NAMORIK. 329 



covered with vegetation, and seem to be an atoll raised from the depth 

 of the sea, or the remnant of a peak which has gradually sunk, according 

 to the theory of subsidence. Yet a large number of such atolls have been 

 formed merely by the transporting of dead material from the outer face 

 of the shoal, and its deposition on the inner parts of the flat. 



Namorik. 



Plates 2^5; 226, fig. 10. 



During our passage from Jaluit to Namorik, we were unable to do any 

 work on account of the heavy trades, so gave up all idea of stopping at 

 that atoll and kept on to Kusaie. Namorik is open to the west, nearly 

 circular, and about six miles in diameter. Namorik atoll, from the descrip- 

 tion given by Hernnsheim, is undoubtedly gradually filling up. Pn the 

 western face is an enormous reef flat flanking a diminutive lagoon (PI. 226, 

 fig. 10), with passages only for small boats, though forty years ago, accord- 

 ing to sketches I have seen, schooners of considerable size entered the 

 lagoon and crossed the reef flat. This does not necessarily mean that to 

 the growth of corals is due this difference in the depth over the flats. The 

 material which has covered them is probably material blown in over the 

 reef flat from the sea face. The main reef flat is, according to some 

 sketches, covered with many large coral boulders, one of which is said to be 

 of the size of a native house. The depth over the reef flat has, on that 

 side, been diminished by the disintegration of the beach rock conglomerate, 

 and of the boulders mentioned above. 



