204 



AUSTRALASIA. 



craters. In the south, however, occur some sedimentary formations, which form 

 an eastern continuation of the Javanese, Balinese and Lombok limestone system. 

 The south-western extremity of the island also consists of a non-volcanic promon- 

 tory terminating in a regular plateau, which, like so many similar formations 

 elsewhere, takes the name of Tafelberg or Table Mountain. 



The Ngenges (5,370 feet) and Lanteh (5,260 feet) volcanoes in the west are 

 succeeded farther east by the far more imposing Timboro (Tomboro, Tambora), 

 which projects on the north side beyond the normal coast-line, its broad slopes 



Fig. 85. — Central Part op Sumbawa. 

 Scale 1 : 1,500,000. 



Depths. 



here completely filling an extensive peninsula. At present its loftiest peak rises 

 to a height of 9,900 feet ; but it is said to have had an elevation of over 13,000 

 before the year 1815, when it still formed the culminating point of the Eastern 

 Archipelago. But on the evening of April 5th in that year, a tremendous explo- 

 sion took place, which was heard as far as Celebes, Borneo, and Sumatra, and 

 which was accompanied by a prodigious shower of ashes burying all the sur- 

 rounding lands and waters in darkness for ten consecutive days. In the neigh- 

 bouring seas the floating masses of pumice exceeded a yard in thickness, and 



