The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Indian Archipelago. By Horace St. John.
2 vols. Longman.
This work is a description of a comparatively un-
known region, its history, and present state. It
contains lively and varied accounts of the inhabi-
tants and their customs, and is likely to entertain
and instruct the reader. The following is a sketch
of one of the principal islands of the Asiatic
Archipelago :
" Celebes occupies the centre of the tropical zone, and
lies in the Molucca sea. Its length and breadth it is
difficult to estimate, being composed of four peninsulas,
with an area of about 3,578 miles. Its coast presents a
great number of bays, gulfs, and capes of eccentric
outline. Three deep arms of the sea penetrate it from
east to west, and the four gigantic tongues of land, united
at the centre by an inconsiderable mass, give the island
its peculiar shape. The southern peninsula was once
supposed to be a separate island, abounding in riches,
whose woods at night were illumed by swarms of the
firefly, imparting to them a magical beauty. The west-
ern and northern coasts are bold with few reefs ; but
along the other shores shoals and formations are spread,
some hidden, some appearing above water. The surface
is lofty, with considerable hills, and towards the north
several volcanoes remain active to this day. Some of the
mountains rise 7,000 feet above the level of the sea—usu-
ally with round ;or flat tops, the perfection of woodland
scenery ; no broken rugged peaks appearing to harden
the outlines of the landscape. The physical constitution
of the island is basalt in decomposition, covered with a
bed of soil, largely formed of volcanic detritus, from ten
to twenty feet in depth. In the north continual tremb-
lings of the earth have rent it into many chasms, and
large quantities of sulphur have been throwh up. In
each of the peninsulas distinct features would appear in
a minute description ; but where a sketch only can be
afforded, the whole may in general terms be remarked
upon, for the peculiar details are not visible in a super-
ficial survey.

" Though a mountainous island, Celebes presents
along the borders of the sea wide plains covered with
verdure, and beautiful valleys, some of which enclose
lakes more or less extensive. Nothing enhances the
grace of a landscape more than a lake, and those of
Celebes are distinguished by their beauty. Magnificent
basins of limpid water, raised on a smooth plateau, en-
circled by a rim of low hills, tufted with palm groves or
overlaid with soft sward, glitter under the sun of the
East, and glow like vast sheets of silver. They are
often spangled with the pearl-white flowers and the green
leaves of the water lily, with other aquatic plants of
splandid hlnorn VITAtor fowl of many spooiee, some with
crimson and purple crests, inhabit the lakes, and birds
construct their nests on the floating fields of vegetation.
The scenery of the island becomes wilder as you leave the
sea. Shallow, but beautiful, streams intersect the long
sloping plains, springs of sweet water trickle between
the rocks, which are scattered, confused with green
knolls or thickets of flowering shrubs. Thick forests
cover the hills, and large tracts of the level country.
Oaks, maples, sycamores, cedars, teaktrees, the upas,
and numerous others, inhabit them. The woods, how-
ever, have in many parts of the interior been cleared
away, and the bright tints of the cultivated ground, the
cool refreshing rice fields contrast strongly with the dark
old drapery of nature still thrown over extensive tracts,
unvisited by industry, and enlivened only by rivers,
breaking into magnificent cascades."