230 
In the same way the Talau-river just below its confluence with 
the Baukama at an altitude of 245 M.*) above sea-level, has cut a 
gorge which at present is 55 M. deep, across a high bank of coral 
limestone. 
Theoretically one might expect, that during this prolonged period 
of upheaval, which possibly is still in progress, a series of fringing 
reefs had been formed all round the area of elevation. The current 
opinion is, of course, that the elevated coralreefs of Timor were 
formed in such a way from miocene times until now, during a 
continuous movement of upheaval of the land *). The fact is, however, 
that not a trace of elevated fringing reefs is found along the 
north western and southeastern coast, where the island of Timor 
adjoins the eastern continuation of the deep depression of the Savoe- 
sea and the equally deep depression of the Timor-sea. The western- 
most portion of the island, on the contrary, where it borders the 
shallow water which separates it from the island of Rotti, is covered 
with elevated fringing reefs. 
If we look for an explanation of this remarkable fact, it is of 
importance to bear in mind that the island of Timor appears to be 
suddenly truncated and broken off by faults just along the north- 
western and southeastern coasts which border deep basins of the sea 
coming up close to the shore. 
The late-tertiary or early-quaternary reefs and littoral deposits which 
form the uppermost portion of the neogene series of the Talau-basin, 
on the mountain-ridge of the northcoast for instance near Babilo, 
abruptly terminate with their full thickness in a steep cliff, facing 
the sea at an altitude of about 610 Meters. Evidently the strata 
once extended much further towards the North, but afterwards 
became detached, Between this point and the actual coast no trace 
of elevated coralreefs is found, whereas at the beach in the surf 
small reefs of living corals are abundant. This circumstance as well 
as the fact that along the north coast the hills rise with an un- 
commonly steep slope from the sea, tends to prove that the island 
of Timor is broken off towards the North. More convincing evidence 
still, is afforded by the south coast, where in the district of Amanatan 
the parallel ridges of the Amanoeban-mountainchain, which is mainly 
composed of Jurassic strata striking OLON-W10S (a direction differing 
about 12° from the general trend of the coast line), follow each other 
abruptly abutting against the coast and terminating in high cliffs. 
1) VERBEEK, in his description of the tertiary basin of the Talau-river, also 
mentions this gorge l.c. p. 348. 
DR. D..M. VERBEEK, |. c. p. 777. 
