M o t ir .
T idor,
place. In 1621, before the Dutch had determined to fix the feat
of cloves at Amboina, they had here three factories, and a caftle,
very difficult o f accefs by fea, placed on one of the rude cliffs
which bound the ifland, and built, after they had difpoffeffed
the Spaniards, in 1609.
Motir is the next, in form, hut not in fize, refembling the
former. Fitzherbert fays, “ That Venus and voluptuoufnefs had
“ here their habitation.”
Pidor is a fine and fertile ifland, and the feat of a monarch.
There were violent wars waged between that prince and the
king o f Pernate, which the Europeans took advantage of. In
the time of Charles V. the Portuguefe and Spaniards fought
againft each other for the poffeffion of thefe rich fpots, and with
great animofity; the people o f Pernate fided with the firft, and
thofe o f Pidor and Gilola with the latter. By the ceffion o f the
Moluccas to the Portuguefe by Charles, thefe feas were for a
time left in peace. The Dutch next arrived, in 1607, and made
a fruitlefs attack on the Spaniards; they even fuffered a fignal
defeat, in 1610, off this very ifland ; their admiral, WiUert, was
defeated and flain, and three capital Chips taken, by the gallant
Spaniard, Don Juande Sylva; but at length, hy the affiftance of
the king of Pernate, the Hollanders made themfelves mailers of
the fort, and were received by the monarch o f Pidor in the rnoft
friendly manner. The ifland had been four times moil bar-
baroufly ravaged by the Portuguefe and Cajlilians. The Pidorians
naturally confidered thefe new Europeans as their deliverers
from moil inveterate enemies. Here are twenty-five mofques,
the chief of which belongs to the fultan. As to his temporalities,
he
he poffeffes, befides Pidor, great part of the fouth and Call o f
Gilolo, and clames the Papuan ifles o f Waygiou, Myfol, and
Patenta.
Pernate is the rhoft northern and molt important o f all the T e rn a te .
Moluccas, yet it is not more than eight leagues in circumference.
Dependent on its monarch are the greateit part of
the north o f Gilolo, and o f the north-eaft of Celebes; the ifle o f
Morii, that o f Batcbian and Motir; and feveral other diftant
ifles, fuch as Xula, Buero, Sanguir, and Veranulla, near Am-
boitia; he had even part of New Guinea, and received a tribute
o f gold, amber, and birds Of Paradife. All thefe, New Guinea
excepted, contribute their quota o f militia. Mr. Forrejl gives *
a regular lift o f the number formerly furniihed, exadtly proportioned
to their fize or population, as we do at prefent in the
regulation o f the militia to be raifed in each Britijh county; the
fum total amounted to .90,700. The naval power was alfo very
confiderable, and they and the Pidorians have had fome well-
contefled battles with the Europeans. Soon after the arrival of
the Portuguefe, they burnt at once all the forefts Of cloves ; but
they fpeedily revived with as much vigor as ever. The Portuguefe.
rendered themfelves matters of the ifland, and built a llrong
fort. The natives thrice abandoned their country; till at length,
defperate with the opprelfions o f ilrangers, in 1530 they returned
in the night, and burnt and deitroyed even their own
habitations.
T h e Dutch, on their arrival, were received as deliverers;,
but the natives foon difcovering that the objeit of every Eu-
* A 34,
ropean