* 
J. D. Dana on Changes of Level in the Pacific Ocean. 16T 
shore platforms of other islands; but the latter are only distantly 
scattered masses, while on this island, for the greater part of the 
course, there were long walls of reef-rock. The height moreover 
Was greater, and they occurred too on the leeward side of the - 
sland, ranging along nearly its whole course. 
The elevation here indicated was at least siz feet ; but it may 
have been larger, as the observations were made from ship-board. 
Thirty miles to the sonthward of Dean’s Island, we came to 
— one of the most remarkable examples of elevation in the 
acific 
» Metia.—This island has already been described, and its eleva- 
tion stated at two hundred and fifty feet. (See xii, 40 
Clermont Yonnerre,* according to Mr. Couthouy, shows the 
same evidence of elevation from Tridacnas as Honden Island. 
Clermont Tonnerre and Honden are in the northeastern limits of 
the Panmotus, ; 
Elizabeth Island was early shown to be an elevated coral isl- 
id by Beechey. This distinguished voyager represents it as 
havi '$ perpendicular cliffs fifty feet in height. From his descrip- 
l'on, it is obviously of the same character as Metia; the eleva- 
tion is eiehty feet, 
| Ducie’s Island is described by Beechey as twelve feet high, 
‘ch would indicate an elevation of at least one or wo feet. / 
aburgh Island, according to the same author, affords evi- 
dence of having increased its height since the wreck of the Ma- 
tilda in 1792, He contrasts the change from “a reef of rocks,” 
*S teported by the crew, to “a conspicuously wooded island,” the 
oe when he visited it; and states piper that ~ reer 
n-works, and a large gun (4-pounder) of this vessel were two 
hundred yards snide of she ob of breakers. Captain Beechey 
Sovered with growing corals, (which is improbable,) and could 
jothave raised its level. If there has been any increase of height, 
(which we do not say is certain,) it must have arisen from sub- 
*n coral, which the mountain debris has covered ; but they do 
a appear to indicate a rise of the land. The descriptions by 
altferent authors of the other islands of this group, do not give 
Uficient reason for confidently believing that any of them have 
been elevated. The change, however, of the barrier reef around 
Bolabo into a verdant islet encircling the island, may be evi- 
-* This: q 
ati. 8 Island Was not visited by the writer, as only the officers of the Vincennes 
empted to land on it, vé Te MORES ee 
