112 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TEAVEL 



is observed, consisting of black earth mixed with water, 

 about sixteen feet in diameter, rising to the height of 

 20 or 30 feet in a perfectly regular manner, and, as it 

 were, pushed up by a force beneath, which suddenly 

 explodes with a dull noise, and scatters about a volume 

 of black mud in every direction. After an interval of 

 two or three, or sometimes four or five seconds, the 

 hemispherical body of mud or earth rises and explodes 

 again. In the same manner this volcanic ebullition goes 

 on without interruption, throwing up a globular body of 

 mud, and dispersing it with violence through the 

 neighbouring plain. The spot where this occurs is 

 nearly circular and perfectly level. It is covered with 

 the earthy particles impregnated with salt which are 

 thrown up from below. Its circumference is about half 

 a mile. A strong, pungent, sulphurous smell, somewhat 

 resembling that of petroleum, is perceived on standing 

 near the explosion, and the mud recently thrown up 

 possesses a degree of heat greater than that of the 

 surrounding atmosphere. During the rainy season these 

 explosions are more violent, the mud is thrown up much 

 higher, and the noise is heard to a greater distance." 



On the southern coast, not far from the meridian of 

 Surakarta, is the curious phenomenon known as Gunong- 

 gunong Sewu — the Thousand Mountains — a plateau 

 covered by innumerable and closely approximated white 

 lunestone hills which are from 100 to 200 feet in 

 height. A perfect labyrinth of narrow winding valleys 

 and innumerable small lakes are thus formed, the milky 

 waters of the latter being in many cases drained by 

 subterranean channels into the sea, where they may be 

 seen staining the water in patches at some distance from 

 the shore. This district is spoken of by J unghuhn as 

 one of the most beautiful in Java. 



