218 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP 

 VII. 



Feb. 



before described, in having a greater disproportion 

 in the growth of its sides. The one to windward is 

 1826. covered with tall trees as before mentioned, while 

 that to leeward is nearly all under water. The dry 

 part of the chain enclosing the lagoon is about a sixth 

 of a mile in width, but varies considerably in its di- 

 mensions : the broad parts are furnished with low 

 mounds of sand, which have been raised by the action 

 of the waves, but are now out of their reach, and 

 mostly covered with vegetation. The violence of 

 the waves upon the shore, except at low water, 

 forces the sea into the lake at many points, and oc- 

 casions a constant outset through the channel to 

 leeward. 



On both sides of the chain the coral descends 

 rapidly : on the outer part there is from six to ten 

 fathoms close to the breakers, the next cast is thirty 

 to forty, and at a little distance there is no bottom 

 with two hundred and fifty fathoms. On the la- 

 goon side, there are two ledges : the first is covered 

 about three feet at high water : at its edge the lead 

 descends to three fathoms to the next ledge, which 

 is about forty yards in width ; it then slopes to about 

 five fathoms at its extremity, and again descends 

 perpendicularly to ten ; after which there is a gra- 

 dual descent to twenty fathoms, which is the general 

 depth of the centre of the lagoon. The lake is dot- 

 ted with knolls or columns of coral, which rise to all 

 intermediate heights between the bottom and the 

 surface, and are dangerous even to boats sailing in 

 the lagoon with a fresh breeze, particularly in cloudy 

 weather, as at that time it is difficult to distinguish 

 even those which are close to the surface. 



No cocoa-nut or other fruit-trees have yet been 



