Stanford's Compendium of Geography and Travel ... based on Hellwald's 'Die Erde und ihre Völker.' Translated (and with ethnological appendix) by A. H. Keane. (Africa. Edited and extended by Keith Johnston. Central America, the West Indies, and South America. Edited and extended by H. W. Bates....

Appendix

BY A. H. KEANE, M.A.I. MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON EDWARD STANFORD, 55 CHARING CROSS, S.W.

Preface

. — ♦ — The present volume differs somewhat from the rest of this series of works, in consisting almost wholly of new matter. This was rendered necessary by the meagre treatment of Malaysia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, in Hellwald's book, which was, as regards this portion of it, on so small a scale that I found it impossible to enlarge or add to it without rewriting the whole. The few short paragraphs devoted to the Exploration, to the Natural History, and to the Colonies of Australia, were altogether inadequate as the basis of an English geographical work ; and the same may be said of the equally brief notices of the large and im portant islands of the Malay Archipelago. As an example, I may refer to the account of Borneo, in which the only reference to the two Enghsh settlements is as follows : — "while the English have made more or less permanent settlements in Labuan and Sarawak."

This paucity of available material has rendered it necessary for the volume to be practically rewritten, and I have thus been enabled to make it as complete a " Compendium " of the geography of Australasia as was possible within the prescribed limits. I have endeavoured to secure uniformity of treatment by giving the same kind, as well as the same amount, of information, in the case of corresponding islands and colonies, wherever the accessible

PREFACE.

. vi materials admitted of it, and to proportion the amount of detad in the description of each colony, island, or group of islands, to their intrinsic importance and general interest. Separate chapters are devoted to the Natural History, the Aborigines, and the Geology, of Australia — the latter being, I believe, the first attempt to give a popular but accurate sketch of the present state of knowledge of this interesting but extremely difficult subject. The characteristics and habits of the various races of mankind, the relics of prehistoric man that occur in the Pacific Islands, and the more interesting features of the natural history of the different regions and great island groups, have all been briefly described. With every wish to utilise the translation of Hellwald's book as far as possible, I have only been able to do so to the extent of little more than one-tenth part of the present volume.

Notwithstanding the great number of islands and groups comprised within the area treated of, none of any importance have been left without proportionate notice ; and I venture to hope that the volume will be found to contain a condensed but accurate summary of geographical information on one of the least known, but most varied and most interesting, of the great divisions of the earth. Croydon, January 31, 1879. LIST OF WORKS USED IN PREPARING THIS VOLUME. — ♦ — Australia and New Zealand.

Gordon and Gotch, Australian Handbook : 1878. — Silver's Aus tralia and New Zealand. 2d Edition : 1874. — Encyclopædia Britannica, article ' Australia.' — Angas, G. F., Australia, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. — Angas, G. F., Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand : 1847.— Lang, History and Statistics of New South "Wales: 1875. — Russell, Climate of New South Wales : 1877. — Hayter, Notes on the Colony of Victoria: 1876. — Harcus, South Australia: 1876.— Mueller, Select Plants of Victoria: 1876. — Sturt, Interior of South Australia: 1833. — Sturt, Central Australia: 1849. — Mitchell, Expedition in Interior of New South Wales : 1 839. — Mitchell, Expedition in Interior of Tropical Australia : 1848. — Forrest, Explorations in Australia : 1875. — Warburton, Journey across the Western Interior of Aus tralia : 1875. — Leichardt, Journal: 1847. — M'Douall Stuart, Explorations in Australia : 1864. — Wills, J. E., Exploration from Melbourne to Gulf of Carpentaria : 1863. — Giles, Travels in Central Australia : 1875. — Giles, Journey from South to West Australia, Journal of Royal Geographical Society : 1876. — Howitt, Land, Labour, and Gold : 1858. — Trollope, A., Australia and New Zea land : 1873. — Hochstetter, New Zealand : 1867. — Taylor, Rev. R, New Zealand and its Inhabitants: 1870. — Taylor, Rev. R., New Zealand, Past, Present, and Future : 1868. — Journal of Royal Geographical Society. — Proceedings of Royal Geographical Society. — Clarke, Rev. W. B., Remarks on the Sedimentary Formations of New South Wales. — Wood, Geological Observations in South Aus tralia. — Strzelecki, Physical Description of New South Wales : 1843. — Smith, R. Brough, Geological Map of Australia : 1878. — Reports of the Geological Survey of Victoria. — Hooker, Sir Joseph, Essay on Flora of Australia. — Hooker, Sir Joseph, Flora of New Zealand. — Transactions of Ethnological Society of London, vol. 3.

