102 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



the Antarctic continent. In form it is long and com- 

 paratively narrow, lying in a nearly east and west 

 direction. Its extreme length is 575 geographical miles, 

 while its breadth varies from 28 to 105 miles. Its area 

 has been computed at 49,176 square miles, or about one- 

 third part larger than Ireland. Its north coast is some- 

 what low and comparatively sheltered, and here are 

 several small islands, the chief being the Karimon Java 

 group, and Bawean ; and one large island, Madura, which 

 at its western extremity is only separated from the main 

 island by a strait a mile wide. The southern coast is 

 bold and precipitous, and has only a few islands situated 

 close to the shore, the most important being Barong 

 towards the eastern extremity, and Kambangan a little 

 west of the centre. The coast-line presents many bays 

 on the north, but none of them penetrate deeply, so that 

 there is only one good harbour, that of Surabaya, formed 

 between the main island and Madura. The southern 

 coast is still less indented, and is exposed to a heavy and 

 dangerous surf, which rolls in upon the shore at all 'seasons. 

 It is therefore little frequented, and it has hardly any 

 safe harbour but that of Chilatjap, situated between the 

 island of Kambangan and the mainland. 



The western part of Java, as far as Cheribon, is from 

 75 to 95 miles broad, and, except the plains on the northern 

 coast, is very mountainous, the mountains being crowded 

 together with narrow intervening valleys, but not reaching 

 such great elevations as elsewhere, the highest being a 

 little over 10,000 feet. This, however, is the most 

 luxuriant part of the island, owing to the moister climate, 

 so that the forests reach the summits of some of the 

 highest mountains. Here is the country of the Sundanese, 

 who speak a language distinct from the Javanese proper. 

 Eastward as far as Samarang the island is hardly more 



