Introduction

The Alliance concluded betwixt the Kings of the Archipelago, and particularly Vaygamano, Vaigeo, Quibibio, and Mincimbio, reigning in the Islands Papuas, was follow’d by such an Accident, that tho’ the Minds of the Confederates had not been already so well dispos’d, nor the Blood of those Innocent Kings so newly spilt, it would have consummated the Hatred they had conceived against the Portuguese Nation.

All the Ports of the Molucco Islands were so well secur’d, and the Passage for Provisions so wholly stopp’d up, that Tristan de Atayde despairing of Relief, sent Captain Pinto to Mindanao, Pinto sent for Relief. and the Neighbouring Islands, to furnish such things as were absolutly necessary for the Support of Life, there being nothing to be had within his Liberties. Pinto sailing in a good Ship, arriv’d at Mindanao, visited the King, by whom he was well receiv’d; and he having seen his Credentials, and consulted the Sangiacks of his Council, establish’d Peace and Amity with him. He sold the Commodities he carry’d at his own Rates, and buying and barterring, loaded with Provisions to his own Content; thence he went over to the Island Seriago, where he was no less successful with the King. In this Island, that their Friendship might last for ever, they concluded the Peace with a barbarous Ceremony, which when practis’d in those Parts, they never break the Articles. The Parties being met, certain Officers appointed for that Purpose, draw a Quantity of Blood from Barbarous Custome. their Arms, and each drinks the other’s, as a Gage of Affection; believing they convey it into their Souls, by that horrid Draught. This Contract so ratify’d, produc’d such Confidence, that their Ships repair’d to our [35]Ports, and ours to theirs, with all possible Security, without any Let or Prohibition. Pinto perceiving what a Multitude of the Natives resorted to his Ship, resolved to make a Prey of them; and the last Day, Forty of them coming Aboard to Trade, he perswaded them to go down into the Hold, on Pretence of showing them its Bulk and Conveniencies, and as Villany of Pinto. soon as they were down, shut the Hatches upon them; this he practised several times, till at last, tho’ he observ’d them close, one of them forcing his Way out, leap’d into the Sea, and swam ashore. He went directly to the King, whom he acquainted with the villanous Practice; The King justly enrag’d, to see Friendship so newly contracted, and confirm’d by the most sacred of Tyes, in his Opinion, so perfidiously violated by the Portugueses, thinking Religion affronted, immediately order’d all the Ships that were afloat to be brought together, and such as were finish’d in the Docks, to be launch’d; all which being well equipp’d, stor’d with Guns, and full of those furious Barbarians, encompass’d the Portuguese Ship, attacking her on all Sides. Pinto was beginning to weigh his Anchors, having seen the Ships in Motion, and the Men hasting Aboard; he defended himself with only 25 Soldiers, who had scarce time to handle their Arms; for the Natives of Seriago began already to Board, and those who were Prisoners under Deck had prevaild, but that the Mariners loos’d their Sails. At this time there fell a dreadful Storm of Rain, with such amazing Thunder and Lightning, as if the Heavens had been rent asunder. The Seriagos quitted the Portuguese Ship, endeavouring to recover the Shore in their own Vessels, with their Sails rent, the Hulls shatter’d, and the Rigging disabled; and to get off the better, they threw over-board their Cannon and Arms, being in danger of sinking. This Tempest lasted two Days, during which Time, Pinto’s Ship could not escape, his Men and he being so far spent, that they had neither Strength nor Courage to stand by their Tackle; they let the Ship drive with the Sea, and threw over-board their Provisions, Merchandize, Guns, Arms, Cloaths, and all they could come at; and being convinc’d of the Justice of the Judgment, for having broken their Faith, and solemn Engagement they had made, arriv’d at Ternate astonish’d, dumb, and out of Countenance, thinking they were still in the Storm. Such are the Effects of a guilty Conscience, which presently provokes God’s Wrath.

