4 



0« Coral Reefs and Islands. 



45 



Shore platform narrow, and intersected by channels. Shores 

 lined by reef-rock, two or three feet out of water, indicating an 

 elevation of the island. This reef-rock consists of varions corals 

 firmly cemented. Within the 1: ^ 

 near the shore on the leeward side. 



5' 



W. 



6# miles 



Fakaajo or Bowditch's.—9'^ 20' S., 171 

 by 4. Shape nearly triangular. Circuit seventeen miles, about 

 SIX of which are wooded in several patches, separated by long bare 

 intervals. A large lagoon, but no ship entrance. Height of island, 

 niteen ieet. Width to the lagoon, one hundred to two hundred 

 yards. Soil of the island coral sand, speckled black with results 

 of vegetable decomposition. Shore platform narrow. At outer 

 edge a depth of three fathoms, and from thence gradually deep- 

 ens, and abounds in fine corals for fifty yards, when it deepens 

 abruptly.^ Coral reef-rock elevated three or four feet, indicating 

 an elevation of the island, Laeoon shallow, with some ^rowinsr 

 coralj but none near the shore. Some corals growing on the 

 platform^ near its margin, mostly smallJMadrepores, Astrteas, Nul- 

 hpores. Fragments of pumice were found among the natives, 



which had floated to the island. 



Aim, or Peacock's Island, Paumotu Archipela<?o. 

 146^ 2{y W 



nlarly oblon 



or 



the latter giving the Water over it a clear light sreeu color. 



140 30' S., 

 13 miles b^ 6, trending N. E. by E. Shape irreg- 



l^oon. having an entrance for small ves- 

 sels on the west. Reef wooded throughout nearly its whole cir- 

 cuit. Lagoon shallow, an'd much obstructed by growing coral, 



^" ^ . - o . , Plat- 



form, or outer coral shelf of the island, about two hiindred and 

 fifty feet wide ; under water except at the lowest tides. Margin 

 highest, and covered with NuUipore incrustations, which give it 

 a variety of delicate shades of color, mostly reddish, or peach- 

 blossom red, rose, scarlet. For thirty to fifty feet from the mar- 

 gin, very cav^ernous, and containing many Tridacnas, lying half 

 Hubedded, with the variously tinted mantle expanded when the 

 surface is covered with water. Rock of the platform either a 

 compact white limestone or a solid conglomerate; dead over its 

 surface, excepting a few Madrepore tufts or Astrseas near the mar- 

 in pools. In this shelf there were long .fissures, extending 

 "early jiarallel with the shore, a quarter to half an inch wirfp at 

 lop, and continuing sometimes a fourth of a mile or more. These 

 fissures were commonly filled with coral sand. The higher parts 

 ^^ the island either consisting of loose blocks of coral or covered 

 ^^'Uh some soil ; the soil mostly of comminuted coral and shell^ 

 ^ith dark particles from vegetable decomposition intermingled. 

 ^n the bottom exterior to the shore platform, observed the same 

 corals growing as occurred in fragments upon the ibiand : but the 



^^g^r part of the .bottom was Without coral, or consisted onlv of 

 sand. <\ 



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