MOLUCCAS, or Srreu IsLAxos, comprehends, in the most extensive sense of the term, all the islands be tween Celebes and New Guinea, situated to the east of the Molucca passage, in longitude 126°, particularly those of Gdolo; but, in a mole limited sense, it is usually restricted to the Dutch Spice Islands, Amboyna, Banda, Batchian, Ceram, Termite, Tidore, &c. These islands (the chief of is hich will be found described un der their respective names in this work,) were first discos ered by the Portuguese in 1510, but afterwards fell into the hands of the Spaniards, who were supplant ed in their turn by the Dutch in 1627. The climate of these islands is generally moist and unhealthy. Their principal productions are, cocoa-nuts, rice, sago, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmegs, with several herbs and plants. No metals are found upon them, but pearls are said to be frequently met with on their coasts. Goats are the most common animals on these islands, and snakes of various descriptions. But the birds of para dise, which are supposed to come from New Guinea, arc taken in great numbers on the Moluccas, by means of bird-lime, and form a considerable article of traffic. At the discovery of these islands, two distinct races of people were found upon them, the Malays, or Mahon'. medans, on the sea-coast, and the oriental negroes, or Papuas, in the interior. The former speak a dialect of the Malay tongue, mixed with many foreign words; but the ancient Molucca or Tirnata language appeared to Dr. Leyden to have been an original tongue. They
have adopted many of the tenets, or rather observances, of the Brahminical system, but many of them, named Shereefs, boast of their descent from Mahommed, and are held in great respect, especially if they have per formed the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Papuas have been rapidly decreasing, and have wholly disappeared in most of the smaller islands. But they still exist in many of the more eastern islands, and hold undisturb ed possession of New Guinea. The houses on these islands at e generally raised on pillars 3 or 10 feet high, on account of the moisture, and are entered by means of a ladder, which is afterwards drawn up. The co lour of the natives is a deep mixture of black and yel low, and their dispositions wild and ferocious. They subsist chiefly on sago. The men wear little covering, except a hat of leaves, and a piece of cloth round their middle ; and the women are dressed in a large wide garment like a sack, with a remarkably broad hat on their heads. Their arms are a kind of light tough wood, arrows of reed, pointed with hard wood, and bucklers of black hard wood, ornamented with designs in relievo, made with beautiful white shells. They excel in the construction and management of their vessels, which resemble in great measure those which have been already described under the article MAGINDANAO. See Sonne rat's Voyage to the Spice Islands ; and Forrest's Voyage to New Guinea. (q )