Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/479

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OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. 435 Sumatra prevented them from urging their pecu- liar principles, to the extent to which they were carried in Java and the Moluccas, and the inhabit- ants of that country continued generally more pas- sive under their authority. Several revolts, how- ever, took place. Within one year of their possession, the inhabitants o£ Pao rose on the Dutch garrisons, and murdered them. A revolt took place in I67O, within six years of their conquest, and another in ] 680, which required the aid of large military for- ces from Batavia to suppress them. I come to the third and last branch into which this chapter is divided, an account of the Dutch history of the Spice Islands. It was, perhaps, in these islands, that the most baneful influence of their policy was experienced. The spices were the most desired objects of European avarice ; the peo- ple were generally less powerful, less civilized, nu- merous and warlike, than the western tribes, and their country, consisting of numerous small isles, could be more easily overrun and subjugated. The first of these causes prompted the Dutch to make the most vigorous efforts for their subjuga- tion, and the rest facilitated the enterprise, so that the Spice Islands are more completely under Euro- pean domination, than any other portion of the In- dian Islands. The hatred of the people of the Moluccas to- wards the Portuguese, made them readily join the Dutch in driving them from the Moluccas j but