VOLCANIC CHAINS. 97 



an almost unbroken volcanic girdle. The islands 

 ofNiphon, Luzon, and Java, are the chief seats 

 of the volcanic activity of this line. In the latter 

 island, in particular, more volcanoes are crowded 

 together than in any other country in the world \ 

 for more than a hundred may be counted there, 

 and thirty of them in full activity. The great vol- 

 canic chain of Sunda, beginning with the burning 

 mountain on Barren Island, to the north of Su- 

 matra, runs through Sumatra, Java, Bali, 

 Lambock, Sumbava, Flores, and many little 

 islands, to Banda, Amboina, and Gilolo, and so 

 farther on to the Moluccas and Philippines. 

 At the same time, in an easterly direction, it joins 

 the so-called Australian Volcanic Chain, whose 

 crater-cones rise in the islands New Guinea, 

 jNTew r Britain, Solomon's Island, and the New T 

 Hebrides, and is continued by some single vol- 

 canic islands to the volcano Egmont, in New 

 Zealand. These, with the burning mountains of 

 the Sunda Islands, form a broad curve that 

 encompasses New Holland on the east and north. 

 Many of these volcanoes are always throwing 

 forth columns of vapour. Their actual outbursts 

 seldom, however, last longer than a few hours, 

 though they sometimes extend over several days, 

 and even weeks, and are not then repeated till after 

 longer intervals. Thus the Peak of Teyde dis- 

 charges itself once, or at most twice, in a hunched 



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