ON CHANGES OF LEVEL IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 133 



semble the lime incrustations and seams of Diamond Hill, Punch- 

 bowl and Koko Head, Oahu, which occur at the same height, 

 but most certainly give no evidence of elevation, as they have 

 proceeded beyond doubt from aqueous eruptions carrying lime 

 in solution. Fragments of coral, it will be remembered, occur 

 in the tufa of these hills. This evidence from Maui, should 

 therefore be received with great hesitation until farther ex- 

 amined. 



Besides the above, there are large masses of coral rock, accor- 

 ding to Mr. Andrews, along the shores of Maui, from two to 

 twelve feet above high water. From his descriptions, this rock 

 appears to be the reef-rock, like the raised reef of Oahu, and is 

 probably proof of an elevation of at least twelve feet. 



I. Kings-mill or Tar aw an Group. (Plate I.) 



Taputeouea or Drummond. — This is the southern island of 

 the group. The reef rock near the village of Utiroa is a foot 

 above low tide level, and consists of large massive Astreas and 

 Meandrinas. The tide in the Kingsmill seas is seven feet ; and 

 consequently this evidence of a rise might be doubted, as some 

 corals may grow to this height where the tide is so high. But 

 these Astreas and Meandrinas, as far as observed by the writer, 

 are not among the species that may undergo exposure at low 

 tide, except it be to the amount of three or four inches; and it is 

 probable that an elevation of at least ten or tioelve inches has 

 taken place. 



Apia or Charlotte's Island, one of the northernmost of the 

 group, has the reef-rock in some parts raised bodily to a height of 

 six or seven feet above low water level, evidencing this amount 

 of elevation. This elevated reef was observed for long distan- 

 ces between the several wooded islets ; it resembled the south 

 reef of Nairsa in the Paumotu Archipelago in its bare, even top, 

 and bluff worn front. An islet of the atoll, where we landed, 

 was twelve feet high, and the coral reef-rock was five or six feet 

 above middle tide. A wall of this rock, having the same height 

 extends along the reef from the islet. There was no doubt that 

 it was due to an actual uplifting of the reef to a height of full 

 six feet. 



Nanoukij Kuria, Maiana and Tarawa lying between the 

 two islands above mentioned, were seen only from the ship, 

 and nothing decisive bearing on the subject of elevation was ob- 

 served. On the northeast side of Nanouki there was a hill twenty 

 or thirty feet in height covered with trees ; but we had no 

 means of learning that it was not artificial. We were, however, 

 informed by Kirby. a sailor taken from Kuria, that the reef of 

 Aparnama was elevated precisely like that of Apia, to a height 

 of five feet; and this was confirmed by Lieutenant Dehaven, 

 who was engaged in the survey of the reef. We were told, also, 



