chap, i.] PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 11 



a separate island. The Malay Peninsula is also non- 

 volcanic. 



The first and most obvious division of the Archipelago 

 would therefore be into quiescent and volcanic regions, 

 and it might, perhaps, be expected that such a division 

 would correspond to some differences in the character of 

 the vegetation and the forms of life. This is the case, 

 however, to a very limited extent ; and we shall presently 

 see that, although this development of subterranean fires 

 is on so vast a scale, — has piled up chains of mountains 

 ten or twelve thousand feet high — has broken up conti- 

 nents and raised up islands from the ocean, — yet it has 

 all the character of a recent action, which has not yet 

 succeeded in obliterating the traces of a more ancient 

 distribution of land and water. 



Contrasts of Vegetation. — Placed immediately upon the 

 Equator and surrounded by extensive oceans, it is not 

 surprising that the various islands of the Archipelago 

 should be almost always clothed with a forest vegetation 

 from the level of the sea to the summits of the loftiest 

 mountains. This is the general rule. Sumatra, New 

 Guinea, Borneo, the Philippines and the Moluccas, and 

 the uncultivated parts of Java and Celebes, are all forest 

 countries, except a few small and unimportant tracts, due 

 perhaps, in some cases, to ancient cultivation or accidental 

 fires. To this, however, there is one important exception 



