ARHNO. 321 



Arhno. • 



Plates 180, figs. 3, 4; 181; 182, figs. 1,2; 335; 3S8,fig.4. 



Arhno, the last atoll we visited in the Marshall Islands, is rectangu- 

 lar in outline (PI. 228, fig. 4), the southeastern and northwestern faces being 

 about seven miles in length, the southwestern about thirteen, and the north- 

 eastern about ten. From the northern extremity of the northeastern face 

 of the atoll extends a long spit, about six miles in length, and off the north- 

 eastern point of the atoll a similar spit, fully ten miles long ; the northeast 

 face of the atoll is a gigantic arc, running in a northeasterly and northerly 

 direction, forming, as it were, two handles to the rectangular lagoon of 

 Arhno (PI. 228, fig. 4). The charts of Arhno ai'e somewhat misleading; 

 it was not until we had steamed around the northern point of the 

 island, and obtained a general idea of its topography as seen from the 

 sea, that we understood its peculiar shape. 



We examined the northeastern, the northwestern, and eastern face of the 

 atoll, as well as part of the southwestern coast. The depth of the lagoon 

 varies from ten to twenty-five fathoms; a large number of shoals and patches 

 are scattered over it. The slope from the land rim towards the bottom of the 

 lagoon Is quite steep ; at our anchorage in Arhno we found a very rapid drop 

 from the shore to fifteen or seventeen fathoms, the remainder of the lagoon 

 being comparatively flat, as in the Paumotus. 



We entered Arhno through Dodo Pass (PI. 228, fig. 4), and anchored 

 off the east face, immediately at the base of one of the long spits which 

 give it its peculiar outline (PI. 181, fig. 3). We could look up the narrow 

 lagoon between the two sides of the northeastern spit formed by a western 

 line of islands and on the east by Terranova (PI. 228, fig. 4). The 

 western part of the horn of the lagoon is separated from its northeastern 

 extension by an elbow of Terranova Island running directly across the reef 

 flat from one side of the spit to the other. A similar formation occurs at 

 the north point of Likieb. At Arhno, however, the spit is much longer; 

 the eastern extremity is flanked on one side by the northern extension of 

 Terranova, and on the other by an open reef flat enclosing an auxiliary 

 lagoon, with an opening about an eighth of a mile in width, suitable for 



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