RAISED PLATFORMS OF CORAL. 47 
Albatross encountered the east coast of Guam near Point Hanom. He 
found distinct coralliferous limestone terraces in the faces of the cliffs 
from Pago Bay north, marking the position of the former sea level, and 
indicating the periods of rest during the elevation of the island; and 
when these are not distinct, lines of caverns along the vertical faces of 
the cliffs indicate the former lines of sea level. The cliffs of the 
northern part of the island vary from 300 to 500 feet in height. The 
lower part of their faces is riddled with crevasses, and at a higher 
level, probably on the face of the fourth or fifth terrace, there are 
numerous caverns. North of Point Anao some of the coralliferous 
limestones are stratified, dipping toward the sea; others, nearer the 
northern extremity of the island, show evidence of great disturbance, 
probably caused by the volcanic outbursts of Mount Santa Rosa. Mr. 
Agassiz found them to resemble those of similar limestone islands, 
such as Makatea, Niue, Eua, Vavau, and others of the Fiji group. 
Outside of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Guam proved to be the largest 
island visited by the A/Aatross, composed in part of volcanic rocks and 
of elevated coralliferous limestone. At the northern end of the island, 
though there are five distinct terraces, these are concealed by the 
vegetation growing on the slopes. Talage (** Lookout”) Bay,” at the 
northern extremity of Guam, is an immense sandy flat, flanked by a 
comparatively broad reef platform full of ‘*horseheads” and of 
‘“negroheads” of coral, which extends from Taga Point around the 
north extremity of the island and down the east coast, past Achae and 
Nigo points, to Ipapao. From the latter point the coast consists of a 
vertical cliff, with here and there a small stretch of sandy beach along 
the sea between projecting points until it reaches Tumhun Bay. Here 
the coral forms a great reef flat, which continues along the coast 
southward, past Hagadiia Bay, as far as Apap§, or Cabras, island. To 
the south of Orote Peninsula, which projects 4 miles in a northwest- 
erly direction and forms the southern side of the bay of San Luis de 
Apra, a narrow reef flat juts out from the west coast at various 
promontories in the extension of spurs of voleanic slopes. At Malesd, 
or Merizo, Bay a broad reef flat projects, which forms the southwestern 
extremity of the island of Guam and extends eastward to Point 
Hahahyan, but not as far as Inalahan Bay, on the east coast. North 
of that bay the coast is edged by a narrow reef flat, which continues 
as faras Pago Bay. Along the east coast of the northern half of the 
island there is a narrow reef flat, bordering the precipitous shore from 
Hanom Point to Point Anao. 
The southern half of the island of Guam consists of what Mr. Agas- 
«The name of this bay is improperly written on most charts ‘“Taragay,’ 
with no significance. ‘‘Talage,’’ (pronounced taldgay ) the vernacular name, signi- 
fies “to look toward.’ It was the point from which the ancient Chamorros looked 
out for vessels coming from the northern islands. 
> a word 
