308 
COMPENDIUM OF GEOGKAPHY AND TPtAVEL 
still carried on at Ternate, Amboina, and Banda. All 
the islands are in the possession of Holland, but the two 
largest, Gilolo—or Halmahera—and Ceram, are as yet 
comparatively little known. 
2. Geology and Natural History. 
The great volcanic belt passes through the whole 
length of the Moluccas, and gives them their distinctive 
character, yet several of the islands are entirely without 
volcanoes, either active or extinct, and some appear to be 
wholly non-volcanic in structure. Beginning with Banda 
on the south, the line of volcanic action passes through 
Amboina to Buru, where a volcano is said to exist in the 
western part; it then turns northward through Batjan, 
where there are boiling springs, to the line of active 
volcanoes running from Makian to the northern extremity 
of Gilolo, where are several volcanic peaks. In the 
vicinity of the volcanic districts there are usually abun¬ 
dant signs of upheaval, in the form of raised coral reefs 
or masses of coral limestone far inland. At the extreme 
north, the island of Morti is coralline and volcanic, but 
has no volcano. The centre and most of the southern 
peninsula of Gilolo is composed largely of coral rock. 
At Amboina we find a base of crystalline rocks, with 
abundance of coralline limestone, forming hills of con¬ 
siderable elevation and very rugged, the hollows being 
filled with red clayey earth, probably decomposed volcanic 
ashes. Farther east, the small islands of Goram, Mano- 
wolko, and Matabello consist wholly of coral reefs raised 
to a considerable height, while Great Ke Island is also 
very largely composed of the same rock. The large 
island of Ceram, however, appears to offer a contrast to 
the rest of the Moluccas. No volcanoes are known in it, 
