— on the Climate and Productions of Ponape. 39 
being cra ters. The Rev. Mr. Doane has called my attention to 
the appearance of the eastern terminus of the central ran 
The very end or point of the hills just as they reach the shore 
opposite to the Mant islands, seems as though removed bya — 
gorge, leaving a semicircular area with steep sides, in some 
places 150 or 200 feet high. May this be a crater with one part 
of its periphery destroyed, or is it only an vg termina- 
tion? The certain detection of craters must be 1 for my . 
future study, or for better instructed investigators. 
Surrounding the whole body of basaltic ele evations is a beauti- 
ful coral reef, distant from the coast of the main island the aver- 
age distance of perhaps two miles. There are no less than seven 
considerable intervals in the continuity of this reef, forming as 
many harbors, several of which are really excellent ones. Be- 
tween the reef and the shore of the island are all the usual coral _ 
ere, that give such wondrous variety to tropic waters. The 
eight of these patches varies greatly. A very considerable num- 
ber of them are from an inch or two to a foot or more above the 
ebb tides at the syzygies. On the outer reef are a numberof __ = 
islets in every way similar to those on the purely coralline grou 
They are found from the mouth of the Metalanim harbor, along 
the southern line, as far as point Kittlitz, but not on the north — 
of Ponape. These islets have a nearly uniform elevation of 
about two feet above high-water mark. I gather from my own 
ea nah and from the reports of the pilots, that soundi 
und outside of the reef, nearly if not quite ee tie 
tees at distances varying from a quarter to half a mil 
t 
brated “ Ruins” near the Metelaniis harbor: (meport on Bth. 
nography and Philology, p. 87.) Were Mr. Hale’s suppc 
tions regarding the original position of the Ruins on dry er) 
correct, the evidence would be decisive of an important sub- 
me <i 
dence. And again, the habits of the people would lead them fo 
select just such a submerged position for the easier ingress and 
egress of their canoes, to which they are so attached as vehicles 
of travel. For a fuller exposition of my views on his; eaiae 
I must refer to a paper on “The Ruins of a 
