in the Pacific, ^c. 



101 



It is another argument against the probabiUty of the reef 

 passages being produced by the tides, that they are generally 

 deepest toward the outer margin of the reef, where the cur- 

 rent is weakest, and shoal gradually as we approach the 

 lagoon, near whose entrance it is most rapid. Moreover, no 

 accumulation of water would be likely to force a passage 

 either into or from the lagoon, through the reef, against wind 

 and sea, or even aided by them, when it could without diffi- 

 culty flow over it on the leeward side, till the waters of the 

 lagoon were on a level with those of the ocean. Much less 

 should we expect it to scoop out several channels, and that 

 too on both sides of the reef, as we see them in some Paumo- 

 tus. At Ocean Island, whose lagoon of twenty four miles in 

 circuit, has no less than four entrances, situated as shown in 

 the accompanying sketch ; seven-eighths of the reef are, even 

 at low water, overflowed to the depth of two feet or more. 



SKETCH OF OCEAN ISLAND AND REEF.* 



..:^- 



••*;*.s^.. 





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1 Ilih 



ttiniiiuU.-iiV 



The figures represent the depth of water in fathoms. The dotted lines inside 

 of the reef indicate coral patches nearly bare at low tide. The arrow denotes 

 a passage through the reef to the main island. The other figures explain them- 

 selves. The centre of the island is in 28" 22' N. lat., and 178^ 30' VV. long. 



• The British whale ship Gledstanes, Capt. J. R. Brown, was wrecked on 

 the reef at midnight of July 9th, 1837. The cut here given is reduced from a 



