102 
COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
the Antarctic continent. In form it is long and com¬ 
paratively narrow, lying in a nearly east and west 
direction. Its extreme length is 575 geographical miles, 
while its breadth varies from 28 to 105 miles. Its area 
has been computed at 49,176 square miles, or about one- 
third part larger than Ireland. Its north coast is some¬ 
what low and comparatively sheltered, and here are 
several small islands, the chief being the Karimon Java 
group, and Bawean; and one large island, Madura, which 
at its western extremity is only separated from the main 
island by a strait a mile wide. The southern coast is 
bold and precipitous, and has only a few islands situated 
close to the shore, the most important being Barong 
towards the eastern extremity, and Kambangan a little 
w r est of the centre. The coast-line presents many bays 
on the north, but none of them penetrate deeply, so that 
there is only one good harbour, that of Surabaya, formed 
between the main island and Madura. The southern 
coast is still less indented, and is exposed to a heavy and 
dangerous surf, wdiich rolls in upon the shore at all seasons. 
It is therefore little frequented, and it has hardly any 
safe harbour but that of Chilatjap, situated between the 
island of Kambangan and the mainland. 
The western part of Java, as far as Cheribon, is from 
7 5 to 9 5 miles broad, and, except the plains on the northern 
coast, is very mountainous, the mountains being crowded 
together with narrow intervening valleys, but not reaching 
such great elevations as elsewhere, the highest being a 
little over 10,000 feet. This, however, is the most 
luxuriant part of the island, owing to the moister climate, 
so that the forests reach the summits of some of the 
highest mountains. Here is the country of the Sundanese, 
who speak a language distinct from the Javanese proper. 
Eastward as far as Samarang the island is hardly more 
