On the Formation and Grotvth of Coral Reefs and Islands. 49 



teen fathoms, while iu deeper water, the broken masses of rock may be 

 seen without any living portion attached ; and the mass, like the smaller 

 conical clumps, remains loose among the sand, being frequently overturned 

 by the straining of the ships cables, which, during calm weather, had got 

 entangled among them. 



When two or three of these smaller reefs approximate by their 

 lateral increase, they would unite together at their circumference, light 

 would be shut out, the animals would cease to exist in the dark interior, 

 and thus chambers or caves would be formed. 



We perhaps may be allowed to digress a little from our subject, in 

 endeavouring to depict the beauty, the exquisite beauty of these living 

 submarine gardens. Those who have had the pleasure of visiting these 

 scenes, will never forget the delight tbey must haA'e experienced on a calm 

 day, when the meridian sun directed his powerful rays into the recesses 

 of these natural grottoes. 



In imagining the similarity to a garden, it is not difficult to picture the 

 various coloured actinias as beautiful anemonies ; the muricated branching 

 madrepores, as shrubs ; with a delicacy of tinting, unequalled by terres- 

 trial plants, the caryophilliae and agariciaa would not unaptly suggest the 

 familiar idea of cauliflowers, endive, and lettuces j and among them, to make 

 the resemblance more complete, there are not wanting crabs for spiders, 

 variously coloured eels for snakes, nor even snails, slugs, and dew worms, 

 all of which would readily find their representatives upon the land, but 

 to attempt to paint or give the slightest conception of such a scene, would 

 require the pen of a poet, rather than the simple matter of fact natural 

 historian. 



Comparatively with other accreting formations, the growth of coral may 

 be esteemed as rapid and estimable within the period of man's life. 



At the island called Taapoto, there may be seen in smooth weather, a 

 ship's anchor lying in about seven fathoms water, now entirely encrusted 

 by coral, but still preserving its original form ; this anchor belonged to a 

 large ship, whicli was wrecked upon the island during the childhood of 

 some of the natives now living, and the probability is that the time does 

 not exceed half a century. Shells, or any extraneous substances, are 



No. I,— Vol. I. H 



