SUMATEAN HIGHLANDS. 



83 



wealth of the great tropical island. Being completeh' isolated in appearance, and 

 rising just five miles north of the equator, about the exact centre of the oceanic 

 coast of Sumatra, Ophir stands out as the most conspicuous insular landmark for 

 mariners navigating the neighbouring waters. Hence till recently it was 

 supposed to be the culminating point of the island, and a far greater altitude 

 was assigned to it than the 9,600 feet to which modern explorers have reduced 

 it. Mount Ophir has two chief summits besides several partly obliterated craters. 

 Farther on the main range proper is interrupted by the broad valley of the 



Fig. 28.- The Meeapi Volcanic Range. 

 Scale 1 : 730, Ooo. 





■Oo^i-y,^ 



^ 



'SLlTI-.rvh 





Last or breenwich 



I00°^o• 



lOO°-«>' 



to 160 

 Feer. 



Depths. 



100 to 3l'0 320 Feet and 



Feet. upwards. 



12 Miles. 



river Masang, south of which a transver.'^e volcanic ridge trends west and east on 

 the border of the Padang uplands. The westernmost volcano of this system has 

 lost its mountainous aspect, nothing remaining except the vast periphery of the 

 base, which now forms a wooded enclosure. The crest has disappeared, doubtless 

 blown away by some tremendous exjDlosion, and about half of the old crater 

 (1,520 feet) is now flooded with the oval-shaped Lake Maninju, called also Danau, 

 or the " Sea." This basin, which discharges westwards to the Indian Ocean, 

 IS fed by a few slightly thermal and alkaline springs much frequented by the 



