As it was the object of the Dutch to restrict the trade in spices within narrow limits, in order to enhance the value of this commodity, of which they enjoyed the monopoly, the East India Company did not permit even their own countrymen to carry on a commercial intercourse with these islands; indeed, the only advantages the Company derived from their possession, consisted in their affording slaves to cultivate the clove and nutmeg plantations of Banda and Amboyna, the only settlements in which they allowed spices to be grown. Notwithstanding these restrictions, an extensive contraband trade was carried on with the islands; for the Europeans who were, from time to time, encouraged by the Company to settle in the Moluccas as planters, although receiving bounties in the shape of free grants of land, with advances of slaves and provisions on credit and at original cost, under the sole condition that they should supply the Company with the produce at a fixed price, soon abandoned their plantations, and embarked in the more exciting and lucrative trade with the islands to the southward, sending confidential slaves in charge of their prahus.[1] It is recorded, that many individuals collected enormous fortunes by this traffic, which, indeed, was nearly all profit, as the goods sent there were of very small value. The trepang fishery, now the principal source of wealth to these islands, then scarcely existed, and the return cargoes of the prahus consisted chiefly of less bulky articles, such as amber, pearls, tortoise-shell and birds-of-paradise. Towards the close of the last century, when the rigorous monopoly of the Dutch had induced other natives to produce spices, which were cultivated with success by the French in the Isle of Bourbon, and by the English on the west coast of Sumatra, the Moluccas began to decline in importance, and with a view to reduce government expenditure, the Dutch withdrew their military establishments from the islands to the southward. The Bughis, an enterprising people from the southern part of the island of Celebes, and Chinese merchants from Java and Macassar, immediately engrossed the trade with the islands:--the wars which broke out in Europe about this time affording them great encouragement, since the Dutch, sufficiently occupied in maintaining their more important possession, could offer little interruption. The British, during their short occupation of the Moluccas, were so exclusively occupied by the immediate affairs of newly-acquired settlements, that the countries beyond their limits were, in a great measure, neglected; indeed, the inhabitants of some of the more remote islands were not aware that the Moluccas had changed masters; the Dutch flags left among them many years previously, being still hoisted on festive occasions.