222 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



from the most western point of Borneo. Other ancient 

 volcanoes have been described lately (1889) as existing 

 in the same district. They appear to occur in the region 

 of the Old Slate formation of the Devonian age. Hot 

 springs, though not common, exist in many places and 

 are widely distributed, being found in South and West 

 Borneo and in Sarawak. 



The exploration of the island having been of necessity 

 chiefly carried out by the rivers, our knowledge of the 

 mountains is exceedingly limited. Land travel is both 

 difficult and dangerous. Few travellers have crossed any 

 of the great ranges, and details of their height are thus 

 almost entirely wanting. Even concerning Kinabalu, 

 whose vast mass appears as one of the most conspicuous 

 features of the country to those navigating on the 

 northern coast, the differences of opinion are very great, 

 and of the central mountain group nothing is known. 

 Kinabalu, or the " Chinese widow," which is situated 

 towards the extreme north of the island, is, however, 

 almost certainly its loftiest mountain, and possibly is not 

 excelled by any other in the archipelago. The results of 

 a triangulation by Sir Edward Belcher made its altitude 

 to be 13,698 feet. It is an isolated mountain mass, con- 

 sisting of several peaks forming a vast wall, which is 

 higher at the western part. The northern face appears as 

 a gigantic precipice, but, owing to the size of the mountain 

 and the difficulties connected with its ascent, its exact con- 

 formation is unknown. ' Low was the first to attain the 

 summit, but it has since been ascended, entirely or in 

 part, by Spenser St. John, Bove, Hattou, Little, and 

 Whitehead. The view from the higher peaks is said to 

 be magnificent, and numerous ranges estimated at 7000 

 or 8000 feet in height are visible to the south. 



In a general south-west direction from Kinabalu an 



