NORTH MAHLOSMADULU. 387 



a depth of 3 feet. To the N.W. of the island is a broad pool with an average depth of 1 fathom, 

 but approaching 2 fathoms in the centre. The W. side has a broad, sandy beach, the change in 

 which, if there be any, is one of gain rather than loss. To the S.S.E. a sand spit has been formed 

 running out to within 20 yards of the boulder zone, which in this position is marked by the piling 

 up of a stony patch. 



The E. side of Duwafuri is remarkable even in the Maldives for its extensive loss. In the first 

 place about 200 yards to the S. of the northern, sandy, outgrowing spit is a line of beach sandstone 

 terraces, dipping to the N. and running right out diagonally nearly across the boat channel. This 

 rock probably shows the former contour of the island before the sand spit grew out, the island 

 possibly of Moresby's Chart. South of this the E. side is literally covered with fallen coconut and 

 other trees, with here and there patches of the beach sandstone, the rock not generally in terraces 

 and as yet in most places ill-consolidated. ]\Iany of the root masses of the dead trees still lie in the 

 water below the low tide level — the island is not inhabited or they would have been removed by 

 the natives for firing — one even being 80 feet out from the present shore. In one place a soft beach 

 sandstone had absolutely formed round the trunk of a coconut tree before the latter had had time to 

 rot, a period probably of less than 20 years. 



Hudufaro (Hee fur-ru of Chart) shows almost the same changes as the last island in a marked 

 washing away of its E. or seaward face, little or no loss or gain to the W., and a possible growth 

 outwards to the N. and S. The E. side has an extensive formation of sandstone, of which lines 

 are found in a boat channel of SO — 100 yards broad between the boulder zone and the beach. One 

 line in particular was of interest near the N.E. corner of the reef, where the erosion was especially 

 rapid ; it runs out diagonally across the boat channel, ending in some masses just behind the boulder 

 zone. No pinnacles, which could be definitely said to belong to the elevated rock, were found. 



Off Raskateen the reef is only about 60 yards broad to the E. Viut it gradually increases 

 in width around the island, to the W. being 120 yards across and having a small boat channel. 

 To the N., E. and W. the island shows no change, but to the S. there is an outgrowth of sand. 

 Everywhere the beach is formed of sand except to the E., where there is a mixture of sand and 

 rock, the latter mainly the washed-out coral masses of a former line of the elevated rock. The 

 island is peculiar in that it is surrounded by a belt of higher land, about 50 yards broad by 

 7 feet above the high tide level, while its central part is 3 — 4 feet lower. 



Wadu is noticeable like most of the other islands of the rim for the extensive erosion of 

 its E. or seaward side, the land even where the reef is narrowest lying 200 yards behind its 

 edge. It is still more peculiar for the enormous breadth of its W. reef, 300 — 400 yards, a width 

 quite unparalleled along the east side of N. Mahlos. Such growth of land as is now taking place 

 is to the N.E. along the sandy belt between the velu and its seaward reef. The presence of a 

 rocky island to the N. and a few rocks along the seaward side of the middle part of the reef 

 point to the former existence of a single elongated island, before the faro formation took place. 



Of the islands of the W. side I tind on reference to my note-book that the statement (p. 169) 

 that Maregiri is a sand island is not quite accurate. Much sand enters into the composition 

 of the island in every part, but only the E. half is formed entirely by it. The western third 

 has its beaches mainly formed of coral rock and loose blocks of stone, and the intervening part 

 is intermediate. The rock, however, only forms a belt around the W. end, the middle of the 

 island being formed entirely of sand. At the S.W. point the reef is 150 yards broad, and is 

 studded for its inner 90 yards with pinnacles of coral rock, into the composition of which sand 

 especially largely enters. Originally there would seem to have been a broad crescent of coral rock 

 round the W. end of the island, but no traces of this are to be found within 40 yards of the 

 outer edge of the existing reef, which I suppose to have grown out since the elevation for the 

 greater part of this distance. The loss of land along the W. and S. sides is shown by the rock, 



G. 50 



