An exact mineralogical determination of the volcanic rocks (trachytes) is unfortunately wanting everywhere.
The most active volcano of Sumatra is the Gunung Merapi (8980 feet), which must not be confounded with a volcano in Java, of the same name. That of Sumatra was ascended by Dr. L. Horner, and Dr. Korthals in 1834. We may pronounce Indrapura (11,500 feet, but this measurement is very uncertain), and Gunung Pasoman (9010 feet), the Ophir of our maps, to be utterly unknown geologically. The highest of the Java volcanoes is Gunung Semeru (11,480 feet), ascended by Junghuhn in 1844, 1220 feet higher than the Etna. The largest craters of the 45 which are disposed in a line along the shores of Java, are Gunung Tengger, and Gunung Raou. Dr. Junghuhn has recently given the outlines of each separate volcano in his splendid topographical and geological map of Java, in four sheets, published in 1856, which does great credit to the Dutch Government.
The following subjects are worthy of special attention while the frigate is at Java.
1. The curious phenomenon of the ribbed surface. (Vide Junghuhn, Java, Part II., p. 608.)
2. The disposition, as yet unaccounted for, of a series of regularly-shaped hills, formed by the mud-streams ejected in the year 1822 by the volcano of Gunung Galungung. (Vide ut suprà, pp. 127-731.)
3. The ejection of water by the Gunung Idjen, on 21st January, 1817, (pp. 707, and 717-121).
4. The erroneousness of the assertion that the volcanoes of the Island of Java do not emit streams of real lava.
It must be admitted that the mighty Javanese volcano, Gunung Merapi, already alluded to, has not, within the historic period, presented any coherent compact streams of lava, but mere fragments and boulders; although in 1837, lines of fire were seen running uninterruptedly from the top down the sides of the cones in eruption. But each of the three volcanoes, Tengger, Idjen, and Slamat, present examples of black lava currents, descending as far as the tertiary strata.
Streams of stone-boulders, red-hot, similar to those of the Cotopaxi, but scarcely touching each other, flowed from Gunung Lamorgan on 6th July, 1838.
No active volcano is known in the island of Borneo. The highest mountain of the whole island, perhaps of the whole insular world of Southern Asia, is the Hina Baïlu (12,850 feet?) on the northern point of Borneo. It is as yet unexplored. According to Dr. Lewis Horner, son of the astronomer of the Krusenstern expedition, there occur among the syenite and serpentine mountain range of Rathus, on the S.E. of the island, deposits yielding gold (which has even been worked by diggings), diamonds, platinum, iridium, and osmium,—presenting, in fact, a similar association to those of the Ural mountains. No mention is made of palladium. Rajah (now Sir James) Brooke describes in the province of Sarawak in Borneo, a low hill, Gunung Api ("hill of fire" in Malay), the slags of which attest former volcanic activity. A visit to Borneo would be of very great service.