Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/295

Rh Celebes—or with its satellite isle “the Celebes”—lies between the Philippines, Papua, and the Sunda Islands, and is separated from Borneo by the Macassar Straits; it is larger than Norway and Sweden combined. Not much of this large island is known. The Dutch commenced trading in 1607, and in 1660 a fleet under Van Dam took it, expelling the Portuguese, who were allies of its sovereign. It is healthy on the whole. There are many lakes and mountains. Bantaeng is a great but quiescent volcano; Bonthian and Koruve both exceed 10,000 feet in height. The Bugis are a mercantile people and have done much for the prosperity of the place. There are Dutch officials in fifteen towns and villages. The territory of the Raja of Goa extends to within two miles of Macassar town. It is not safe to go into the interior unguarded, but doubtless this will soon be changed. At present the Alfours of that part are head-hunters, and drink the blood and eat the flesh of their victims. The people, both Bugis and Macassars, wear little drawers about twelve inches long, which do not come half-way down the thigh, and do not look as much dressed as the Papuans, who wore nothing! They wear the useful sarong in all sorts of ways and colours: orange, purple, crimson, and in variegated checks.

Macassar has about 20,000 inhabitants. Its trade is now almost entirely falling into the hands of the Germans. One street of Chinese and other shops and warehouses extends for about a mile along the shore, and parallel with it are two others —the European quarter. Bales of merchandise are piled up along the busy wharves. The Dutch houses are very quaint, neat, and clean, with white pillared porticoes and somewhat absurd prim gardens full of stone vases. The Dutch have strict regulations about keeping the houses white-