ATOLLS 219 



boat, the Medical Officer and the author went away in the small 

 motor skiff to collect living shells and seaweeds around the peri- 

 meter reefs of the atoll. Such collections had been requested by 

 the Museum and the University in Auckland and proved a fascin- 

 ating occupation. Different islands around the atoll had to be 

 visited each day so that the different molluscae and algae might 

 be sampled, both inside and outside the lagoon, to windward and 

 to leeward of the reef, for each had a different environment and 

 each would have its different communities. 



To cross the lagoon on these expeditions might take two hours 

 and the small, palm-clad islet for which the party were bound 

 would be below the horizon for many miles of the voyage. It 

 sometimes appeared to the Medical Officer, Leading Sick Berth 

 Attendant Soulsby who accompanied them, and the author, that 

 the three of them were bound westward into the open Pacific 

 in their small, inadequate craft; but slowly the palms on their 

 objective would creep up over the horizon, and an hour or so 

 later they anchored off the reef and waded through the shallows 

 to the glaring white coral beach beneath the towering trees in 

 which beautiful White Terns fluttered like pigeons or sat re- 

 garding the intruders with one small black-ringed eye. Landing 

 thus on the first occasion Soulsby was reminded by the familiarity 

 of the scene, tall trees fringing the shore, of an earlier incident 

 in the commission and to the party's amusement began to chant 

 the once familar call 'Hope, Abel!' 



The collectors then split up and walked the reefs, finding fre- 

 quent treasures. Shells there were of many types, and small 

 coraline seaweeds of brilliant green and red hues. Gradually, the 

 saltwater and formalin containing jars onboard became full of 

 specimens. At Fongafale the assistance of the children was ob- 

 tained, for they knew where to find the shells, which they 

 required for the making of necklaces and hatbands. The author 

 went with Reher, the storekeeper, on an expedition along the 

 shore in search of living cowries. They had chosen a time of low 

 water at dark midnight and Reher flashed a torch beneath the 

 large overhanging coral boulders for he knew where the cowries 

 would be, clinging like great slugs to the underside of the 

 rocks. He guided the author on as they filled the specimen 

 bottles, his gentle voice barely audible above the sound of the 



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