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channels remained open, the debris of coral was laid down in 

 a point form along each side from their inner eiids; v»'hen 

 fiuall}'' fiUed up, that process having begun between these points 

 as being farthest from the breakcrs, formed each pair into cue, 

 that extended inwards to some distance iu the lagoon, but after 

 the chamiel had thus been obliterated , the waves of the lagoon 

 acting upon these points, have gradually undermined them and 

 transported the materials to riglit and left along the shore on 

 both sides. The whole of the process is indeed stiil (o be seen 

 in. the channels between some of the ether islets, some still open, 

 some almost closed , and others juyt completed, of which the clo- 

 sed points are in course of being //undermined" &c. We think 

 it probable, that lakes are to be found somewhere on the earth, 

 somewhat more sheltered thau is the Cocos lagoon, of nine 

 miles in length hy seven in width, having two direct navigable 

 Communications with the ocean, through which its swell par- 

 tially enters into the lagoon, at times when fresh gales take 

 place in that direction, and the shelter from winds being no 

 more, than is thus described by Mr. Darwin himself: //This 

 // expanse, (of the lagoon) is on all sides divided either from the 

 /■/ dark heaving waters of the ocean by a line of snow white 

 /; breakers , or , from the blue vault of heaven , by the strips of 

 //land crowned at an equal [tmeqiial as see above) height, by 

 //the tops of the coconut trees." 



After telling us, that Western South- America is still risiiig 

 uuder our eyes, and that it is more subject to earthquakes, than 

 any other region of the earth, he leaves us at a non plus for 

 the reasous on which he concluded , that earthquakes at the Cocos 

 are indicative of their undergoing the process of subsidence. We 

 might indeed , after being informed by Captain Fitzroy , of his 

 having discovered an astonishing peculiarity in the tidal movements 

 of this ocean, viz, that it,// has high water on all sides atonce, 

 //whilst it is low water in the central parts at the same time", 

 we should I say, have been hiable to surmise that the peculiar 

 eflect of the earthquakes on the islands situated in it^ was an- 



vin. % 