All the Kings of the adjacent Islands were soon acquainted with the Leagues against the Portugueses. Perfidiousness of those few Portugueses, that they had transgress’d the sacred Laws of Hospitality, and always made a mischievous Use of Benefits; whereupon they immediately concluded their League, to be exercised like desperate Men. They presently made Proclamation, forbidding, under most severe Penalties, the conveying of any Provisions to the Portugueses, either by Sea or Land, that so they might be reduc’d to quit all those Provinces, and fly into India, and since they could not batter the Fort, for Want of great Guns, they should starve it out; enjoyning all Persons of all Ages, and both Sexes, to be vigilant in observing this fatal Decree, that so the Trading Galeon might not afford them the Comfort of hoping for Relief.

Then considering that the main Motive of their exercising such Tyranny, was the Spice of Cloves, wherewith Ternate, and all the Moluccos abound, the Natives resolv’d to set Fire to all the Trees, endeavouring [36]that the Conflagration should be so Universal, as that the Moluccos might ever after remain barren. They well knew that this was contriving their own Ruin; but they look’d upon it as a pleasing and advantageous Destruction, so they might but be reveng’d of their Enemies.

Reflection.

The Crop of Cloves makes the Wealth of the Molucco Kings, much more than the Taxes their Subjects pay; and tho’ Rage, and Despair put Fire into their Hands, to burn their Country, it might happen, as sometimes Mistakes prove advantageous, that what they design’d to render their Fields Barren, might make them more Fruitful. It is well known that course Ashes mix’d, and scatter’d on the Face of the Earth often Fertilize it. Nothing is more frequent in Europe than to burn the Stubble, and Straw upon barren Lands; because, either the burnt Earth gathers some Unknown Strength, and produces good Pasture, or else the Fire consumes its Rankness, and exhales the superfluous Moisture. Perhaps the intense Heat opens several Passages, and dilates the close Pores, and hidden Veins, thro’ which the Nourishment flows, and thence the Earth receives it in all Parts, to make it capable of a new Product; or else it hardens, and closes the Vents which were open’d, that so the thin Waters, or the continual Intenseness of the Sun, or the piercing Cold of the North-East Wind, which is chilling, may do it no Harm. Besides, Nature having chosen that only Part of the World to produce this sort of Fruit, in which there has never been observ’d any Failure, or Intermission, it could not be believing that a Momentary Violence should utterly cause it to cease. However the Design of those People was not to renew those Spicy Groves, but entirely to destroy them. This shows how mischievously they were bent against themselves, and against all Nations. It will be therefore convenient in this Place to treat of the Cloves at large.

Account of Cloves.

The first that made any Account of it, were the Chineses, who attracted by the Scent, began to load their Junks with it for the Gulphs of Persia and Arabia. Pliny was acquainted with, and defines it, saying, It is a long Pepper; and calls it Garyophillum. The Persians gave it since the Name of Calafur, it does not belong to us to decide which of these Words was derived from the other. The Spaniards formerly call’d it Girofe, and afterwards Clavos, because they are like Nails, which bear the same Name. The Head of the Clove, having four small Teeth that cross it, resembles a Star. The Natives of the Moluccos call the Tree Siger, the Leaf Varaqua, and the Fruit Chamque. The Plant is not unlike our Bay-Tree, but bears a greater Head. When it begins to blossom, it spreads a most delicious Fragrancy, and on the very Top like the Myrtle, from one single Stock produces an infinite Number of Clusters, like those of Elder, or the Honey-Suckle. At first coming out they are White, as they grow up Green, and the third Season, when Ripe, makes them Red; this Variety of Colours, by inward Virtue, showing the several Terms that bring it to Perfection. Those that remain on the Clusters, which they call Mother Cloves, continue there a year, growing larger and stronger. They either thresh the Branches to gather them, or else shake them with Cords they have made fast above, drawing from below, after the Ground about is clean’d; but it is naturally clear from Weeds, for this Sovereign Tree suffers no sort of Herb to grow about it. It draws all the moisture so powerfully to it self, that all [37]Roots about are destroy’d, or starv’d. It bears at eight Years standing, and lasts an hundred. Some say it would hold longer, were it not strip’d with such Violence, which it avenges by growing Barren; but they are mistaken, for in the Islands of Bachian, they lop the Branches, that they may produce more Cloves, and the low Branches bear least. From these they gather the Cloves with their Hands, and they only bear when the Monson blows. They yield their Fruit from September to February every two Years. Others say once in three; because when they gather the Clove, besides that the Plant is much impair’d, they break off those Buds, which produce the Blossoms of the Cloves; but then they afford certain hopes of another Crop. The Truth of it is, that Nature allows them a Year’s respit, during which they rest like the Olive-Trees in Europe. They are gathered when Ripe, and their Ripeness appears by being Red. Being spread in the Sun, in three Days they dry up, and contract a blackish Ash-colour.

