THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 267 



waters by which it is environed. From end to end 

 of the curved isles stretches, in a straight line, form- 

 ing, as it were, the cord of the bow, a narrow beach, 

 of the same snowy whiteness, almost level with the 

 sea at the lowest tide, enclosing a semi-circular space 

 of water between it and the island, called the lagoon. 

 Over this line of beach, which occupies the leeward 

 side, the curve being to windward, the sea is break- 

 ing with sublime majesty ; the long unbroken swell 

 of the Ocean, hitherto unbridled through a course 

 ^f thousands of miles, is met by this rampart, when 

 the huge billows, rearing themselves upwards many 

 yards above its level, and bending their foaming 

 chests, "form a graceful liquid arch, glittering in the 

 rays of a tropical sun, as if studded with brilliants. 

 But, before the eyes of the spectator can follow the 

 splendid aqueous gallery which they appear to have 

 reared, with loud and hollow roar they fall, in mag- 

 nificent desolation, and spread the gigantic fabric 

 in froth and spray upon the horizontal and gently 

 broken surface." Contrasting strongly with the 

 tumult and confusion of the hoary billows without, 

 the water within the lagoon exhibits the serene 

 placidity of a mill-pond. Extending downwards to 

 a depth, varying from a few feet to fifty fathoms, the 

 waters possess the lively green hue common to 

 soundings on a white or yellow ground ; while the 

 surface, unruffled by a wave, reflects with accurate 

 distinctness the mast of the canoe that sleeps upon 

 its bosom, and the tufts of the cocoa-nut plumes that 

 rise from the * beach above it. Such is a Coral 

 Island, and if its appearance is one of singular loveli- 



