THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
594 
clouds, however, quickly capped their summits and limited the view to -the lower parts 
of the land. At 7 a.m. the ship proceeded under steam towards Ternate, steering for 
the channel between it and Tidore Island (see fig. 199). 
Hieri, the northernmost islet of the Molucca group, 2200 feet high, is a small but 
very steep truncated volcanic cone, not in eruption, circular in shape, its diameter being 
about one and three quarter miles. Close off its north and northwest sides are small 
rocks. Ternate is a single grand volcanic cone, from the summit of which smoke is con- 
stantly issuing. Its height was found to be 5600 feet, and position lat. 0° 48' 30" N., 
long. 127° 19' E. The summit itself is bare, but the sides are thickly wooded. The 
slope of the side is about 30° from the horizontal for about two thirds of the distance 
down, after which it becomes more gradual, and ends in a margin of gently rising ground 
all round the base, which is cultivated in some way or other. Tidore, the highest and 
Fig. 199. — Island of Tidore. 
most perfect cone, is now entirely quiescent. It was found to be 5900 feet in height, and 
its position lat. 0° 39' N., long. 127° 23' E. As in Ternate, the lower grounds on this island 
are everywhere cultivated, in fact the clearings extend far up the hillsides, and appear 
to be increasing. Mareh is about 7 00 or 800 feet in height, with two peaked hills. 
Metir is another volcanic cone in lat. 0° 28' N., long. 127° 23' E., attaining an eleva- 
tion of 2800 feet. 
As the entrance between Tidore and Ternate- was neared, the small but perfect cone of 
Mitara Island was very conspicuous. On its summit at the edge of an old crater is a 
signal station. During the passage between this island and Ternate, the eddies were so 
strong and the water so much discoloured from a recent heavy thunderstorm that it 
was thought for a moment that the ship was steaming on to. the edge of a reef, and 
the engines were stopped. It was however only a tide ripple, and the vessel soon pro- 
ceeded for the anchorage, arriving there at 6 p.m., and anchoring off the coaling pier in 
13 fathoms. 