Mistake of Avicen.

Avicen, by his leave, was deceiv’d, when he said that the Gum of the Clove Tree is answerable in its Virtue to Turpentine; for Experience has prov’d the contrary.

Besides, that Trees excessive hot or cold, yield no Gum, but only those which are temperate between both. Sea-Water Feeds, and Fresh does them Harm. A certain Historian Writes, that they yield Fruit twice a Year; if by it he means the middle Crop, which is very small, we grant it; but if he speaks of the most Fruitful, as the Triennial, which with general Amazement produces enough to serve all Nations, the Belief of his Assertion will remain in the Author himself.

These Plants make amends for their delay in the Abundance of their Product; which is such, that after enriching all Nations with it, the K. of Spain’s Revenue out of it, Yearly amounts to two Millions of pieces of Eight, little over or under. It is generally reckon’d that only the five Molucco Islands produce all the Clove, because of the prodigious Quantity they yield.

They always amount to Four Thousand Bars, each Bar of Ternate being four hundred Weight, and three quarters, and this for that Island; but the third of the whole taken for the King amounts to six thousand Bars, and every common Bar is better than five hundred Weight of ours. Perhaps the Word Bar might come from the Greek Baros, signifying a Load. The Cloves grow also in the small Islands of Ires and Meytarana, about Ternate; those of Pulo and Cavali near Tydore, and in Gilolo, Sabugo and Gamoconora, Towns of Barachina; as also in the Islands of Amboyna and Veranula, more in this last than in all the others, but they are weak, and smaller. The Clove Trees grow up without any Help or Art, like all Trees coming from Rocks, and they made the only Woods in these Islands, which sucking in all the moisture Heaven affords, it is a wonder to see any other Plant near. When they have a mind to Transplant a Clove Tree, they set it where many Weeds grow, that it may thrive the sooner, by the help of the Moisture, and Virtue it sucks from them, and as the Tree thrives those Plants perish. For the same reason Cloves are ill Neighbours to full Vessels. The Ring Doves, whereof there are great numbers in Gilolo, eat many of those Cloves which grow Old upon the Tree, then flying they purge in the Air with the Motion, and from their Excrements dropping on the Ground Clove Trees grow up. Heaven has given them so plentifully only to these Islands, abstractly from all the World beside; being at first not valu’d, or [38]known by the Natives. This is what they would have destroy’d by Fire, that it might be totally annihilated; because the Flames gather more Strength among combustible Matter, than other Violences, to which sublunary things are subject.

Since we are now upon the Description of the Moluccos, and in regard Moluccos describ’d. that those delightful Provinces are so remote from us, we will go on with what is remarkable in them, to show the desperate Fury of those People, who had condemn’d them to the Flames. All the five Molucco Islands are almost round, and of the same Shape. The compass of the biggest is not seven Leagues. They have all Crags, of a wonderful Height, cover’d with an odoriferous Fragrancy of wild Cloves; and about them several Cities, Towns and Forts. Their exact Roundness is the Reason they have no good Harbours for both the Monsons of Norwest and South. Only Ternate forms the Port they call Talangame, and a League from it, that of Toloco, where Ships ride safe, and with their Boats close to the Shore. The Forts were not erected in either of them, because they should not be remote from the King’s Court. Both these Ports look to the Eastward, and have ridges of Rocks that break off the Sea, and secure the Vessels. That of Ternate, opposite to the Fort admits of Caravels, at high Water and spring-Tides, which being unloaded ride where they will.

