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888681-The-Malay-Archipelago-by-Alfred-Russell-Wallace

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<strong>The</strong> people of Ternate are of three well-marked races the Ternate<br />

<strong>Malay</strong>s, the Orang Sirani, and the Dutch. <strong>The</strong> first are an<br />

intrusive <strong>Malay</strong> race somewhat allied to the Macassar people, who<br />

settled in the country at a very early epoch, drove out the<br />

indigenes, who were no doubt the same as those of the adjacent<br />

mainland of Gilolo, and established a monarchy. <strong>The</strong>y perhaps<br />

obtained many of their wives from the natives, which will account<br />

for the extraordinary language they speak--in some respects<br />

closely allied to that of the natives of Gilolo, while it<br />

contains much that points to a <strong>Malay</strong>an origin. To most of these<br />

people the <strong>Malay</strong> language is quite unintelligible, although such<br />

as are engaged in trade are obliged to acquire it. "Orang<br />

Sirani," or Nazarenes, is the name given <strong>by</strong> the <strong>Malay</strong>s to the<br />

Christian descendants of the Portuguese, who resemble those of<br />

Amboyna, and, like them, speak only <strong>Malay</strong>. <strong>The</strong>re are also a<br />

number of Chinese merchants, many of them natives of the place, a<br />

few Arabs, and a number of half-breeds between all these races<br />

and native women. Besides these there are some Papuan slaves, and<br />

a few natives of other islands settled here, making up a motley<br />

and very puzzling population, till inquiry and observation have<br />

shown the distinct origin of its component parts.<br />

Soon after my first arrival in Ternate I went to the island of<br />

Gilolo, accompanied <strong>by</strong> two sons of Mr. Duivenboden, and <strong>by</strong> a<br />

young Chinaman, a brother of my landlord, who lent us the boat<br />

and crew. <strong>The</strong>se latter were all slaves, mostly Papuans, and at<br />

12

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