Oldfield on Australian Aborigines. — Transactions and Proceedings of New Zealand Institute. — Wallace, Geographical Distribution of Animals. viti LIST OF WORKS USED IN PREPARING THIS VOLUME. Malaysia. Jagor, Travels in the Philippines: 1875. — Crawfurd, J., De scriptive Dictionary of the Indian Islands. — Geografia Philippina (Spanish official maps of Philippines).— Wallace, A. R, The Malay Archipelago : 1869. — Bickmore, A., Travels in the East Indian Archipelago : 1868.— St. John, S., Life in Forests of Far East : 1863.— Earl, G. W., The Eastern Seas: 1837.— Motley, Letters from Borneo, in Hooker's Journal of Botany, 1850-56. — Consular Reports on Java, Borneo, and the Philippines. — Geographie van Nederlandsch-Indie, Martinmas Nijhoff. Melanesia, Polynesia, and Mikronesia.

Brenchley, Cruise of the Curacoa : 1873. — Erskine, Islands of the Western Pacific: 1853. — Turner, Rev. G., Nineteen Years in Polynesia: 1861. — Hopkins, Manley, Hawaii : 1862. — Seemann, B., Mission to Viti : 1862. — Pritchard, W. T, Polynesian Reminis cences : 1866. — Wood, C. F., A Yachting Cruise in the South Seas : 1875. — Campbell, A, A Year in the New Hebrides: 1873. — M'Gillivray, Voyage of the Rattlesnake: 1852. — Earl, G. W., Papuans: 1853. — Gamier, Jules, Nouvelle Caledonie et Tahiti. — Belcher, Lady, The Mutineers of the Bounty. — Markham, New Hebrides, in Journal of Royal Geographical Society : 1872. — Palmer, Easter Island, in Journal of Royal Geographical Society : 1870. — New Guinea (Papers on), in Geographical Magazine : 1873-77. — New Guinea (Papers on), "Colonies:" 1876-78. — New Guinea, Galton on Micklucho Maclay's Discoveries, in ' Nature ' : 1876. — New Guinea, Moresby, Captain J., Discoveries in Eastern, Journal of Royal Geographical Society : 1875. — New Guinea, Stone, O. G, on Port Moresby and Natives, Journal of Royal Geographical Society : 1876. — New Guinea, D'Albertis on Fly River, Proceedings of Royal Geographical Society: 1876. — New Guinea, Dr. Comrie, Anthropological Notes, Journal of Anthropological Institute : 1 876. — New Guinea, Rev. W. G. Turner on Ethnology of the Motu, Journal Anthropological Institute : 1878.— Also various Papers referring to discoveries of Maclay, Meyer, D'Albertis, and to the Ethnology and Natural History of New Guinea, in ' Nature,' vols. viii. ix. xiii. xiv. xv. and xvi. — Admiralty Islands, Mosely, H. N., on Inhabitants of, Journal of Anthropological Institute : 1877. — Ranken, W. L.,on the South Sea Islanders, Journal of Anthropological Institute: 1877. — Forbes, Dr. Litton, On the Navigator Islands, Proceedings of Royal Geographical Society: 1877. — Brown, Rev. G, On New Britain and New Ireland, Journal of Royal Geographical Society : 1877. — Con sular Reports on Fiji, Sandwich, and Society Islands.

London, Edward Stimihrd, 5!b.t*Karing Cross. SW PAGE 1 IS 36 CONTENTS. AUSTRALASIA.

