22 



ON CORAL REEFS AND ISLANDS. 



Kuria is a remarkable double island, without a proper lagoon. 

 It consists of two neighboring groves, each about a square mile 

 in extent, on adjacent patches of reef. 



Maiana is quite regularly quadrangular, with an uninterrupted 

 range of land on two of the four sides, and an exposed reef con- 

 stituting the other two. 



Tarawa consists of two sides of a triangle. The western reef 

 is wanting, and the sea and lagoon have unbroken communica- 

 tion. In place of it, there are two to ten fathoms water, and a 

 bottom of coral sand. Small vessels may sail in almost any- 

 where on this side to a good anchorage, and there is a passage 

 for ships of the largest size. The depth within is greater than 

 »on the bar, and these inner waters obviously correspond to the 

 lagoon of other islands. 



Apia has much resemblance to Apamama in its forest border 

 and lagoon. Moreover, there is a ship-entrance through the 

 southwestern reef. 



Maraki is one of the prettiest coral islands of the Pacific. 

 The line of vegetation is unbroken ; and from the mast-head it 

 'lies like a garland thrown upon the waters. The unpracticed eye 

 scarcely perceives, in such a view, the variation from a circular 

 form, however great it may be. The grove is partially interrupt- 

 ed at one point, where there are indications of a former passage 

 through the reef. 



Tari-tari is a large triangular atoll. It is wooded almost con- 

 tinuously on the reef facing southeast, and has a few spots of 

 verdure on the southwest, with three entrances to the extensive 

 lagoon. The northern side is a naked reef throughout, scarcely 

 apparent from a ship's deck, exeept by the long line of breakers. 

 Makin, just north of Tari-tari, is a mere patch of coral reef 

 without a lagoon. 



We add a few more descriptions of Pacific islands, with figures 

 reduced from the maps of the Expedition to a scale of four tenths 

 of an inch to a mile. 



' v, \-. 



HENUAKE Or HONDEX. 



TAIAHA. 



Taiara and Henuake, (figs. 1 and 2,) are two small belts of 

 foliage, somewhat similar to Maraki. Henuake possessed an ad- 

 ditional charm in being tenanted only by birds ; and they were so 

 tame that we took them from the trees as if they had been their 

 flowers. 



