RAISED PLATF0EM8 OF CORAL. 



47 



Albatross encountered the east coast of Guam near Point Hanom. He 

 found distinct coralliferous limestone terraces in the faces of the cliflFs 

 from Pago Bay north, marking the position of the former sea level, and 

 indicating the periods of rest during the elevation of the island; and 

 when these are not distinct, lines of caverns along the vertical faces of 

 the cliffs indicate the former lines of sea level. The cliffs of the 

 northern part of the island vary from 300 to 500 feet in height. The 

 lower pai't of their faces is riddled with crevasses, and at a higher 

 level, probably on the face of the fourth or fifth terrace, there are 

 numerous caverns. North of Point Anao some of the coralliferous 

 limestones are stratified, dipping toward the sea; others, nearer the 

 northern extremity of the island, show evidence of great disturbance, 

 probably caused by the volcanic outbursts of Mount Santa Rosa. Mr. 

 Agassiz found them to resemble those of similar limestone islands, 

 such as Makatea, Niue, Eua, Vavau, and others of the Fiji group. 

 Outside of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Guam proved to be the largest 

 island visited by the Albatross, composed in part of volcanic rocks and 

 of elevated coralliferous limestone. At the northern end of the island, 

 though there are five distinct terraces, these are concealed by the 

 vegetation growing on the slopes. Talage ("Lookout") Bay," at the 

 northern extremity of Guam, is an immense sandy flat, flanked by a 

 comparatively broad reef platform full of "horseheads" and of 

 " negroheads " of coral, which extends ffom Taga Point around the 

 north extremity of the island and down the east coast, past Achae and 

 Nigo points, to Ipapao. From the latter point the coast consists of a 

 vertical cliff, with here and there a small stretch of sandy beach along 

 the sea between projecting points until it reaches Tumhun Bay. Here 

 the coral forms a great reef flat, which continues along the coast 

 southward, past Hagadna Bay, as far as ApapS, or Cabras, island. To 

 the south of Orote Peninsula, which projects 4 miles in a northwest- 

 erly direction and forms the southern side of the bay of San Luis de 

 Apra, a narrow reef flat juts out from the west coast at various 

 promontories in the extension of spurs of volcanic slopes. At Males6, 

 or Merizo, Bay a broad reef flat projects, which forms the southwestern 

 extremity of the island of Guam and extends eastward to Point 

 Hahahyan, but not as far as Inalahan Bay, on the east coast. North 

 of that bay the coast is edged by a narrow reef flat, which continues 

 as far as Pago BaJ^ Along the east coast of the northern half of the 

 island there is a narrow reef flat, bordering the precipitous shore from 

 Hanom Point to Point Anao. 

 The southern half of the island of Guam consists of what Mr. Agas- 



»The name of this bay is improperly written on most charts "Taragay," a word 

 with no significance. "Talage," (pronounced taldgay) the vernacular name, signi- 

 fies "to look toward." It was the point from which the ancient Chamorros looked 

 out for vessels eoinJlig from the northern islands. 



