the malay archipelago-2-第1节

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The　Malay　Archipelago

by　Alfred　Russell　Wallace




VOLUME　II




CHAPTER　XXI

THE　MOLUCCASTERNATE。

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　highTernate　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　sciencea　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。　This　chief　is　pensioned　by　the　Dutch　Government；　but　retains　the　sovereignty　over　the　native　population　of　the　island；　and　of　the　northern　part　of　Gilolo。　The　sultans　of　Ternate　and　Tidore　were　once　celebrated　through　the　East　for　their　power　and　regal　magnificence。　When　Drake　visited　Ternate　in　1579；　the　Portuguese　had　been　driven　out　of　the　island；　although　they　still　had　a　settlement　at　Tidore。　He　gives　a　glowing　account　of　the　Sultan：　〃The　King　had　a　very　rich　canopy　with　embossings　of　gold　borne　over　him；　and　was　guarded　with　twelve　lances。　From　the　waist　to　the　ground　was　all　cloth　of　gold；　and　that　very　rich；　in　the　attire　of　his　head　were　finely　wreathed　in；　diverse　rings　of　plaited　gold；　of　an　inch　or　more　in　breadth；　which　made　a　fair　and　princely　show；　somewhat　resembling　a　crown　in　form；　about　his　neck　he　had　a　chain　of　perfect　gold；　the　links　very　great　and　one　fold　double；　on　his　left　hand　was　a　diamond；　an　emerald；　a　ruby；　and　a　turky；　on　his　right　hand　in　one　ring　a　big　and　perfect　turky；　and　in　another　ring　many　diamonds　of　a　smaller　size。〃

All　this　glitter　of　barbaric　gold　was　the　produce　of　the　spice　trade；　of　which　the　Sultans　kept　the　monopoly；　and　by　which　they　became　wealthy。　Ternate；　with　the　small　islands　in　a　line　south　of　it；　as　far　as　Batchian；　constitute　the　ancient　Moluccas；　the　native　country　of　the　clove；　as　well　as　the　only　part　in　which　it　was　cultivated。　Nutmegs　and　mace　were　procured　from　the　natives　of　New　Guinea　and　the　adjacent　islands；　where　they　grew　wild；　and　the　profits　on　spice　cargoes　were　so　enormous；　that　the　European　traders　were　glad　to　give　gold　and　jewels；　and　the　finest　manufactures　of　Europe　or　of　India；　in　exchange。　When　the　Dutch　established　their　influence　in　these　seas；　and　relieved　the　native　princes　from　their　Portuguese　oppressors；　they　saw　that　the　easiest　way　to　repay　themselves　would　be　to　get　this　spice　trade　into　their　own　hands。　For　this　purpose　they　adopted　the　wise　principle　of　concentrating　the　culture　of　these　valuable　products　in　those　spots　only　of　which　they　could　have　complete　control。　To　do　this　effectually　it　was　necessary　to　abolish　the　culture　and　trade　in　all　other　places；　which　they　succeeded　in　doing　by　treaty　with　the　native　rulers。　These　agreed　to　have　all　the　spice　trees　in　their　possessions　destroyed。　They　gave　up　large　though　fluctuating　revenues；　but　they　gained　in　return　a　fixed　subsidy；　freedom　from　the　constant　attacks　and　harsh　oppressions　of　the　Portuguese；　and　a　continuance　of　their　regal　power　and　exclusive　authority　over　their　own　subjects；　which　is　maintained　in　all　the　islands　except　Ternate　to　this　day。

It　is　no　doubt　supposed　by　most　Englishmen；　who　have　been　accustomed　to　look　upon　this　act　of　the　Dutch　with　vague　horror；　as　something　utterly　unprincipled　and　barbarous；　that　the　native　population　suffered　grievously　by　this　destruction　of　such　valuable　property。　But　it　is　certain　that　this　was　not　the　case。　The　Sultans　kept　this　lucrative　trade　entirely　in　their　own　hands　as　a　rigid　monopoly；　and　they　would　take　care　not　to　give；　their　subjects　more　than　would　amount　to　their　usual　wages；　while：　they　would　surely　exact　as　large　a　quantity　of　spice　as　they　could　possibly　obtain。　Drake　and　other　early　voyagers　always　seem　to　have　purchased　their　spice…cargoes　from　the　Sultans　and　Rajahs；　and　not　from　the　cultivators。　Now　the　absorption　of　so　much　labour　in　the　cultivation　of　this　one　product　must　necessarily　have　raised　the　price　of　food　and　other　necessaries；　and　when　it　was　abolished；　more　rice　would　be　grown；　more　sago　made；　more　fish　caught；　and　more　tortoise…shell；　rattan；　gum…dammer；　and　other　valuab