and active dispositions:  But are naturally thieves, traitors, and murderers to such a degree, that it is not safe for an European to venture beyond the walls of the fort after dark, or to travel at any time far into the country, lest he be robbed and murdered.  Yet many of the natives live under the protection of the Dutch forts, being free burgesses, who carry on considerable trade.  There are also a considerable number of Chinese residents, who sail from hence in vessels of their own to all parts of the company’s dominions, and who acquire immense wealth by means of extensive commerce.

The inland country is under the dominion of three different princes, who, fortunately for the Dutch, are in continual opposition to each other; for, if united, they might easily drive the Dutch from the island.  One of these princes is styled the Company’s King, as he lives in good correspondence with the Dutch, and promotes their interest as far as he can.  On this account the Dutch make him presents of considerable value from time to time, such as gold chains, golden coronets set with precious stones, and the like, in order to keep him steady in his allegiance, and to prevent him from uniting with the other two princes of the island.  Some little time before the arrival of Roggewein at Batavia, a rich gold-mine was discovered in Celebes, to which a director and a great number of workmen were sent from Batavia; but how far this has been attended with success, our author was unable to say.

Ternate is the fifth government at the disposal of the company, and the farthest east of all belonging to the Dutch dominions in India, so that it is a kind of frontier.  The governor is always a merchant, and has a council, like all the others already mentioned.  This is one of the largest of the Molucca islands, and the king of Ternate is the most valuable of all the allies of the company; as, although his island would abound in cloves, he causes them to be rooted out annually, for which the company allows him a pension of eighteen or twenty thousand rix dollars yearly.  He has likewise a numerous life-guard, with a very strong fort well garrisoned, all at the expence of the company.  The kings of Tidore and Bachian are his tributaries.  Ternate is very fertile, and abounds in all sorts of provisions, and in every thing that can contribute to the ease and happiness of life, yet its commerce is of no great importance, hardly amounting to as much as is necessary to defray the charges of the government.  It was at this time, however, expected to turn out to better account, as a rich gold-mine had been recently discovered.  The natives are a middle-sized people, strong and active, more faithful than their neighbours, and better affected towards the Europeans.  In religion they are mostly Mahometans or Pagans; but of late many of them had become Christians, chiefly occasioned by their king having declared himself of that religion, a point of great consequence towards the conversion of the