To the Spice Islands and Beyond: Travels in Eastern Indonesia

The fabled Spice islands and other areas of Eastern Indonesia have had a special attraction for those prepared to venture to this diverse, scientifically rich, but decidedly remote region. The names of Clebes, Ambon, Banda, Komodo, Timor, Flores, and the New Guinea among others, conjure up secluded islands with unique cultures, fascinating histories, and divergent geographies. From the time of the discovery of the route to the Spice Islands in 1513, European adventurers have been recording their travel to and through the disparate areas of Indonesia’s sprawling eastern archipelago. This anthology brings together 28 extracts from among the best of these accounts. Spanning a period of 450 years, they cover a wide variety of writing and reflect the different motives and reactions of travellers ranging from the European spice traders in the 16th century to the Australian journalists who visited East Timor in 1990 and courted danger in the island’s troubled interior. While the times and the impressions of the travellers may have changed, there is a similarity in many of the experiences engendered by the very remoteness of the region.