276 THE OCEAIi 



native chestnut {Tuscarpus), rearing its stately head 

 above its fellows, and marking the position of a 

 running stream ; — these and many other trees of 

 beauty and usefulness strike the eye of a stranger. 

 Seaward, there is the long line of the reef ; a low but 

 impregnable barrier, with the surging wave foaming 

 over it ; and, beyond, the boundless Pacific, unbroken 

 by any object, save the white-sailed canoe in the 

 distance, scarcely distinguishable from the crest of 

 a wave, but perhaps freighted with the humble native 

 missionary, bearing to some neighbouring island that 

 gospel of Christ which he has found to be "the power 

 of God unto [his] salvation." Beneath and around 

 is the placid and lake-like lagoon, the progress of 

 the boat alone dimpling its smooth face. So trans- 

 parent is the water, that the varied bottom is dis- 

 tinctly visible many fathoms down, showing the 

 growth of living coral branching in fantastic imitation 

 of the shrubs and trees on the shore, and repre- 

 senting to the charmed imagination an extensive 

 submarine shrubbery of many hues. Even the 

 irregular movements of the spined urchins {Echini) 

 are clearly seen as they crawl upon the sands, and 

 the multitudes of playful little rock-fishes {Labri), 

 of every rich and growing tint, gliding with easy 

 and graceful motion among the branches, rivet the 

 spectator's attention. 



■ Mr. Ellis thus describes his feelings in a similar 

 situation, walking on the lonely sea-beach by moon- 

 light -. " The evening was fair, the moon shone 

 brightly, and her mild beams, silvering the foliage 

 of the shrubs that grew near the shore, and playing 



