286 CORALS AND CORAL LSLANDS. 



there followed again a line of columns, and walls, with occa- 

 sional arches as before. The reef, formerly lying at the level 

 of low tide, had been raised above the sea, and subsequently 

 had undergone degradation from the waves. The standing 

 columns had some resemblance in certain parts to the masses 

 seen here and there on the shore platforms of other islands ; 

 but the latter are only distantly scattered masses, while on this 

 island, for the greater part of the course, there were long walls 

 of reef-rock. The height, moreover, was greater, and they 

 occurred too on the leeward side of the island, ranging along 

 nearly its whole course, while the north side, according to the 

 map, is wooded throughout. 



The elevation here indicated is at least six feet; but it 

 may have been larger ; the observations were made from ship- 

 board. 



Thirty miles to the southward of Dean's Island we came 

 to Metia, one of the most remarkable examples of elevation in 

 the Pacific. 



Metia. — This island has already been described, and its 

 elevation stated at two himdred and fifty feet. (See page 157.) 



Clermo7it Toniwre shows the same evidence of elevation 

 from Tridacnas as Honden Island. Clermont Tonnerre and 

 Honden are on the north-eastern limits of the Paumotus. 



Elizabeth Island was early shown to be an elevated coral 

 island by Beechey. This distinguished voyager represents 

 it as having perpendicular cliffs over fifty feet in height. 

 From his description it is obviously like Metia ; the elevation 

 is eighty feet. It is one of the south-eastern Paumotus, near 

 Ducie's. 



Ducie's Island is described by Beechey as twelve feet high, 

 which would indicate a probable elevation of 07ie or two feet. 



Os7iaburgh Island., according to the same author, affords 

 evidence of having increased its height since the wreck of the 

 Matilda, in 1792. He contrasts the change from a "reef of 

 rocks," as reported by the crew, to a " conspicuously wooded 

 island," the condition when he visited it ; and states, further, 

 that the anchor, ironworks, and a large gun (4-pounder) of this 



