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TERNATE 247
APPENDICES
justice of this Government and tried according to the laws of the Company, for the
observance of which the senghajes and kimalahas of Makian and Kayoa will have to take
the following oath:
“We, the collective senghajes, kimalahas, and other heads and
inhabitants of the Islands of Makian and Kayoa promise and swear to submit
faithfully and sincerely to everything which has been determined above, to be
obedient and loyal to the Dutch Company, not to hide or conceal any spices
which might be found or discovered on our lands but to notify the Esteemed
District Commissioner in Castle Orange at once, and whenever and as often
as the Dutch Company deems it necessary, to allow the extirpation of the
spice trees on the Island of Makian; [p. 337] to do this faithfully and to the
best of our abilities; and furthermore to obey and carry out promptly all
orders of the Dutch Company.”
This done, decided, and sworn on the Island of Ternate at Castle Orange on March
20, 1806.
(Followed by the signatures of the District Commissioner and the Members of the
Council and the crosses of the native headmen and the seal of the Company
[p. 338]
Appendix VI
Excerpt From the Diary of the Resident of Ternate
Regarding the Eruption of the Mountain in February, 1840 1
Sunday, February 2. At half past eight in the morning a severe eruption occurred,
which started with a noise from the crater sounding like rolling thunder, followed by a
column of ash and smoke of amazing proportions. This column was belched forth with
tremendous force. In spite of a strong northwesterly wind, it soared sky-high with such
force that it remained in that position for quite a while before the wind could blow it away.
It was constantly replenished from the continually active crater, all the while accompanied
by a roar resembling an approaching thunderstorm. Just before eleven o’clock, the activity
of the eruption lessened. Then, at half past eleven, it started again with tremendous force,
throwing an astonishing amount of smoke and stones high into the air. Here and there
light blue flames could be seen under that mass, while on the north side a strong stream of
lava flowed in the place of earlier eruptions, but now taking a new course, more to the east
than the previous one and falling into a ravine which runs toward the sea. This terrible
eruption lasted more than an hour and then lessened slightly. Soon after one o’clock, it
started again with the same harsh noise, and continued until about nine o’clock at night.
There was nothing visible after sunset but dark masses of black clouds of smoke, red-hot
ash, and stones, together with a fiery stream of lava. The volcano’s activity slowly lessened
1 [p. 338, n. 1] This excerpt has been included to elucidate this event, less clearly represented in
the preceding account.
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