84 AUSTRALASIA. 



natives. Gaseous eruptions take place from time to time in the depths of the 

 lake, and then the atmosphere becomes charged with sulphurous exhalations, while 

 the fish perish in thousands. 



East of this lacustrine basin, which greatly resembles the Italian Lake Bolsena, 

 rises the still perfect Singalang volcano (8,800 feet), scarcely less imposing than 

 its eastern neighbour Merapi, whose highest peak attains an elevation of 9,400 

 feet. This volcano, as indicated by its very name (Moro Api, " destroying fire "), 

 is the most restless of the seven or eight still active burning mountains in Sumatra. 

 None other has discharged such copious lava streams over the surrounding 

 plains, and even during the present century it has been the centre of numerous 

 disturbances. Its summit, of a red colour and destitute of vegetation, terminates 

 in a group of three craters, each encircled by recent lavas. The local Malay legend 

 has converted Merapi into a sort of Ararat, whence their first parents descended as 

 the flood-waters subsided. 



The Sago volcano (7,450 feet) stands out like a bold landmark at the north-east 

 corner of the Padang uplands. This region is throughout its whole extent a 

 mountainous terrace- land somewhat clearly marked off by two longitudinal ridges, 

 on the west the main Barisan range, en the east that of Ngalau Saribu. The 

 plateau is likewise skirted on the south by another transverse chain, which like 

 the northern ridge has also its " corner stone," the Talaug or Sulasi volcano 

 (8,440 feet), rising immediately above the west side of the city of Padang. 

 Thermal waters and sulphurous vapours escape in abundance from crevasses of this 

 mountain, which, however, does not terminate in a crater properly so called. 

 On its flanks are rich sulphur beds extensively utilised by the natives. 



The lowest depression of the quadrilateral of outer ridges enclosing the Padang 

 uplands is flooded by a lake, whose long axis is disposed in the same direction as 

 Sumatra itself and its mountain system. The Singkarah Sea, as this basin is 

 called, teems with fish, yielding an abundant supply for a large number of the 

 surrounding populations. Its level has been lowered some three feet by the 

 destruction of a rocky barrier at the head of its emissary, the river Umbilien, 

 which is one of the main branches of the Indragiri. Three other lakes, one a 

 tributary of Singkarah, are disposed in terraces on the south-east slopes of Mount 

 Talang.* 



South of Talang the Barisan chain presents only a single ridge skirting 

 the seaboard at a mean distance of fifteen miles from the ocean. In this section 

 of the system, but to the east of the normal line of crests, rises the isolated 

 Korintji (12,200 feet), known also by the name of Indrapura, or " City of Indra " ; 

 for this peak, which contends with Luseh for the first rank amongst the Sumatran 

 summits, was sujjposed, like the great mountains of India, to be the everlasting 

 abode of the gods. Vapours are almost constantly emitted from its crater, a 



* Lakes of the Padang plateau : — 



Altitude. 



Maninju 520 feet 



Singkarah 1,100 ,, 



