SALEY ER ISLANDS, TuE, lie in the Indian ocean, to the s. of Celebes. Upward of thirty or the group are small, hilly, densely wooded, and, with few exceptions, unin habited. Great Saleyer, in 5° 44'-6° 26' s. lat., and 120° 23'-120° 37' e. long., is up ward of 40 m. in length, and 7 in breadth, the area being 336 N. miles. The moun tains on the e. coast rise abruptly out of the sea, and along the w. le a slip of level laud planted with cocoa-nut trees. Pop. 60.000. Great Salt•yer and the smaller islands pro duce fine timber, including ebony tied teak. Indigo, coffee, and mustard are grown; but millet, maize, earth-fruits, and cotton are the staple cultures, the grounds being carefully fenced. Agriculture is the chief employment, and fishing, making salt, etc., are also carried on. The exports are cocoa-nuts, cocoa-nut oil, cotton, and cotton Imports—rice, gambir, tobacco, yarns, iron and copper wares. Since the Netherlands'
government made Macassar a free port, sea-going slops are not permitted to anchor at Saleyer; and the trade is carried on by small vessels, which sail between that island, the bight of Boni, Sumbawa, Bali, Borneo, Java, _Macassar, and Singapore. The sea is rich in various kinds of fish—a long and thin species, the Saleyer, giving a name to the island. Value of oil exported in 1874, £8,174.
The Saleyer islands are governed by fourteen rajahs, superintended by a Netherlands agent. The natives arc Mohammedans. each large village having a mosque and priest. The high priest resides. near the political agent, has a seat in the council, and is con sulted on religious questions. Some of the rajahs and notables have tables and chairs, tea and dinner services, silver spoons and forks, mattresses, cushions, and even satin bed-curtains. ,