380 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



Andes. This great range appears to run approximately 

 along the 4th parallel of latitude, and it may possibly 

 be continuous with the lofty ranges in German New 

 Guinea. That it does not extend farther south is proved 

 by the fact of the Fly Eiver having been ascended more 

 than half-way across the island in a low country with 

 but very small hills. Everywhere on the south of the 

 island, west of Torres Straits, the coast is low and 

 swampy, and no hills are visible. Passing Torres Straits 

 and reaching the eastern side of the Gulf of Papua, we 

 find hilly ground, which soon gives place to fine moun- 

 tains. Prom about 8° S. to the terminal south-east 

 point of the island the country inland rises in an almost 

 unbroken series of magnificent ranges, from the Albert 

 Mountains in 146° E. long, to the Stirling Eange, which 

 ends at East Cape. The chief feature of these highlands 

 is the Owen Stanley Eange, which according to present 

 measurements exceeds 13,000 feet. Many peaks exceed 

 9000 feet, six are between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, 

 three between 11,000 and 12,000, and two over 12,000. 

 Most of them are, how^ever, not isolated mountains, but 

 the culminating pinnacles of ranges. The scenery is here 

 very grand, the country being extremely broken and 

 rugged, and cut up by deep gorges. 



The northern shores of British ISTew Guinea are for 

 the most part bold, but the great ranges are not here so 

 conspicuous, being situated closer to the southern than 

 to this side. As the boundary between the British and 

 German possessions is passed the mountainous character 

 of the interior becomes increasingly marked, and at no 

 great distance inland from the Maclay Coast are three 

 separate ranges of great height, of which one — the Bis- 

 marck Eange — is reported to be snow-covered, while the 

 peaks of the others do not fall far short of 12,000 feet. 



