He Was An Intelligent And Most Amiable Young Man
But I Was Shocked To Find That He Was Dying Of Consumption,
Though Still Able To Perform The Duties Of His Office.
In the
evening my host took me to the residence of the Governor, Mr.
Goldmann, who received me in a most kind and cordial manner, and
offered me every assistance.
The town of Amboyna consists of a
few business streets, and a number of roads set out at right
angles to each other, bordered by hedges of flowering shrubs, and
enclosing country houses and huts embossed in palms and fruit
trees. Hills and mountains form the background in almost every
direction, and there are few places more enjoyable for a morning
or evening stroll than these sandy roads and shady lanes in the
suburbs of the ancient city of Amboyna.
There are no active volcanoes in the island, nor is it now
subject to frequent earthquakes, although very severe ones have
occurred and may be expected again. Mr. William Funnell, in his
voyage with Dampier to the South Seas in 1705, says: "Whilst we
were here, (at Amboyna) we had a great earthquake, which
continued two days, in which time it did a great deal of
mischief, for the ground burst open in many places, and swallowed
up several houses and whole families. Several of the people were
dug out again, but most of them dead, and many had their legs or
arms broken by the fall of the houses.
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