Chapter I

Introduction. Definition and nomenclature — Extent and distribution of lands and islands — Geographical and physical features — Ocean depths — Races of mankind — Zoology and botany — Geological relations and past history — Geographical divisions AUSTRALIA.

Chapter II

The Physical Geography and Climate of Australia. Dimensions, form, and outline — Contour of the country — Mountains and table-lands — The interior — Rivers — Climate of Australia — Climate of New South Wales — Winds — Snow — Droughts and floods ........ CHAPTER HI. The Natural History of Australia. Characteristics of Australian vegetation — Botanical features and relations of the Australian flora — The external relations of the Australian flora — General features of Australian zoology — Mammalia — Birds — Reptiles, fishes, and insects ....

Chapter IV

The Geology and Past History of Australia. General considerations — Palæozoic formations — Mesozoic formations — Tertiary formations — Quaternary or Fost-pliocene deposits — Ex- CONTENTS. X PAGE 64 86 107 133 tinct volcanoes and their products — Geological features of the gold mines— The "oldest" drifts— The "older" drifts—"Re cent" drifts— Quartz reefs — Probable past history of Australia — Origin of the desert sandstone — Origin of the drifts and alluviums .....■••

Chapter V

The Australian Aborigines. Physical characteristics — Mental qualities — Clothing, dwellings, and food — Weapons and tools — Occupations and amusements — Government and war — Religion ; ceremonies of initiation, marriage, and burial — Language — Probable origin of the Australian aborigines ........

Chapter VI

The British Colonisation of Australia ; the Discovery, Exploration, and Material Progress of the Country. Outline of Australian colonisation — Early history, discovery, and maritime exploration of Australia — Inland exploration — Early explorations of Hume, Sturt, and Mitchell — Journeys of Eyre and Sturt to the desert interior — Leichardt and Kennedy in the north-east — Gregory in the north-west — M'Douall Stuart's journey across the continent — The fatal expedition of Burke and Wills — Establishment of the telegraph line to the north coast — The western deserts traversed by Giles, Warburton, and Forrest — General result of these explorations — Growth of the population — Agriculture — Mineral wealth — Commercial activity — Railways and telegraphs .......

Chapter VII

The Colony of New South Wales. Origin, geographical limits, and area — Physical features — Climate, natural history, and geology — Colonisation, population, etc. — Productions, trade, shipping, etc. — Roads, railways, and telegraphs — Political and civil divisions — Alphabetical list of counties — Cities and towns — Government, public institutions, education, etc. ... ..... CONTENTS. XI PAGE 165 192 208 218

Chapter VIII

The Colony of Victoria. Origin, geographical limits, and area — Physical features — Climate, natural history, and geology — Colonisation, population, etc. — Productions, trade, shipping, etc. — Roads, railways, and telegraphs — Political and civil divisions — Cities and towns — Government, religion, public institutions, education, etc.

Chapter IX

The Colony of South Australia. Origin, geographical limits, and area — Physical features — Climate, natural history, and geology — Colonisation, population, etc. — Productions, trade, shipping, etc. — Roads, railways, and telegraphs — Political divisions, cities, and towns — Government, public institutions, education, etc. — The northern territory

Chapter X

The Colony of West Australia. Origin, geographical limits, and area — Physical features — Climate, natural history, and geology — Colonisation, population, etc. — Productions, trade, etc. — Communications — Political divisions, cities, and towns — Government, education, etc.

CHAPTER XL

The Colony of Queensland. Origin, geographical limits, and area — Physical features — Climate, natural history, and geology — Population — Productions and trade — Political divisions — Cities and towns — Government, religion, education, etc. ......

Chapter XII

The Colony of Tasmania. Origin, position, area— Physical features — Rivers — Lakes — Climate, natural history, and geology — Colonisation, population, etc. — CONTENTS. PAGE Aborigines — Productions and trade — Roads, railways, and tele graphs — Political divisions, cities, and towns — Government, religion, education, etc. ...... 239 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO.

