Mr.William Funnell, in his voyage with Dampier to the South Seas in 1705, says: "Whilst we were here, (at Amboyna) we had a great earthquake, which continued two days, in which time it did a great deal of mischief, for the ground burst open in many places, and swallowed up several houses and whole families.

Several of the people were dug out again, but most of them dead, and many had their legs or arms broken by the fall of the houses.

The castle walls were rent asunder in several places, and we thought that it and all the houses would have fallen down.

The ground where we were swelled like a wave in the sea, but near us we had no hurt done." There are also numerous records of eruptions of a volcano on the west side of the island.
In 1674 an eruption destroyed a village.

In 1694 there was another eruption.