CORAL LAGOONS. 93 



of New Holland and New Caledonia extends four hundred 

 miles, at a distance varying from thirty to sixty miles 

 from shore, and having as many fathoms of depth in the 

 channel. West of the large Fejee Islands the channel is 

 in some parts twenty-five miles wide, and twelve to forty 

 fathoms in depth. The sloop-of-war Peacock sailed along 

 the west coast of both Viti Lebu and Vanua Lebu, within 

 the inner reefs, a distance exceeding two hundred miles. 



" A barrier reef, inclosing a lagoon, is the general form- 

 ation of the coral islands, though there are some of 

 small size in which the lagoon is wanting. These are 

 found in all stages of development : in some the reef is 

 narrow and broken, forming a succession of narrow islets 

 with openings into the lagoon ; in others there only 

 remains a depression of surface in the centre to indicate 

 where the lagoon originally was.* The most beautiful are 

 those where the lagoon is completely inclosed, and rests 

 within, a quiet lake. Maraki, one of the Kingsmill 

 group, is one of the prettiest coral islands of the Pacific. 

 The line of vegetation is unbroken, and, seen from the 

 mast-head, it lies like a garland thrown upon the waters. 



"When first seen from the deck of a vessel, only a 

 series of dark points is descried, just above the horizon. 

 Shortly after, the points enlarge into the plumed tops of 

 cocoa-nut trees, and a line of green, interrupted at intervals, 

 is traced along the water's surface. Approaching still 

 nearer, the lake and its belt of verdure are spread out 

 before the eye, and a scene of more interest can scarcely 



* Thiss does not agree with Darwin's theory of subsidence. 