Chapter XIII

Geographical and Ethnical Survey of the Archipelago. Geographical outline — Physical features, volcanoes — The Malay race and language — Savage and semi-civilised Malays . . 255

Chapter XIV

The Philippine Islands. Geographical outline — Scenery — Natural history — Native inhabitants — Negritos — European conquest of the Philippines — Government, population — Trade and commerce — Luzon — Mindoro — Panay — Negros — Cebu — Samar — Leyte — Masbate, Bohol — Palawan — Mindanao — The Sooloo Islands ..... 267

Chapter XV

The Dutch East Indies. Extent and importance — Dutch policy, and its effects on the native populations — System of government of Netherlands India . 299

Chapter XVI

Java. Position, form, and area — Mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes — rivers, valleys, hot springs, etc. — Climate — Natural history — Inhabitants — Language, government, antiquities — Dutch conquest of Java, population, etc. — Products and revenue — Cities, towns, and villages— Communications, commerce, etc. . CONTENTS. XIII PAGE 329 347 379 396 417

Chapter XVII

Sumatra. Position and area — Mountains, volcanoes, plains — Lakes and rivers — Natural history — Races of man — Achin — Palembang — Islands belonging to Sumatra — The Dutch possessions and the chief towns .......

Chapter XVIII

Borneo. Dimensions form, and outline — Mountains and rivers — Geology and natural history — Native races — European settlements in Borneo — The English settlements at Sarawak and Labuan — Present condition of Sarawak — Native population — Government — Military force — Exports and imports, revenue, etc. — Religion and education — General remarks on the character and influence of the Sarawak Government — Labuan — Chief towns, islands, etc.

Chapter XIX

Celebes. Position, extent, and outline — Physical features — Natural history — Native races— Dutch possessions and native kingdoms of Celebes — Macassar — Native States — Menado — Islands belonging to Celebes ........

Chapter XX

The Moluccas. Position, size, etc. — Geology and natural history — Inhabitants — Ternate and the Gilolo group — Amboyna and the Ceram group — Bouru — Amboyna — Banda — Islands east of Ceram — The Ke Islands ........

Other Islands of Melanesia. The Admiralty Islands — The New Britain group — The Solomon Islands — The New Hebrides and Santa Cruz groups — New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands — The Fiji Islands

Chapter XXIV

Polynesia. Extent and component groups — The Polynesian or Mahori race — The Tonga or Friendly Islands — The Samoa or Navigator's Islands — Savage Island — The Union and Ellice Islands — The Hervey Islands, or Cook's Archipelago — The Society Islands — The Austral Isles and Low Archipelago — Pitcairn and Easter Islands — The Marquesas Islands — Manihiki, America, and Phœnix groups — The Sandwich Islands ..... MIKRONESIA.

Chapter XXV

Mikronesia. Extent and component groups — The Marshall Archipelago — The Gilbert or Kingsmill Islands — The Caroline Archipelago — Ponape and its ruins — The Pelew Islands — The Mariannes or Ladrone Islands . CONTENTS. XV PAOI 545 577 593 626 627 NEW ZEALAND.

Chapter XXVI

Physical History of the New Zealand Group. Position, extent, islands, etc. —Physical features and scenery— Lakes, hot springs, and glaciers — Climate — Geology — Natural history — Past history of New Zealand — The Maories and the aborigines of New Zealand — Other islands of the New Zealand group

Chapter XXVII

The Colony of New Zealand. Colonisation and population — Agricultural and industrial pursuits — Railroads and communications — Political divisions — Provincial district of Auckland — District of Taranaki — District of Hawkes' Bay — District of Wellington — District of Nelson — District of Marlborough — District of Canterbury — District of Westland — District of Otago — Government, education, religion, etc.

APPENDIX.

BY A. H. KEANE. Philology and Ethnology of the Interoceanic Races. Area — Dark and brown types — Nomenclature — Interoceanic — Negrito — Papua — Alfuro — Malayo-Polynesian — Indo- Pacific — Micronesian — Mahori — Comparative table of physical characteristics — General scheme of Interoceanic races and languages : I. The Austral Races ; II. The Negrito Races ; III. The Papuan Races ; IV. The Mahori Race ; V. The Mikronesian Races ; VI. The Malayan Races ....... Comparative Table of Interoceanic Numerals Alphabetical List of Interoceanic Races and Languages LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. New Zealand Chief . . ... . . Frontispiece. A Burial in the Australian Steppes . . . Page 1 The Blue Mountains . . . . . ,,16 The Murray . . . . . . . „ 24 Australian Forest . . . . . . ,,37 Kangaroo ....... ,,54 Emu ...... 'Jo face page 60 Geological Section : " Oldest " Drifts . . .

