . IV - Y diiperfedi