MOUNTAINS OF BOENEO. 125 



natives the Batu Tabang, culminating point of this mountain group, is so high 

 that " from its summit heaven might easily be reached." From a distance it is 

 said to appear always " white," either because rising above the snow-line, or more 

 probably because usually wrapped in vapour. However this be, the nearest 

 mountains that have hitherto been explored are distinguished rather by their 

 picturesque outlines and eccentric forms than for their great elevation. Accord- 

 ing to Schwaner, none exceed 4,650 feet, while the ranges branching off towards 

 the headlands on the seaboard would appear to be almost everywhere still lower. 

 Even the Lupar chain, running south-west and west, completely disappears in 

 some places. Between the river of like name traversing Sarawak and Lake 

 Sriang, in the Kapuas basin, the slopes are scarcely perceptible, whereas towards 

 the north-east the horizon is bounded by the blue crests of the " Thousand and 

 One Hundred Mountains." Farther on the western chain is again interrupted 

 at several points ; but towards its extremity it develops a superb amphitheatre 

 around the Sarawak country, terminating on the coast at the sharp headland of 

 Tanjang Datu. The two loftiest summits of this waterparting are Penrisan and 

 Pu, 4,750 and 6,000 feet respectively. 



South of the Batu Pajah, or " King Mountain " (8,300 feet), the range skirt- 

 ing the east side of the Kapuas basin appears to have no peaks rivalling in altitude 

 those of Sarawak and the central nucleus. It is continued southwards by a line 

 of crests from 2,000 to 2,600 feet high, and thence between the Kapuas and Barito 

 basins not by an uninterrupted chain, but by a series of groups separated from 

 each other by broad depressions, and thus forming so many isolated masses. The 

 south-eastern range formino- the divide between the Barito and Mahakkam basins 

 is somewhat loftier, the Batu Budang attaining, according to Schwaner, an eleva- 

 tion of 4,550 feet. But southwards it falls rapidly, in its central parts presenting 

 nothing but rounded hills, scarcely more than 600 or 700 feet high. One of the 

 gaps in this chain is occupied by the Jallan-Batu, a chaos of limestone blocks of 

 every form and size, co\ering a space several hundred square miles in extent. 

 Trees have sprung up between the boulders, and here and there in their fissures 

 or on their summits. The mountains of which these calcareous masses at one time 

 formed part have been gradually disintegrated and carried away by the running 

 waters, leaving nothing but these scattered fragments of more durable rocks. 



As it approaches the sea, sweeping round to the south-west of the alluvial 

 Banjermassin plains, the range again develops an unbroken chain of crystalline 

 formation, terminating in the promontory of Cape Satoi. In the same way the 

 hills skirting the north side of the Mahakkam basin merge eastwards in the 

 granite Lakuru chain, terminating in a bold headhxnd on the coast. 



Besides the fully developed continuous ranges, Borneo is diversified with a 

 large number of isolated groups dotted over the jDlains, like the archipelagoes in 

 the surrounding M-aters. Most of these groups are of slight elevation, although 

 some few rival in altitude the summits of the main ranges. Such are Mounts 

 Balik Pippan and Bratus, in the Mahakkam basin, the latter, according to Bock, 

 about 5,000 feet high. 