Page 72 Do. Drifts and Lava-flows . . ,,74 Native Australian . . . . . ■ .. 87 Native Australian Hnt ..... ,,92 Cooper's Creek ..... To face page 120 Settlement on a Gold-Eeld ..... Page 130 Entrance to Port Jackson .... To face-page 137 Sydney Page 155 Collins Street, Melbourne ..... » 183 A Piratical Fleet • To face page 297 Javanese Landscape ..... Page 303 Volcano in Java ..... To face page 304 A Native House, Java ..... Page 323 Inland Travelling in Java .... To face page 327 Palace of a Sumatra Prince ..... Page 336 A Dyak Warrior . . • • • • >> 356 A Dyak Dancer . . • • • • »> 357 Exterior of a Dyak Village . . . • • ,,359 Interior of a Dyak Village . . . • • ,,360 Dyak Bamboo Bridge . . • 'To face page 361 Babirusa ■ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XV1LL To face page 396 Scene in the Moluccas Native of Ceram Page 407 „ 412 Banda Volcano „ 421 The Royal Palace, Bali Village of Dorey To face page 440 Page 463 Inside of Hut, Louisiade Archipelago Village in Vanikoro To face page 474 Page 476 Chief of Vanikoro To face page 481 Natives of New Caledonia .

New Caledonian Flute-player Native of Fiji Page 482 „ 486 „ 489 Fiji Temple „ 496 Ancient Tomb, Tahiti Atoll in the Samoa Group . . , . .' . • >. 501 PeakofMoorea . , . ■ ■ ;, 508 View on the Shores of Tahiti . . . . ■ To face page 509 Mountains of Tahiti . . ... . . Po-ge 510 Natives of Society Islands fishing . . . . . . . . ,,513 To face page 525 Bay of Karakora, where Captain Cook was killed Kilauea Volcano .... Page 527 Village in Hawaii „ 529 Creek in the Caroline Islands Tangariro and Ruapehu Geysers near the River Waikato Glaciers of Mount Cook „ 537 To face page 546 Page 549 To face page 552 Page 565 Maori Type Carved New Zealand Chest . War Club of New Zealand . „ 566 ,, LIST OF MAPS. Index Map to Chapters and Sections . . To face Contents. General Map of Australasia, with depths of the Sea . ,, page 1 Physical Map of Australasia . . . . ,, ,, 13 Geological Map of Australia . . . . ,, ,, 65 Geueral Map of Australia . . . . ,, ,, 107 Map of New South Wales ....,,,, 133 ,, Victoria .....,,,, 165 ,, South Australia ....,,,, 193 ,, West Australia . . . . „ ,, 209 ,, Queensland .....,,,, 219 ,, Tasmania . ....,,,, 239 „ Philippine Islands . . . . ,, ,, 267 „ Malay Archipelago . . . . ,, ,, 299 ,, New Guinea and Solomon Islands . . ,, ,, 435 ,, New Caledonia and Samoa Islands . . ,, ,, 473 ,, Society Islands and Marquesas . . ,, , , 507 ,, Sandwich Islands . . . . „ ,, 525 ,, Caroline and Ladrone Islands . . ,, „ 533 „ New Zealand (North Island) . . . ,, ,, 545 Do. (South Island) . . . I. on, loii K.lwiu.l Stanford, Si A BURIAL IN THE AUSTRALIAN 3TEPPB6. AUSTRALASIA

Chapter I. Introduction'

1. Definition and Nomenclature The present volume will be devoted to a description of the great insular land — Australia, and of all the archipelagoes and island-groups which extend almost uninter ruptedly from the south-eastern extremity of Asia to more than half-way across the Pacific Ocean. It thus includes all the islands of the Malay Archipelago, the greater portion of which are usually joined to Asia, as well as the various groups of islands in the Pacific which have received special names — as Micronesia, Polynesia, etc. The term Australasia has been used in very different senses. In the original German edition of this work it included the whole area as above defined, except the B Malay Islands west of New Guinea, which were united with Asia. In the last edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (now publishing) it is held to comprise only Australia and New Zealand, with the large islands as far as New Guinea and the New Hebrides.

