Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

158 AUSTRALASIA.the west. Nevertheless, the eruptions that have taken place during the historicperiod have been less terrific than those of some other Javanese volcanoes. Someof Merapi's trachytic walls have a columnar formation resembling that of theStaffa basalts.East of Merapi the igneous system is completely interrupted bj' the alluvialvalley of the river Solo. In this part of the island the main range consists ofFig. 62. South-West Slopes of Kelut.Scale 1 : 200,000."'//I//,;«J%J-?-^'/'i i^>/'/;lEast oF Greenw ch^V^\i J..!^milk-white limestone rocks known by the name of Gunong Sewu, or the " ThousandMountains," and developing a long line of cliffs on the southern seaboard.The highest peaks rise to about 2,000 feet ; but most of the " thousandeminences scattered over the plateau range from 100 feet to little over 200feet. They are separated by winding valleys shaded by the finest foresttrees. Some of the narrow longitudinal dales, mostly overgrown with tall grasses,