96 B. KOTO : THE GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE OF 



Belemnile, slopes gradually southwards. The neighbouring islets 

 of Buano and Kelang are geologically identical with Burn, and 

 non-volcanic. Marapa is entirely unknown. 



Amboina and the Uliassers are volcanic, seemingly carrying 

 some volcanic ruius, though none of them is sufficiently known. 

 Nusalaut consists entirely of pyroxene-andesite, save a few patches 

 of raised reefs on its shores. Biotite- and pyroxene-dacites as well 

 as j^yroxene-andesite build up the south coast of Saparu and 

 Haruku, likewise the members of the Uliassers, but the raised 

 coral reefs, here called 'karang', of Tertiary or Pleistocene age 

 occupy the greater portion of the insular areas. The same geolo- 

 gic components prevail also in Amboina, except in the peninsula 

 of Leitimor, where the Archaean complex of gneiss and mica- 

 schists makes the foundation, penetrated by biotite-granite and 

 peridotite. This is in turn overlaid by old sedimentaries of 

 grey limestone, shale, and sandstone with interbedded sheets of 

 diabase-porphyrite. 



The mass of Wawani on Amboina proper is comparatively 

 well known, through the works of v. Buch, Wallace, and many 

 Dutch writers, as to its supposed geologic nature. Once it was 

 considered to be a dreadful volcano; in later times it has been 

 rejected from the list. K. Martin, in his recent work''^^ which 

 I am here following in its main points, endeavours to re-establish 

 its active volcanic nature on the basis of an old document about 

 the catastrophe of February, 1674. A subterranean commotion 

 had been already inaugurated in 1671, and had attained its 

 climax four years later, causing sea-waves, destructive earth- 

 quakes, and violent explosions of Monte Wawani. Despite his 



31) 'Reisen in den Mulukkt'u ', Geolügisclier Tlieil, i'"' Lieferung, 18US, y. 49. 



