CBAP. I.] PHYSICAL GEOGRAPnr, 5 



Guinea, and can there trace anotlior volcanic belt, throiigli 

 New Britaiu, New Ireland, and the Solomon Ishuids, to 

 the eastern limits of ttie Archipelago. 



In the whole region occupied l;iy this vast line of volca- 

 noes, and for a considerable breadth on each side of it, 

 earthquakes are of continual recurrence, slight shocks being 

 felt at intervals of every few weeks or months, wiiile more 

 severe ones, shaking down whole villages, and doing more 

 or less iujiiry to life and pi-tiperty, are sure to happen, in 

 one part or another of tins district, almost every year. In 

 many of the islands the years of the great earthquakes form 

 the chronological epochs of the native inhabitants, by the 

 aid of which the ages of their children are remembered, 

 and the dates of many important events are determined. 



I can only briefly allude to the many fearful eruptions 

 that have taken place in this regioiL In the amount ol 

 injury to life and property, and in the magnitude of tlieir 

 effects, they have not been surpassed by any upon record. 

 Forty villages were destroyed by the eruption of Papanda- 

 yaug in Java, in 1772, when the whole mountain was blown 

 up by repeated explosions, and a large lake left in its place. 

 By the great eruption of Tomboro in Sumbawa, in 1815, 

 12,000 people were destroyed, and the ashes darkened the 

 air and fell thickly npon the earth and sea for 300 miles 

 round. Even quite recently, since I quitted the conntry, 

 a mountain which liad been quiescent for more than 200 

 years suddenly burst into activity. The island of Makian, 

 one cjf the Aloluccfis, Wiis rent open in 1646 by a violent 

 eruption, wdiicli left a huge chasm on one side, extending 

 into the heart of the mountain. It was, wlien I last 

 visited it, in 1860, clothed with vegetation to the summit, 

 and contained twelve populous Jf-'-lay villages. On the 

 29th of December, 1862, after 215 years of perfect in- 

 action, it again suddenly burst forth, blowing up and com- 

 pletely altering the appearance of the mountain, destroying 

 the gi'eater part of the inhabitants, jxnd sending forth such 

 volumes of ashes as to darken tlie air at Temate, forty 

 mUes off, and to almost entirely destroy the growing crops 

 on that and the surrounding islands. 



The island of Java contains more volcanoes, active and 

 extinct, than any other known district of equal extent 



