118 THE COEAL REEFS OF THE MALDIVES. 



Wataru Reef. 



Plates 1, 5 ; 8 h, fifj. 15 ; 58, fig. 1. 



Wataru Keef (PI. 5) is a large isolated lagoon reef (atoll) rising upon a 

 small steep plateau lying in the centre of the channel separating Mulaku 

 from Felidu. The northern part of the channel between Wataru and Felidu 

 is two miles, the southern between Wataru and Mulaku, two miles and a 

 half wide. Wataru is triangular in shape with rounded corners, its greatest 

 length a little less than four miles. The rim reef flat is nearly awash at 

 several points; its position is clearly indicated by the color of the water. 

 There is a very narrow entrance into the lagoon at the southern extremity, 

 flanked on each side by low bushy islets (PL 58, fig. 1). The outer edge of 

 the rim flat is covered by a belt of coral patches ; here and there a patch of 

 coral boulders cropped up along the east face of Wataru, as well as at the base 

 of the steep shingle beach flanking the islets at the entrance of the lagoon. 



The northeast horn of Wataru is edged with angular boulders greatly 

 pitted and honeycombed ; they form a fine sweep as they follow the curve 

 of the horn with the monsoon sea breaking upon them. As is seen from its 

 deep blue color, the lagoon of Wataru Reef is of considerable depth ; twenty- 

 one fathoms are indicated on the chart. 



We passed the reef at high tide ; at low water when the rim of the faro 

 is nearly awash it must be one of the best-defined faros of the Maldives. 



Mulaku. 



Plates 1, 5 : 8 b, figs. 13, 15, IS : 64, fig. 1: 65. 



Mulaku (PI. 5) is irregularly triangular; its western face runs due north 

 and south for a distance of twenty-five miles. The greatest width east and 

 west is about fifteen miles ; it is flanked by thirteen small reef flats and faros 

 of irregular elliptical shape, on only two of which are islets. 



A number of soundings in the central basin of Mulaku range from forty 

 to forty-two fathoms ; the greater number of the soundings vary from 

 twenty-five to thirty-five fathoms. 