Oceania is the word often used by continental geographers to describe the great world of islands we are now entering upon ; but, as defining one of the six great divisions of the globe, Australasia harmonises better with the names of the other divisions, and at the same time serves to recall its essential characteristics — firstly, that it is geographically a southern extension of Asia; and, secondly, that the great island-continent of Australia forms its central and most important feature. 2. Extent and Distribution of Lands and Islands. That portion of the equator stretching from the southern extremity of the Indo-Chinese peninsula at Singapore to the opposite shores of America near Guaya quil, occupies almost exactly 180 degrees of longitude, or half the circumference of the globe ; and throughout almost the whole of this vast distance it traverses the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.

This boundless watery domain, which extends northwards to Behring Straits and southward to the Antarctic barrier of ice, is studded with many island groups, which are, however, very irregularly distributed over its surface. The more northerly section, lying between Japan and California and between the Aleutian and Hawaiian Archipelagoes, is relieved by no thing but a few solitary reefs and rocks at enormously distant intervals. Between the tropics, islets, reefs, and groups of coral formation abound ; and towards the southern limits of this belt larger islands appear, which increase in size as we go westward, till we reach New AUSTRALASIA. 3 Guinea and the other large islands of the Malay Archi pelago. To the eastward, the Pacific is almost entirely destitute of islands, till a few occur near the American coast ; so that an unbroken belt of ocean, nearly two thousand miles wide, forms a mighty barrier between Australasia and the continents of North and South America.

A little to the south of the tropic of Capri corn, islands almost wholly cease in the Central Pacific ; but going westward we meet with the important New Zealand group, and farther on the island-continent of Australia, with its satellite Tasmania, closely connected with New Guinea and the other Malay Islands. It thus appears that all the greater land masses of Australasia form an obvious southern and south-eastern extension of the great Asiatic continent, while beyond these the islands rapidly diminish in size and frequency, till in the far east we reach a vast expanse of unbroken ocean. Estimated by its actual land area, this division of the globe is only a little larger than Europe ; but if we take account of the surface it occupies upon the globe, and the position of its extreme points, it at once rises to the first rank, surpassing even the vast extent of the Asiatic con tinent.

From the north-western extremity of Sumatra, in 95° east longitude, to the Marquesas in 138° west, is a distance of 127°, or more than one-third the circumference of the globe, and about a thousand miles longer than the greatest extent of Europe and Asia from Lisbon to Singapore. In a north and south direction it is less extensive ; yet from the Sandwich Islands in 22° north, to the south island of New Zealand in 47° south latitude, is a meridian distance of 69 degrees, or as much as the width of the great northern continent from the North Cape to Ceylon. Its extreme limits are indeed much greater than above indicated, for in the West Pacific the islands extend to beyond 3 0° north latitude ; in the east we have Easter Island and Sala-y-Gomez full 30 degrees beyond the Marquesas ; while in the south the Macquarie Islands are about 600 miles south of New Zealand. 3.

Geographical and Physical Features. Within the limits above described are some of the most interesting countries of the world. Beginning at the west, we have the Malay Archipelago, comprising the largest islands on the globe (if we exclude Australia), and unsurpassed for the luxuriance of its vegetation as well as for the variety and beauty of its forms of animal life. Farther to the east we have the countless islands of the Pacific, remarkable for their numbers and their beauty, and interesting from their association with the names of many of our greatest navigators. To the south we have Australia, a land as unique in its physical features as it is in its strange forms of vegetable and animal life. Still farther in the Southern Ocean lies New Zealand, almost the antipodes of Britain, but possessing a milder climate and a more varied surface.

