CEL'EBES (the name of a native tribe). One of the larger islands of the Dutch East Indies, situated east of Itorneo between latitudes 1° 45' N. and 5° 45' S., and between longitude, 118° 49' and 125° 5' E (East Indies, F 51. It is surrounded by the Celebes Sea on the north. the Molucen Sea on the east. the Flores Sea on the south, and the Strait of :Macassar On the west. Its area is estimated at about 71,000 square miles.
lit its shape Celebes is not unlike a starfish, the same general form being found also in the adjacent island of Gilolo. It consists of four mountainous peninsulas. of which the northern, Menado, has a length of about miles, The surface is largely mountainous and reaches its highest elevation in Mount Bonthain, an extinct volcano, situated in the southern part of the island and exceeding in altitude 9500 feet. There are also a number of active volcanoes in the eastern end of the peninsula of Nenado, ranging in altitude from 5000 to over S000 feet. The largest river is the Sadang, whkh rises in the central part of the island and flows through the southern peninsula. Lakes arc' abundant. and hot springs also are found. The western coast is practically without any indentation, while the eastern coast forms the three spacious inlets of Tomini, Tomori. and Boni.
The eninut, is tropical, but somewhat niodified by the elevation of the surface. The rainfall is more abundant in the north than in the rest of the island. Lying in the centre of the Indian Archipelago, Celebes has a great tropical variety and wealth of both fauna and flora. Among the animals peculiar to the island are the tailless baboon, the babirussa, with double tusks and re curred horns rising out of the bend midway between snout and eyes. the marsupial etiscus, and the sapi-ontan or wild cow, besides several spe•ies of small birds. Deer, will and tame buf faloes, wild swine, sheep, goats, etc., abound. and are innumerable. The forests Mehl& oak, teak, palm, cedar. and upas trees, while the hamlmo. ttlnieh furnishes material for habita
tions and every sort of implement, and even arti cles of dress, is everywhere found. Cloves, nut• meg, spices. the tropical fruits, maize. rice, tubacco, sugar, and indigo are easily raised. The geological eomposition of Celebes is only slightly known. The larger part is probably composed of sandstone and limestone, the northern peninsula :Menado is of volcanic origin. The minerals of Celebes are gold. iron. salt. clipper. zinc. and coal. The coal. however. is of poor quality. The gold is in quartz veins, and occurs in deposits of sufficient richness to reward the mining companies, of which there are several.
For administrative purposes, the northern arm, Slenado (and Alinahasa) is organized. with the Sangir and Talaut islands, into Residency No. X11., while the west, centre, and south of Celebes, with Sumbawa and other islands. are included in Residency No. XI. of Insnlinde or Island India. Residency No. XIII. inelmles east ern Celebes, Gilolo, and the Moluccas and other islands between Celebes and New Guinea. The prinees of Celebes hare pretty much their own v ay, being little interfered with by their Dutch residents as long as they pay tribute or bring forward the crops or forest products. Dutch mis sionary operations have been very successful in this island. The coffee plantations established on the mountain slopes by the Dutch about eighty years ago, together with the revival of cacao cul ture. have brought much wealth to the natives and their masters. No part of Insulin& has shown better the results of peace, good govern ment, and missionary than certain portion: of Celebes. especially Minahasa. Of late year-, apart from the lousiness of the Government, the in the ports, not including .)1(icassar. have averaged over and the exports over the commerce of the port of Macassar reaching an animal total of :,46,400))00.. The chief of the island are Macassar. Me natio, and horontalo.