house for them and dress their victuals during their
stay, which is usually two or three months, and when they go away
again, they give liberty to these temporary wives to go where they
please.

The island of Banda is very hilly, yet fertile, the government
among the natives being a kind of commonwealth, administered by the
Mahomedan priests, who are very strict and severe. The population
of the whole island may be about 12,000 persons of all ages, of whom
about 4000 are fighting men. It is so well fortified as to be deemed
impregnable, yet there is always a numerous squadron of small vessels
on the coast for farther security. The garrison is numerous, but in
a worse condition than those of any other garrison, belonging to the
company, owing to the scarcity of victuals, as the island is of a
barren sandy soil,[1] wherefore the soldiers eat dogs, cats, and
any other animal they can find. For six months of the year they have
tolerable abundance of turtle or sea-tortoises, and after this they
are glad to get a little sorry fish, now and then. Their bread is made
from the juice of a tree, which resembles the grounds of beer when
first drawn, but grows as hard as a stone when dried: Yet, when put
into water, it swells and ferments, and so becomes fit to eat, at
least in this country, where nothing else is to be had.[2] Butter,
rice, dried fish, and other provisions, are all imported from Batavia,
and are much too dear to be purchased by the soldiers, at least in any
great plenty. Thus the inhabitants are none of the happiest; but, to
do them justice, they live fully as well as they deserve, as there is
not an honest man on the island.

[Footnote 1: This is contradictory, having been before described as
hilly, yet fertile.--E.]

[Footnote 2: This account of the matter is not easily understood, and
seems to want confirmation. Perhaps it is an ignorant or perverted
report of sago: Yet there may possibly be some tree or plant affording
a considerable quantity of fecula or starch by expression.--E.]

According to the Dutch, the original natives of this island were so
cruel, perfidious and intractable, that they were forced to root them
out in a great measure for their own security, and to send a Dutch
colony to occupy the island: But such a colony as has not much mended
the matter, being entirely composed of a rascally good-for-nothing
people, who were either content to come, or were sentenced to be sent
here, almost to star