ON the morning of the 8th of January, 1858, I arrived at Ternate,
the fourth of a row of fine conical volcanic islands which shirt
the west coast of the large and almost unknown n island of
Gilolo. The largest and most perfectly conical mountain is
Tidore, which is over four thousand Feet high - Ternate being very
nearly the same height, but with a more rounded and irregular
summit. The town of Ternate is concealed from view till we enter
between the two islands, when it is discovered stretching along
the shore at the very base of the mountain. Its situation is
fine, and there are grand views on every side. Close opposite is
the rugged promontory and beautiful volcanic cone of Tidore; to
the east is the long mountainous coast of Gilolo, terminated
towards the north by a group of three lofty volcanic peaks, while
immediately behind the town rises the huge mountain, sloping
easily at first and covered with thick groves of fruit trees, but
soon becoming steeper, and furrowed with deep gullies. Almost to
the summit, whence issue perpetually faint wreaths of smoke, it
is clothed with vegetation, and looks calm and beautiful,
although beneath are hidden fires which occasionally burst forth
in lava-streams, but more frequently make their existence known
by the earthquakes which have many times devastated the town.
I brought letters of introduction to Mr. Duivenboden, a native of
Ternate, of an ancient Dutch family, but who was educated in
England, and speaks our language perfectly. He was a very rich
man, owned half the town, possessed many ships, and above a
hundred slaves. He was moreover, well educated, and fond of
literature and science - a phenomenon in these regions. He was
generally known as the king of Ternate, from his large property
and great influence with the native Rajahs and their subjects.
Through his assistance I obtained a house; rather ruinous, but
well adapted to my purpose, being close to the town, yet with a
free outlet to the country and the mountain. A few needful
repairs were soon made, some bamboo furniture and other
necessaries obtained, and after a visit to the Resident and
Police Magistrate I found myself an inhabitant of the earthquake-
tortured island of Ternate, and able to look about me and lay
down the plan of my campaign for the ensuing year. I retained
this house for three years, as I found it very convenient to have
a place to return to after my voyages to the various islands of
the Moluccas and New Guinea, where I could pack my collections,
recruit my health, and make preparations for future journeys. To
avoid repetitions, I will in this chapter combine what notes I
have about Ternate.
A description of my house (the plan of which is here shown) will
enable the reader to understand a very common mode of building in
these islands. There is of course only one floor. The walls are
of stone up to three feet high; on this are strong squared posts
supporting the roof, everywhere except in the verandah filled in
with the leaf-stems of the sago-palm, fitted neatly in wooden
owing. The floor is of stucco, and the ceilings are like the
walls. The house is forty feet square, consists of four rooms, a
hall, and two verandahs, and is surrounded by a wilderness of
fruit trees. A deep well supplied me with pure cold water, a
great luxury in this climate. Five minutes' walk down the road
brought me to the market and the beach, while in the opposite
direction there were no more European houses between me and the
mountain. In this house I spent many happy days. Returning to it
after a three or four months' absence in some uncivilized region,
I enjoyed the unwonted luxuries of milk and fresh bread, and
regular supplies of fish and eggs, meat and vegetables, which
were often sorely needed to restore my health and energy. I had
ample space and convenience or unpacking, sorting, and arranging
my treasures, and I had delightful walks in the suburbs of the
town, or up the lower slopes of the mountain, when I desired a
little exercise, or had time for collecting.
The lower part of the mountain, behind the town of Ternate, is
almost entirely covered with a forest of fruit trees, and during
the season hundreds of men and women, boys and girls, go up every
day to bring down the ripe fruit. Durians and Mangoes, two of the
very finest tropical fruits, are in greater abundance at Ternate
than I have ever seen them, and some of the latter are of a
quality not inferior to any in the world. Lansats and Mangustans
are also abundant, but these do not ripen till a little later.
Above the fruit trees there is a belt of clearings and cultivated
grounds, which creep up the mountain to a height of between two
and three thousand feet, above which is virgin forest, reaching
nearly to the summit, which on the side next the town is covered
with a high reedy grass. On the further side it is more elevated,
of a bare and desolate aspect, with a slight depression marking
the position of the crater. From this part descends a black
scoriaceous tract; very rugged, and covered with a scanty
vegetation of scattered bushes as far down as the sea. This is
the lava of the great eruption near a century ago, and is called
by the natives "batu-angas"(burnt rock).
Just below my house is the fort, built by the Portuguese, below
which is an open space to the peach, and beyond this the native
town extends for about a mile to the north-east. About the centre
of it is the palace of the Sultan, now a large untidy, half-
ruinous building of stone.
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