In these conveyances we ascended to the summit of the island by a broad flight of stone steps, leading up from the landing-place, at the top of which we saw a ruined fort, and a church, that still retains traces of having been a fine building, though it had been much shaken by an earthquake.  After passing the church, we entered the nutmeg plantations.

NUTMEG PLANTATIONS.

The scenery was most beautiful.  Under the shade of large kanari trees, whose luxuriant foliage most effectually excluded the sun’s rays, were thousands of nutmeg trees loaded with blossom and fruit in every stage of development.  After passing through above a mile of these, we arrived at a house belonging to one of the planters, where we saw the process of curing the nutmeg.

In nine months from the opening of the blossom, the fruit, which resembles in appearance and shape an unripe peach, is gathered from the tree, by means of a long stick with an iron hook at the end.  The outer covering, a tough fleshy skin which being opened divides in two halves, is then pulled off, and the mace, which is found partly enveloping the nut, is carefully separated and dried for two or three days in the sun.  The nutmegs are then placed on long bamboo platforms, under sheds built for the purpose, where they are dried by means of wood fires.  When sufficiently dry, they are handed over to the Government (who monopolize the whole produce of the island) and are then placed in the Government stores, where they are heated with quick-lime, which has the effect of preserving them from insects:  they are then ready for exportation.

The annual produce of the island is said to average from 300,000 to 400,000 pounds of nutmegs; and about one-fourth that quantity of mace.  Nutmegs are the only produce of Banda.  Cloves are grown upon the island, but are considered to be so much inferior in quality to those produced at Amboyna, that they are not exported.

In returning to the ship, the bearers amused themselves by racing with each other, a proceeding far from agreeable to us who were carried, particularly when we came to the flight of steps, which they descended at full speed, shaking the chairs to such a degree that we had some trouble in keeping our seats.  On arriving at the bottom we were most hospitably received by one of the nutmeg planters.

On the 6th July we sailed from Banda, passing out through the western entrance, between the shoal extending from Great Banda and the Gounung Api; though very narrow, it is quite safe, and by keeping over on the Gounung Api shore, which is very steep, we found plenty of water.

BAY OF AMBOYNA.

July 7.

We entered the bay of Amboyna; but light winds prevented our reaching the anchorage till noon on the 8th.  We found a Dutch frigate, the Bellona, a 14-gun brig, and several merchant vessels under Dutch colours lying in the roads.

On landing, I was most kindly received by the Governor-General of the Moluccas, Colonel de Stuers, who gave me a most pressing invitation to take up my abode at his delightful residence a short distance out of the town, which was gladly accepted.  During our stay at Amboyna the rain was almost incessant.  This prevented our seeing the clove plantations, which were described as being very beautiful, and the cloves of Amboyna are as much prized as the nutmegs of Banda.