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J. STANLEY GARDINER. 



broadening slightly. Southwards again the rock reasserts itself with smaller coral masses 

 and a lower cliff (seldom more than 6 feet) with perhaps a tendency to form a greater talus. 

 The basal conglomerate masses too are generally smaller and of lesser height. Coral slabs 

 from the lagoon do not add at all to the beach, and even seaweeds and sand do not 

 accumulate except in a small bay near Kodi point, protected by spurs of rock on either 



side. The shore especially at 

 Boni-Kodi is strewn with 

 fallen coconut and other tim- 

 ber. An old pilgrimage path, 

 extending to the shrine of a 

 Said, close to Kodi point, only 

 exists now here and there. 

 The end wall of a long house, 

 which formerly stood at Bali- 

 Mi-Hungi, the leper settle- 

 ment, alone stands, y/te sea 

 is rapidly regaining its sway. 



Along the sand area the 

 cliff retains its position almost 

 down to the village, and the 

 beach is strewn with coconut 

 trees. Gradually however the 

 slope broadens, and its summit 

 opposite the village is almost 

 washed by the succeeding 

 waves of the high spring tides. 

 At Moli-Mati point its breadth reaches a maximum, .50 yards across between tide-marks, 

 the land above gradually attaining a height of 2 feet more. The high-tide limit is shown 

 in the south-west monsoon by a line of green algae and sand washed up by the waves. 

 Shells in the beach are rare, the whole being formed of extremely fine, almost impalpable 

 white sand, the washings of many reefs. No decaying vegetable matter is seen to relieve 

 the whiteness, save the single line left by the preceding high tide, all such being quickly 

 seized by Ocypod crabs and drawn into their burrows. 



Above the high-tide limit the height of the land is gradually increased by sand blown 

 up the beach at low tide. A few yards back herbaceous plants commence to grow, soon 

 giving place to the typical bushes. The natives quickly follow, and plant coconuts, which 

 may be seen gradually rising in height further inland. The land, indeed, is here rapidly 

 gaining on the lagoon. Still further on, towards the inner side of Tunda point, the cliff 

 and fallen trees reappear, where, if anywhere, it would be most natural to expect a 

 backwash and a piling up of sand to form fresh land. 



Here in Minikoi we have a typically situated island, of an atoll with the reef continuing 

 unbroken at its west end, round which the tide surges with considerable force. The 

 current should sweep sand and mud off' the reef, should build up a shoal into the 

 lagoon, and should carry the point of the island along this. It is essential to see if this 



Fig. 8. 



Cliff against the lagoon near Kodi point, showing conglomerate 

 masses at base. {From a photograph). 



