sea, eruptions are caused by the formation of explosive steam
consequent on the access of sea-water to the reservoirs of molten
lava lying underground. The proximity of this Diatomaceous bed to
Mount Erebus would easily explain how these minute shells might be
found abundant in the fine dust ejected from that volcano.




CHAPTER X.

Volcanoes of Java--Papandayang--Mountain Ingulfed--Great
Destruction of Life and Property--Galoen-gong--Destructive
Eruption--Mount Merapia--Great Eruption, with Hurricane--Another,
very destructive--Mud Volcano Crater of Tankuban-Prahu--Island of
Sumbawa--Volcano of Tomboro--Terrific Eruption--Timor--A Volcano
quenches itself--Cleaving of Mount Machian--Sangir--Destructive
Eruption--Bourbon.


One of the most marvellous volcanic regions in the world is that
composed of the islands of the Malayan Archipelago in the Indian
Ocean. They form a chain stretching from east to west, but curving
up towards the north at the western extremity. The most easterly of
the chain is Timor, the most westerly Sumatra.

The most interesting of the group is Java, which is almost entirely
of volcanic origin, and contains no less than thirty-eight
mountains of that conical form which indicates their having at one
time or other been active volcanoes. Only a few of them, however,