REUNION 
179 
deep furrows, especially on the western side; sometimes 
there are narrow gorges which render the interior of 
the island accessible. The most important elevations 
lie pretty accurately at the foci of the ellipse; in the 
northern part the Piton des Neiges rises to the height of 
10,230 ft.; on the south, on the other hand, the Piton 
de Fournaise is only 8612 ft. The latter is an active 
volcano which from time to time ejects great masses of 
lava (coulees). Violent eruptions took place in 1775, 
1800, 1812, 1824, and 1858. This last covered the rail¬ 
way with a layer of lava 10 to 12 ft. thick, for an extent 
of 1300 ft. The eruptions in the years i860 and 1864 
were still more copious, masses of lava flowing down in 
a broad channel as far as the sea. Smaller eruptions 
