45' S. We steered W. from
thence, between the islands Celebes and Zalayer or Salayr.
The
S.W. leg or peninsula of Celebes is very high land. Celebes is composed
of very high land, very well inhabited, being a very large island,
extending through seven degrees of latitude. On the west side of its
southern end the Dutch have a factory named Macasser, where they have a
fortress of about seventy guns, and a garrison of 600 or 700 Dutch
soldiers. The chief product is rice, with which they supply most of
their eastern islands from hence. There are said to be gold-mines in
this island, of which the Dutch are not yet masters, as the inhabitants
are often at war with them, and have hitherto been able to keep them
from those parts of the island. Between the south end of Celebes and the
island of Salayr there are three small low islands, and the best channel
is through between the island next to Salayr, and another small isle to
the northward. This is called the second passage, the first, third,
and fourth of these passages being very dangerous, so that ships
generally avoid them if possible. I would willingly give an account of
every island I have occasion to mention, but as that is not in my power,
I must rest satisfied with what I am able to say consistent with truth.
The island of Zalayer, or Salayr, is of moderate height, inhabited
by Malays, and planted all round with cocoa-trees, the natives being
obliged to send a considerable quantity of nuts and oil to the Dutch at
Macasser as tribute.
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