MILADUMADULU. 



391 



Farukolu 



these parts are also absent off many of the E. rim islands of the same hank. On its inner part lie many 

 flattened dead slabs, the bases of large colonies of Madrepora, merging abo\e into the beach, which 

 is partial!}' composed of tliem and partially of the raised rock. No part of the latter attains 

 a greater height than that of the high tide level, but tlie loose masses on the top of the beach 

 form a narrow ridge about 10 yards broad and 2 feet higher. Behind this again the surface of the 

 land is a little below the high tide level, and hence, being moistened with every tide, supports 

 a mangrove swamp. The breadth of the island in the middle of the N. side is 230 yards, of which 

 the belt of rock occupies the outer 60 — 70 yards. 



Rymagu is surrounded by a definite reef flat, 20 — 40 yards broad and formed of rough coral 

 rock, completely exposed for about 1 foot at low tide. This possibly extends 

 under the whole island, for I was informed that the wells all pierce the rock, 

 this perhaps accounting for their relatively excellent water. The island is 

 mainly formed of sand, but its shores have a certain amount of Ijoulder material 

 from off the flat. 



The Furnadu reef has two U-shaped islands with their open ends facing 

 one another. The conditions are most readily seen by the examination of the 

 accompanying map (Fig. 99), a comparison of which with Moresby's chart is 

 interesting. In the first place it may be noticed that the seaward limbs and 

 those parts of the islands, which lie to the N. and S. of the reef, are of 

 rock, while the areas against the interior of the bank are built of sand. On 

 the outer shores of the islands off the rocky parts the reef is narrow, — nowhere 

 more than 50 yards across — and there is a little washing away, whereas 

 against the sandy parts there is a broad reef with no sign of loss in the 

 land, but, if anything, a gain e.specially of the projecting points. On the inner 

 shores of the islands on the contrary we found everywhere a considerable loss, 

 most obvious in those parts to which the sea can readily find access, tlie inner- 

 most shores being in addition protected by mangrove swamps fringing the land. 



Of the new islands that marked A has been formed by the washing away 

 of the \V. horn of Furnadu, from which it is now separated by a channel 

 6 feet deep. The sea sometimes sweeps across near the end of the E. horn of 

 the same island, and vrill sooner or later cut off its head to form a fresh island. 

 B and C are stony patches rising 2 or 3 feet above the high tide level with 

 spits growing out to the W. ; they lie just within the boulder zone of the 

 reef, and are covered with loose, coral fragments. C has a single coconut tree 

 about 7 years old, while B is quite bare ; neither have signs of any former 

 timbering, and this fact, together with their positions, leads me to consider 

 that both probably are of recent formation. D — G are sandbanks awash, but H \s a, stony tree- 

 covered islet that has formed in the same manner as B ; it almost completely covers the boulder 

 zone outside itself. Finally, K has been separated from the seaward horn of Farukolu, but this whole 

 limb has now been cut, in addition, into three islets by three narrow canals which have formed across 

 it from the outer reef. These are peculiar, in that in the largest the minimum breadth is not more 

 than 20 yards ; they average 3 — 4 feet deep, and have almost straight-cut sides as if chiselled out by 

 man. Their bottoms are formed of bare rock, and have a slight growth of coral, but the reef flat 

 outside them rises to the usual level on seaward reefs, i.e. that of low tide. Lastly, the island 

 between the two limbs of Farukolu no longer exists, nor was I able to trace definitely any junction 

 of the same with Farukolu, though to judge from the general changes found elsewhere on this reef 

 it seems almost certain that it has become joined to its W. horn ; much of its inner or east 

 side must have been washed away in any case. 



nadu 



Fig. 99. Furnadu Is- 

 lands and Beef. 



