The Shore Terrace. 9 



other parts of the coast. In many places the beach is covered with 

 slabs of shore cement, but on the whole it consists of finer material 

 than that at the cove. Between it and Smith Point there are 

 three other small beaches, but these are shut in by cliffs and covered 

 at high-water. On the east coast there are several similar beaches 

 of various sizes. At one of these a bed of basalt comes out on 

 the shore, and over it gushes a small stream of excellent fresh 

 water, the volume of which seems to remain constant at all times 

 of the year; this waterfall is called by the Malays " Panchoran," 

 and the bay in which it occurs may be named Panchoran Pay. On 

 the west coast, towards North-West Point, 1 saw a series of small 

 white beaches, which are probably covered at high tide. 



The Shore Terrace. 



By this is nipant the terrace extending from the top of the sea 

 cliff to the foot of the first inland cliff. It is the most persistent 

 and best defined of the terraces, being interrupted, so far as I am 

 aware, at Flying Fish Cove and Steep Point only. Its width 

 varies from nearly half a mile to less than a hundred yards. 

 As a rule, it slopes gently upwards to the foot of the first inland 

 cliff, but probably its greatest elevation is less than a hundred 

 feet, and its average height is not more than about fifty. At 

 the outer border there is usually a belt of low, jagged pinnacles, 

 often separated by channels running seaward, precisely like those 

 seen in the present fringing reef ; within this is a level area 

 thickly covered with rich soil, and then, towards the foot of 

 the inland cliff, another belt covered with pinnacles and blocks 

 fallen from the heights above. Sometimes, however, the whole 

 width is a chaos of jagged pinnacles and masses of limestone, 

 which, when covered with jungle, is quite impassable. As already 

 mentioned, along the sheltered part of the north coast the forest 

 extends to the very edge of the cliff. Elsewhere there is usually an 

 outer band, where only coarse grass and a few straggling bushes of 

 Femjyhis and Sccevola will grow. Within this is a zone composed 

 mainly of Pandanus, C'ordia, Calophyllum, Hibiscus, Pisonia, and 

 other sea-loving plants ; these fomi a protection to the forest, 

 covering the inner part of the platform. The trees found here are 

 mostly large forest trees, such as occur in the higher parts of the 

 island. The commonest forms are Gyrocarpua, Berria, Erythrina, 

 Ochrosia, Kleinhovia, Celtis, Terminalia, and Arenya, but there 

 are many others. The Gyrocarpus, which is completely bare of 

 leaves during the last six months of the year, gives a very peculiar 

 appearance to the forest during that time. Occasionally the 

 fairly open forest is replaced by dense jungle of pandanus and 

 thorny creepers. 



In several places on the east coast the shore terrace is composed 

 largely of volcanic rocks, and since these hold up the water which 

 elsewhere sinks through the porous limestone, there are several 



