CHAP. XXV.] J BARRIER REEF. 99 



swell on the sea ; in other places there is a ridge of dead 

 coral above the water, which is here and there high enough 

 to support a few low bushes. This was the first example I 

 had met with of a true barrier reef due to subsidence, as 

 has been so clearly shown by Mr. Darwin. In a sheltered 

 archipelago they will seldom be distinguishable, from 

 the absence of those huge rolling waves and breakers 

 which in the wide ocean throw up a barrier of broken 

 coral far above the usual high-water mark, while here they 

 rarely rise to the surface. 



On reaching the end of the southern island, called Uta, 

 we were kept waiting two days for a wind that would 

 enable us to pass over to the next island, Teor, and I 

 began to despair of ever reaching Ke, and determined on 

 returning. We left with a south wind, which suddenly 

 changed to north-east, and induced me to turn again 

 southward in the hopes that this was the commencement 

 of a few days' favourable weather. We sailed on verj' 

 well in the direction of Teor for about an hour, after 

 which the wind shifted to W.S.W., and we were driven 

 much out of our course, and at nightfall found our- 

 selves in the open sea, and full ten miles to leeward 

 of our destination. My men were now all very much 

 frightened, for if we went on we might be a week at sea 

 in our little open boat, laden almost to the water's edge ; 

 or we might drift on to the coast of .New Guinea, in which 



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