This Ridge of Rocks is of a sort of Stone, that turns into Coral, which when old hardens, and shooting out many Branches, knits together, and turns again into Stone, whereof excellent Lime is made. It is so contriv’d that those who come to it by Sea, think they see noble Structures erected for the Defence of the Harbour. The Mountain, which rises in the midst of Ternate, two Burning Mountain. Leagues in Height, and cover’d with Palm, and other rare Trees, has on the Top of it a Mouth or Cave, that seems to reach down to the very Center. A Man can hardly be seen from the one side to the other. Within it is a Square Spot, like a Threshing-Floor, made of Stones and loose Earth. Some curious Persons have view’d it, and among them one Gabriel Rebelo Factor, and Alcayde of the Fort; who having sounded it, tying together several long Fishing-Lines, found it was 500 Fath. deep. At the Bottom gushes out a beautiful Spring, tho’ no Man has dar’d to Tast of it, or try whether it is Sweet or Sower. The loose Floor shakes with the Fire in the Bowels of the Mountain; whereof the first Account was given by Anthony Galvam, who Observ’d it in the Year 1538, when he was Commander in Chief over these Islands. He went up to see that Wonder in Nature, at a safe Time, for he could not have done it in April, or September, when the Sun moves from one Hemisphere to the other, and crosses the Equinoctial, which cuts half a Degree of Ternate, because of the Winds then kindling the Flames.

Had Pliny, when he went out of Curiosity to see the Burning of Mount Vesuvius, in Italy, taken another opportunity, he had not been Burnt to Death, as his Nephew writ to Cornelius Tacitus. It stinks, and casts out Smoke, Sulphur, and Red-Stones, as it were out of the Mouth of a Canon; shewing the Mountain to be hollow at the Foundation. It causes Earthquakes, and Noise; and the Flames, and burnt Stones, have reach’d to the City, and Fort, and even to the Islands of the Meaos and Casures, twenty Leagues from Ternate. The Smoke is of several Colours, because the Moisture and Corruption of the Earth exhales it thick, and diversify’d, [39]which is help’d by the ill Quality of the Air, and that, with the falling of the Excrements the Fire casts out upon the Springs, corrupts the Waters, and destroys Health. Going up this Mountain two thirds of the Height, it is all Green and Fruitful; but the Top is excessive Cold, without any sort of Fowl, or Birds, but abundance of Flyes. Thence is descry’d a spacious Sea, and an infinite Number of Islands; because the Purity of the Air, free from Exhalations, as is said of the Top of Mount Olympus, represents curious Objects to the Sight, and favours it without any Let, the greater part of the Year. Where the Thickness of the Trees Terminates, a Spring of fresh Water gushes out, so very cold that there is no Drinking of it, but by Sips. At the Top, some distance from the Mouth, which casts out the Flames, they at this time tore away a piece of the Mountain, whence for two Days abundance of Water flow’d; great pieces of Rocks roul’d down the side of the Hill, to the Sea; forming Concavities, and bearing down Trees, and Ruins. The same Mountain, on the Top, has a spacious sweet Pool, encompass’d with Trees, wherein there are blew, and gold-Colour Alligators, above a Fadom long, who, as soon as they hear People stirring, plunge down to the Bottom.

These Islands know no Difference of Summer and Winter; nor is there Seasons. any settled Rainy Season, but it generally Rains more with the North-East, than with the South Wind. The Molucco Islands breed Snakes above 30 Snakes. Foot long, and proportionably thick; but they are neither Quick of Motion, nor Venomous. Those who have seen them affirm, That when they want Sustenance, they chew a certain Herb Nature has shown them, and climbing the Trees by the Sea-side, cast into it what they have chew’d; many Fishes come to Eate it, and being made Drunk, lye helpless upon the Water; then the Snakes launch out upon them, and satisfy their Hunger, till they are full of those stupify’d Fishes. The Crocodils on the Land are Crocodils. the fiercest of Monsters; the Ancients write almost the contrary of those of the Nile. These in the Sea are so Timorous, that they suffer themselves to be bound under Water. A Crocodile has been taken that had four Eyes, and a very little Heart. Here are also found certain Insects, which they Insect. call Cuzos, living on Trees, on whose Fruit they feed: They are like Rabbits, their Hair thick, harsh, and curl’d, of a brightish Brown; their Eyes round and sprightly; their Feet small; and a very long Tail, by which they hang, the better to reach the Fruit; and they stink like Foxes.

