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26 On Coral Reefs and Islands. 



off by more or less perfect walls of coral reef-rock ; and the reef is 

 here and there surmounted by verdure, forming a series of islets. 

 In many of the smaller coral islands, the lagoon has lost its 



ocean character, and become a shallow lake, and the green islets 



of the margin have coalesced in some instances into a continuous 

 line of foliage. Traces may perhaps be still detected of the pas- 

 sage or passages over which the sea once communicated with the 

 internal waters, though mostly concealed by the trees and shrub- 

 bery which have spread^ around and completed the belt of ver- 

 dure. The coral island is now in its most finished state : the 

 lake rests quietly in its bed of palms, hardly ruffled by the storms 

 that madden the surrounding ocean. 



From the islands with small lagoons, there is every variety 

 in gradation down to those in which there is no trace of a 

 lagoon. These simple banks of coral are the smallest of coral 

 islands. 



These remarks, in connection with the general view given on 



a preceding page, will prepare the reader to appreciate the fol- 



lowing descriptions of various coral islands, illustrating their 

 forms, actual size, and condition. 



A single group of islands, ihe Tarawan or Kingsmills, (see 

 Plate,) affords good examples of the principal varieties. The 

 irregularity of shape and size is at once apparent to the eye. 

 In the southernmost, Tapuleotiea^ the form is very narrow, the 

 length being thirty-three miles, with the width of the southern 

 portion scarcely exceeding six miles, and that of the northern 

 more than one-half less. The emerged land is confined to one 

 side, and consists of a series of islets upon the eastern line of 

 coral reef. The western side is for the most part some feet under 

 water, and there is hardly a proper lagoon. Sailing by the island, 

 to windward, the patches of verdure thus strung together seem 

 to rise out of a long white line of breakers, the sea surging vio- 

 lently against the unseen coral reef upon which they rest, 



Namouti. the next island north, n about twenty miles long by 

 eight broad. The rim of land, though in fewer islets, is similar 

 to that of Taputeouea in being con find to the reef fronting north- 

 east. The reef of the opposite side, though bare of vegetation, 

 stands near low tide level, and the whole encloses a large lagoon. 



Nanould and Apamama^ though smaller than Namouti, have 

 the same general character. Nanouki is triangular in shape, and 

 has an islet on the western point or cape, which is quite promi- 

 nent. Apamama differs from either of the preceding in having 

 two narrow ship entrances to the lagoon, one through the borth- 

 ■ western reef, and another through the southwestern. 



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