134 CORALS AND CORAL LSLANDS. 



Kuria is a remarkable double island, witlioiit a proper lagoon. 

 It consists of two neighbouring groves, each about a square 

 mile in extent, on adjacent patches of reef. 



Maiana is quite regularly quadrangular, with an uninterrupted 

 range of land on two of the four sides, and an exposed reef 

 constituting the other two. 



Tarawa- consists of two sides of a triangle. The western 

 reef is wanting, and the sea and lagoon have unbroken com- 

 munication. In place of it, there are two to ten fathoms of 

 water, and a bottom of coral sand. Small vessels may sail in 

 almost anywhere on this side to good anchorage, and there is 

 a passage for ships of the largest size. The depth within is 

 greater than on the bar, and these inner waters obviously 

 correspond to the lagoon of other islands. 



Apaiang has much resemblance to Apamama in its forest 

 border and lagoon. Moreover, there is a ship entrance through 

 the south-western reef. 



Marakei is one of the prettiest coral islands of the Pacific. 

 The line of vegetation is unbroken. In a view from the mast- 

 head it lies like a garland thrown upon the waters ; the unprac- 

 tised eye scarcely perceives the variation from a circular form, 

 however great it may be. The grove is partially interrupted at 

 one point, where there are indications of a former passage 

 through the reef. 



Tari-tari, lying to the south of Apia, is a large triangular 

 atoll. It is wooded almost continuously on the side facing 

 south-east, and has a few spots of verdure on the south-west, 

 with three entrances to the extensive lagoon. The northern 

 side is a naked reef throughout, scarcely apparent from a ship's 

 deck, except by the long line of breakers. Makin, just north 

 of Tari-tari, is a mere patch of coral reef without a lagoon. 



We add a few more descriptions of Pacific islands, with 

 figures reduced from the map of the Wilkes Expedition to a 

 scale of four-tenths of an inch to a mile. 



Taiara and Henuake (Figs, i and 2) are two small belts of 

 foliage, somewhat similar to Maraki. Henuake possessed an 

 additional charm in being tenanted only by birds ; and they 



