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TERNATE 99 TOPOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL DESCRIPTIONS
Torete M
Tofatu A
Tobau A
Tokan* Indi-Indi [*as corrected in Errata —Trans.] A
Topogaro A
Tulang Batu A
Bahu Solo A
Tumohu A
Toreo A
Lembo A
Matarape A
In the mountains:
Totinunde A
Tupa A
Islands 9 :
Menui M
Fafonii M
Most of these kampongs are situated on small rivers, which are very shallow and
only navigable at high tide with proas.
The two biggest rivers are the Lingkobu and the Tompira, near and in the Gulf of
Tomaiki (Tomori on the maps). The mountain of Tokala is said to be the highest on
Tobungku. Although from the sea one can see several high mountain tops, the beach
dwellers are not sure about the names of these mountains.
Little is known about the earlier history of Tobungku. According to Tiele (TKI,
II:25) Urdanete visited, in 1533, an area on Celebes which he called Tubucu, where there
was a lot of iron. The inhabitants there were heathens. Valentijn (1724, Ib:314) reports
[p. 144] that de Vlaming, together with Mandarsha, sailed for Tombuko in 1655, “which
now belonged to Ternate.” The first Rajah after the subjugation to Ternate is said to have
been a certain Kaicil Marahu, who is supposed to have ruled in the middle of the
seventeenth century. 10 Knowledge about the succession of Rajahs seems to have been lost; I
did learn that women sometimes held this highest authority. The people of Tofi were
9 [p. 143, n. 1] Besides these two islands there are many others all along the coast, from Cape
Taliabu to Cape Nipah-Nipah near Kendari, such as: Langgala, Safaide, Padei, Karanto, Togong
Tadam, Toko Eya, Toro Asolo, Rumbia, Nonasi, Togong Teong, Pako, Tamagolo, Nanaka, Bolasikan,
Labengki, Tombolo, Bete, Batu, Propati, Bafulu, Sain Noa, Pulu Tiga, Pinapinasa, Bahu Bulu,
Ontau, Kuikuila, Gimpa, Tatabonti, Labungka, Bungin Tende, Bungi-Bungi, Dediri, Bobosi,
Ambewa, and Nanga Simbori. Their exact positions have never been determined since no ship has
ever mapped these areas.
The names given here differ significantly from those in Bosscher and Matthijsen and also
from the official names copied by Bleeker. Since on Ternate no one knows anything about Tobungku,
I obtained these names through on-the-spot inquiries.
10 [p. 144, n. 1] It seems that before the subjugation the area had a woman ruler.
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