TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 733 



of Arran to the Ayrshire cost, with a depth of ahout 25 fathoms. The 50-fathom 

 line runs nearly from the Mull of Cantyre to the Mull of Galloway, and imme- 

 diately beyond it the 80 fathom contour appears. Arran is smTounded, except on the 

 south-west side, with water of over 30 fathoms, extending close to shore and deepen- 

 ing towards the centre to over SO fathoms. The greatest depression runs N.W. 

 from the Sound of Bute to beyond Tarbert, in Loch Fj'ne, near which the deepest 

 point, 107 fathoms, occurs. This \-shaped deep area is termed the Arran Basin. 

 A narrow straight tract — the Dunoon Basin — rmis N. by E. from Cumbrae into 

 lower Loch Long. The estuary shoals rapidly ; the 20-fathom line only reaches 

 Greenock, and depths of 10 fathoms stop a little further up. Upper Loch Long, 

 Loch Goil, Loch Strivan, and upper Loch Fyne, although very narrow, form 

 abrupt troughs from 50 to 80 fathoms deep. These are surrounded by high hills, 

 the 2,000 feet contour approachuig the water's edge. Where flat land borders the 

 shore depth, as a rule, is slight and increases gradually ; a good example is seen 

 along the Ayrshire coast. The occurrence of exceptional heights on land in connec- 

 tion with unusual depth of water is noticed at the Mull of Cantyre and the north 

 of Arran. 



A remarkable valley connects the Holy Loch through Loch Eck to Loch Fyne, 

 and another through Loch Long to Loch Lomond. _Both of these fresh lakes drain 

 into the Clyde water system, and their configuration is exactly similar to that of 

 the deep sea-lochs. 



G. British North Borneo. By W. B. Pkyer. 



The author describes that part of the large island of Borneo recently ceded by 

 native Sultans to the British North Borneo Company. This portion of the island 

 he describes as being of about the same size as Scotland, mountainous on the 

 western side, and with large slopes and flats on the eastern. Amongst the 

 mountains is the celebrated Kina Balu, over 13,900 feet high. Many rivers have 

 their sources near the west coast, and, following a very long and winding course, 

 fall into the sea on the east. The junction of several of these rivers at a place 

 called Penungah, about the centre of the territory, forms a noble stream, known as 

 the Kina Bataugan, which is traversable for must of its length bv small steam 

 laimches, and up which even largish steamers can ascend for 160 miles. At various 

 places below Penungah the Kina Batangan is joined by other large tributaries, up 

 one of which, the Quarmote, are the Alexandra Falls, said to be a noble waterfall, 

 but never yet seen by any European. The other rivers on the east coast are the 

 Labuk, Sugut, Paitan, Segama, Benguya, Moanna, and others. 



The author says that the non-existence of the Kina Balu Lake, still marked on 

 many maps, was first proved by him in the year 1880. The theory, still existing, 

 that the place where this lake was supposed to be is a large flat, subject to inunda- 

 tion in the wet season, he does not believe in, as he saw many hills and mountains 

 in the part where this flat is supposed to be. 



The rivers on the east coast, he says, run through uninhabited virgin forest, 

 the population having been driven away, up to within very recent times, by the 

 numerous pirates that infested the coast. On the west there is a fair sprinkling of 

 people. The hills are for the most part sandstone, but here and there limestone 

 and other formations occur. There are several fine harbours; Guya, on the west, 

 Kudat, on the north, and Sandakan, on the east, being the principal. The author 

 goes on to describe Sandakan Harbour, which, he says, is one of the finest in the 

 world ; easy of access even to steamers of tlie largest size, having behind it the 

 trade of the two largest rivers in the territory, the Kina Batangan and the Labuk, 

 almost on the track of the steamers between Australia and China, which some- 

 times call in, and commandingly situated as regards the trade and commerce of the 

 surrounding seas and islands, which he thinks must ultimately concentrate there. 

 He also calls attention to the immense importance in the future of Sandakan as a 

 coaling station for our men-of-war and for docking purposes generally. 



He then goes on to describe the resources of the country, which, he thinks, from 

 the healthiness of its climate, the equableness and want of extreme heat of its 



