52 



THE CORAL KEEFS OF THE MALDIVES. 



On passing ont of North Male through the eastern of the passes of the 

 northern face of the group, we saw no houlder belt or heaps of shingle 

 either on the sea faces or the pass faces of the two northern faros of North 

 Male. 



The faro to the west of the pass is really a diminutive irregularly rec- 

 tangular atoll. It has a narrow entrance to the north, the western face of 

 which is flanked by a small sand-bar. Within the lagoon are a few heads 

 and diminutive faros (a faro within a faro) ; the greatest depth of the 

 lagoon indicated on the chart is eight fathoms. 



The absence of vegetation on the west face of North Male to the south 

 of Hembadu Pass is a very marked feature, not only of that group, but 

 also of most of the other groups of the Maldives. There are but few small 

 islands on that face of the groups as compared to the number and size 

 of the islands clothed with vegetation found on the eastern faces of the 

 Maldive groups. One need only compare the many islands on the east 

 face of Ari, well clothed with vegetation, with the great faros of the west 

 face, on which only here and there rises a diminutive island. It is on the 

 eastern face of Ari also that the greater part of population is gathered, 

 sheltered to a certain extent from the strength of the southwest monsoon. 

 For the east face though exposed to the northeast monsoon, is, as it were, 

 the lee side, if we can call that face by such a name, when we have a 

 southwest and a northeast monsoon season. It merely indicates that the 

 lee face is exposed to a monsoon blowing with less strength than on the 

 western face. 



The Sultan's Buogalow, at Anchor off Male. 



