— 35 — 



a reef, becoming wider and wider, wc cannot admit, because 

 we know that the coral grows, not less, but more vigorously 

 on the sides of gatewaj'^s thau on the outer sides of the reefs, 

 so tending to üll up even original gaps, instead of leaving 

 rents to widen &c. On the whole view of the case, we are 

 therefore led to the conclusion , that Mr. Darwin has neither 

 shewn, nor can shew on his theory, any admissible grounds 

 for his belief, that any one great island, whether similar, or 

 dissimilar in. figure and dimensions to New Caledonia, ever 

 did occupy this part of the ocean, at least, in what m?ö call 

 //the recent period," that to wit, which has elapsed since the 

 era wherein the last, grand and general crash of the crust of 

 the globe occurred, whicli took place, subsequent to the de- 

 positiou of the coral measures and the other contemporaneously 

 formed strata. 



XXIII. wLastly, to the extreme weslward , the coast of Afiica is closely 

 «skirted by coral reefs, and according to facts stated ia captnin Ü\tek's 

 »Yoyage, has probably been uplifted , wilhin a recent period. The same 

 »remark applies to the norlhern part of Madagascar and , judging from 

 » the reefs likewise at the Seychelles , situated on tlie submarine proUniga- 

 »tion of th.it graal island. Belvveen these two , N. N. E. and S. S. W. 

 »lines of elevalion , sotne lagoon and widely encircled isiands , indicate o 

 »band of subsidence." 



We must note, that the upliffcing of Eastern Africa, and 

 also some of the other upliftings, must be surveyed more 

 fully, and we must observe that, when Mr. Darwin's theory 

 seems to need the admission of submarine prolongations, lie 

 adopts them most manfuUy, and on this occasion, he ha ving 

 brought the one from Madagascar into the Seychelles , we shall not 

 have to bring that of India much farther, to reach the Chagos. 

 But the only lagoon isiands (Jaan de Nova and Cosmoledo) 

 which exist to the northward of Madagascar, do evidently re- 

 pose, not in his band of subsidence between Eastern Africa &c. 

 but , on this , his prolongation of the line of elevation. Of eie- 

 vated isiands lying on said band of subsidence, we know of 

 none, besides the Comoros, which altho' they have on parts o 



