CELEBES, a large and populous island in toe Indian seas. Neither the exact site nor dimensions of this island are known t he y et abet rtaaa. !, Inc. rest, a judicious navigator, affirms that it strctehcs from 2° oorth latitude to 6° It/ south, and lies huts% et it I ter" M./ and P.: cast longitude. Von aN s it down front the third degree of toith to the fifth tit gees: of south ladinde, and fix( s its longitude under 136'. Some navigators and tain, that its breadth is 5 its mites, others it to 71 or even 45. Probably it dues not execi d 1.)0 in the broadest parts, anti diminishes ably rowest. We may remark, in general, that though valu able European settlements have hag been eatalaish«1 here, there is scarcely any island in the same situation, in the history and deseription of which greaser confusion prevails.
By the natives, and also the people. this island is called, Xegree Oran fingess, ur Tanna Macassar. Though lying directly under the line, the cli mate of Celebes is temperate, from the heat being node. rated by. the sea breeze circulating among the mountains and yanks. Slight shocks of t arthquakes are sometime • felt, and violent storms occasionally t isit the country.
Gold is obtained in several districts of Celebes, pat ti cularly towards the east, flea)) the beds of rivers or tor rents issuing from the mountains, and also from pits pur posely dug for it. On discovering a gold mine, the work men first conduct water to its inonedi..te t icinity, and then dig down until finding a kind of black sand among ts hich it is lodged. Quantities of this are taken up by the mi ners, who place themselves amidst a pond. pool, or stream of water, and putting the sand into a flat wooden dish, trash the whole gradually away, until the heavy particles of gold falliug to the bottom, alone remain in a cavity in the centre. The gold thus collected is dried in a cocoa nut shell near the fire, and cleansed as well as possible from any remaining grains of sand. Before digging a
mine, the workmen, turn aside the nearest river, or drain oil part of it ; then they search a loot deep in the said fur pieces of native gold. Their expectations of -access arc regulated by the appearance of the neighbouring s•ones and rocks : Whet e rich ore is found, blue and vello• arc predominant ; where the ore is of less \ Z1114::. lac stones arc grey. Gold is obtained from the erev ices of the rocks in pieces of considerable size; one was lately s. weighing nine pennyweights, and others are got equal to two or three vials. The water, issuing from tite moun tains, brings down earth along with it, which being re ceived in vessels, deposits the gold in the bottom after the water has filtered through. Eor the most part, the gold of Celebes is pure and of the rich( st quality, but generally mote valuable at the first opening el a mine. No accurate calculation can be furseed of tie quantities obtained throughout the island, but the Dutch were formerly enabled to procure to the value of 12 hot) I. annually. Iron and copper arc likew ise found in con siderable abundance.
The hills of Celebes are covered w ith woods, among which arc fruit trees and bustles known only by dese,.ip tion to Europeans. Lemons and oranges are in gre.:t profusion ; and also the more necessary plants of sugar cane, Indian corn, rice, and cotton.
Of quadrupeds, there arc horaes, cows, lmfr-loes, wild hogs, goats. and sheep of large size. The hors s of a small black breed, alai are greatly esteemed by the na tives. The flesh of cows and goats is ate, bet no use wnatever is made of the milk.
This island is plentifully stocked with M ild ford and poultry, and a great quantity of turtle abounds on the coast. The latter is a principal object of pursuit among the natives, not as an article of food, but for the sake of the shell. This they are said to possess the singular art of taking off ithout injury to the animal, which, after the operation, is allowed to escape.