Being thus almost wholly comprised between the northern tropic and the 40 th degree of south latitude, this division of the globe possesses as tropical a character as Africa, while, owing to its being so completely oceanic, and extending over so vast an area, it presents diversities of physical features and of organic life hardly to be found in any of the other divisions of the globe, except, perhaps, Asia. The most striking contrasts of geological structure are exhibited by the coral islands of the Pacific, the active volcanoes of the Malay Islands, and the extremely ancient rocks of New Zealand and Tasmania. The most opposite aspects of vegetation are presented by the luxuriant forests of Borneo or New Guinea and the waterless plains of Central Australia. In the Sunda Islands we have an AUSTRALASIA. 5 abundance of all the higher and larger forms of mammalia ; while farther to the east, in Australia and the Pacific Islands, the absence of all the higher mammalia is so marked as to distinguish these countries from every other part of the world.

Where the land surface is so com pletely broken up into islands we cannot expect to find any of the more prominent geographical features which characterise large continents. There are no great lakes, rivers, or mountain ranges. The only land-area capable of supporting a great river is exceptionally arid, yet the Murray of Eastern Australia will rank with the largest European rivers, its basin having an area about equal to that of the Dnieper. Mountains are numerous, and are much higher in the islands than in Australia itself. In such remote localities as Sumatra, Borneo, the Sandwich Islands, and New Zealand, there are mountains which just fall short of 14,000 feet. In New Guinea they prob ably exceed this altitude, if, as reported, the central range situated close to the equator is snow-covered ; while in Australia the most elevated point is little more than half as high. 4.

Ocean Depths. The land and water of the earth's surface is so unequally distributed that it is possible to divide the globe into two equal parts, in one of which (the land hemisphere) land and water shall be almost exactly equal, while in the other (the water hemisphere) there shall be almost eight times as much water as land. The centre of the former is in St. George's Channel, about midway between Pembroke and Wexford ; and the centre of the latter will be about 600 miles S.S.E. of New Zealand. Australasia is therefore situated wholly within the water hemisphere, and many of its islands are surrounded by an ocean which is not only the most extensive but the deepest on the globe. Pacific Ocean is deepest north of the equator, where soundings of from 15,000 to 18,000 feet have been obtained over an extensive area ; and it is a remarkable fact that the depth increases as we approach the Asiatic continent.

Between the Philippines and the Marianne Islands a depth of nearly 27,000 feet has been found; close to Japan, 23,400 feet; and just south of the Kurile Islands, the enormous depth of 27,930 feet. In the South Pacific the depths, as far as yet ascertained, vary between 10,000 and 17,000 feet; but here, too, the deepest soundings are near the larger land masses, close to the New Hebrides (16,900 feet), between Sydney and New Zealand (15,600 feet), and a little south-east of New Guinea (14,700 feet). A comparatively shallow sea extends round the coasts of Australia, which gradually deepens, till at a distance of from 300 to 500 miles on the east, south, and west, the oceanic depth of 15,000 feet is attained. The sea connecting Australia with New Guinea and the Moluccas is rather shallow, with intervening basins of immense depth.

In the Banda sea there is a basin at least 12,000 feet deep ; while in the Celebes and Sooloo seas are similar basins of over 15,000 feet; and in the China sea, west of Luzon, one of 12,600 feet. Farther westward the sea shallows abruptly, so that Borneo, Java, and Sumatra are connected with each other and with the Malay and Siamese peninsulas by a sub marine bank rarely exceeding 200 or 300 feet deep. 5. Paces of Mankind. Australasia surpasses most of the great continental divisions of the globe in the variety of human races which inhabit it, and in the interesting problems which they present to the anthropologist. We may reckon at least three, or, as some think, five or even six distinct types of AUSTRALASIA. 7 mankind in this area. First, we have the true Malays, who inhabit all the western portion of the Malay Archi pelago from Sumatra to the Moluccas ; next we have the Papuans, whose head-quarters are New Guinea, but who range to Timor and Flores on the west, and to the Fiji Islands on the east.