In the Desert Parts there are Wild-Fowl; some of the Tame are the same we have in Europe. The Parots, in their Tongue call’d Nores, of several Parots. Colours intermixt, Cry excessively, but Talk well. An Islander affirms, That at this time, when the People were Conspiring, a Parrot in the Air cry’d, I Dye, I Die; and beating his Wings, fell down Dead.

A Relation tells us of another, that came from Amboyna, on the Mast of a small Vessel, when they went to take him, he cry’d out, Sebastian, Sebastian, who was his Master, and came to his assistance. There are great flocks of Birds and Fishes. black Geese, with Parrots Feet; Martins, Swallows, Feldefares, Thrushes, and Sparrow-Hawks. The variety of Fish is infinite; the Sea-Cow, like that of Brazil; a sort of Crab, one part whereof Eaten, kills in 24 Hours; this is on the Sea-shore, under certain Trees, whose shade suffers no Grass or Herb to grow; those who Sleep in it Sicken, and it dries and parches up [40]the very Ground. There is another sort of Crabs, not unlike Lobsters, but with less Claws; they have strong white Teeth, with which they break the Shels, to eat the Almonds; they breed among Rocks, are taken at Night with Light; their Body, Claws, and all the Flesh, is like that of a Lobster. Near the Tail they have a Bag, full of a certain Substance delicious to the Tast, for which they are as much valu’d as Pullets.

Strange Sticks. All over the Moluccos there grows a sort of reddish Sticks, which burn in the Fire, raise a Flame, and are like a burning Cole, without wasting; They look to be of a Stony Nature, moulder away betwixt the Fingers, and are easily broken by the Teeth. Not far from the Fort of Ternate, is to Tree of Butter-Flies. be seen the Plant call’d Catopa, from which there drop Leaves less than the common sort; the Stem whereof, on a sudden, is form’d into the Head of a Worm, or Butter-Fly; the Body and Fibers coming from it, make Feet, and the Leafy Part, Wings; so that it soon becoms a perfect Butter-Fly, and at the same time a Leaf. This Tree buds out every Year, like a Chestnut-Tree, and from the Buds proceed these Worms, which run upon Threads fastened to the Leaves. Nature was profuse with those People; especially as to the Cloves, which I distinguish from the Long-Peper Pliny perhaps spoke of, when he nam’d the Garyophillum.

But since the Profit of that so highly valu’d Product, was to occasion such bloody Wars, such incredible Voiages, from all Parts of the World, that the real Dangers, are even beyond human Belief; it may well be controverted, whether it were A good Remark. most for the publick Tranquility, that this Spice should be known, or ever conceal’d; for its Plenty and Virtue, which awaken’d the Avarice of the remotest Nations, has glutted those Seas with the Wracks of Ships, and Fleets, and call’d thither Armies of Rebels, making their passage through Streights before unknown, in the Sight of Mountains cover’d with blew Ice and Snow, as never reach’d by the Suns bright Beams; and yet they venture at all, not out of any Zeal of promoting Religion, or Civility, but only to load with that Spice, which has occasion’d Disobedience and Superstition. This is the precious Commodity, which gives Power and Wealth to those Kings, and causes their Wars. A Wonder of Nature, which plainly shows it has created nothing so harmless, but what is abus’d by human Malice. This is the true Fruit of Discord, rather than the fabulous Apple of the three Godesses, since for it there has been, and still is, more Fighting, than for the Mines of Gold. Had this happen’d in the Days of the Greek, or Latin Poets, how much more would thay have spoken of our Moluccos, than they did of the Islands Gorgones in the Ethiopick Ocean? Let us stop a little to reflect on the Dangers Mortals expose themselves to, rather, perhaps, to please their wanton Appetites, than to confirm their Health.