THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 293 
many other trees of beauty and usefulness strike the 
eye of a stranger. Seaward, there is the long line of 
the reef; a low but impregnable barrier, with the 
surging wave foaming over it; and, beyond, the 
boundless Pacific, unbroken by any object, save the 
white-sailed canoe in the distance, scarcely distin- 
guishable from the crest of a wave, but perhaps 
freighted with the humble native missionary, bear- 
ing to some neighbouring island that gospel of 
Christ which he has found to be “the power of 
God unto [his] salvation.” Beneath and around is 
the placid and lake-like lagoon, the progress of the 
boat alone dimpling its smooth face. So transparent 
is the water, that the varied bottom is distinctly 
visible many fathoms down, showing the growth of 
living coral branching in fantastic imitation of the 
shrubs and trees on the shore, and representing to 
the charmed imagination an extensive submarine 
shrubbery of many hues. Even the irregular move- 
ments of the spined urchins (chin) are clearly seen 
as they craw] upon the sands, and the multitudes of 
playful little rock-fishes (Labri), of every rich and 
glowing tint, gliding with easy and graceful motion 
among the branches, rivet the spectator’s attention. 
Mr. Ellis thus describes his feeling in a similar 
situation, walking on the lonely sea-beach by moon- 
light: “The evening was fair, the moon shone 
brightly, and her mild beams, silvering the foliage 
of the shrubs that grew near the shore, and playing 
on the rippled and undulating wave of the Ocean, 
added a charm to the singularity of the prospect, 
and enlivened the loneliness of our situation. The 
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