414 



J. STANLEY GARDINER. 



vicinity. A furtlier change between Kuramati and Hondedu is seen in the fusion together of all 

 the velu in the reef to form a single large pool. An entrance of about a mile in breadth has opened, 

 however, into the lagoon, considerably broken by coral patche.s, the remains of an originally-continuous 

 reef against the lagoon. 



Havaru-Tinadu can best be seen in the accompanying map (Fig. 108). As it differs so 

 materially from the shape shown in the chart, it is almost certain that there have been great 

 changes. It would seem that the sea has eaten 

 through the outer line of rock and cut into the f 

 sand, making a deep bay to the W. The loss is 

 shown in the N.E. angle of this bay in layers of 

 beach sandstone sloping to the W., stretching out 

 from the shore upon the sand-flat. The action of 

 the wind is well seen in a belt of sand, having 

 been blown up for 6-7 feet above high tide level 

 at the bottom of the bay, while the height of the 

 island eastwards is only 2-2^ feet. This ridge 

 averages about 4-5 yards broad, and passes round 

 the bay into the rocky points. The latter on the 

 beach show a solid coral rock covered with stones. 



The W. bay is remarkable, in that the sand- 

 flat below is covered all over with weed, and near 

 the points strewn with rock masses. The beach is 

 broad, and shows little sign of erosion, or of any 

 other action at present. The sandstone, however, 

 forms a sure indication of its former position, and 

 shows clearly that the action is one tending to cut 

 the island in half. There should be though, if the 

 loss is one of quite recent date, a line of rock 

 masses joining the two W. points within the boulder 

 zone, but only a few small ones exist. On the lagoon 

 side a shallow bay appears to have formed, but 

 whether this is due to washing away, or not, I cannot say. There is no trace at the present 

 time of loss, but rather if anything a washing up of sand on and around the S.E. point'. Indeed 

 it is only at the seaward points and around the ends of the island that there is at present any 

 marked loss going on, but even here the action is in most places inconsiderable. 



Mahuta and Havaru-Tinadu would once seem to have been separated from one another in 

 the same way as the latter is now being cut in half. Their former connection is shown by a 

 series of sandstone masses — sloping towards the lagoon — extending out from the N. point of Havaru- 

 Tinadu into the channel between, towards a similar point from Mahuta. The W. end of Mahuta 

 is of rock, and a series of coral pinnacles on the sand-flat behind the boulder zone attests the former 

 connection of the islands across their dividing channel in this position. 



The lagoon-flat to the S.E. of Havaru-Tinadu is remarkable for the weediness just behind 

 its edge, which is clothed with corals of massive facies ; it slopes gradually to the lagoon. 

 Across the two passages to the 8. the waves were breaking, making any examination impossible. 



Fio. 108. Havaru-Tinadu (S.) and Mahuta (N.) Islands 

 (from a sketch map by the author and Capt. Molony). 



' One of Moresby's marks — probably of his original consists of a square metal bar let into the ground, the end at 

 triangulation of the atoU — still exists behind this point. It the present time projecting for about 2i feet, 

 is 120 yards from the lagoon shore at the S. of the bay, and 



