CH. rv TALISSE ISLAXD 



considerable portion of the eastern coast of Talisse be- 

 tween T. Aros and Elnabohntan, at the eastern promontory 

 of Banka Island, at Cape Coffin and the southern shores 

 of Wallace Bay, the northern and eastern coasts of Limbe. 

 From personal experience I can vouch for the accuracy of 

 the Admiralty chart in this respect in most of these places . 

 To carry the problem iato other regions, we find it stated 

 by those who have visited these places — and their testi- 

 mony is supported by of&cial charts — that on the eastern 

 side of the peninsula the shores are steep and rocky, with 

 very few extensive mangrove swamps and coral reefs facing 

 seawards. Contrast this with the western coasts of the 

 peninsula. From the North Cape to Cape Piso there are 

 many wide and extensive coral reefs and swamps, and 

 the same at Tanawangko, on the other side of ]\ranado 

 Bay. 



The obvious conclusion to be drawn from these facts is 

 that for some reason or another — I wiU not enter into that 

 now — direct exposure to the flood-tide from the open ocean 

 is imfavourable for coral growth. 



Although our hfe in Tahssewas soUtary enough, it must 

 not be supposed that we were entirely without visitors. 



Once and sometimes twice a week a little post prau from 

 Likupang might be seen coming across the Straits. It was 

 manned by two natives, who announced as officially as they 

 could their approach by sounding the classic triton-sheU 

 and flying the flag of Holland. They brought my mails in 

 a thick bamboo to shelter them from the wet, and they 

 always presented them to me with a graceful Oriental 

 obeisance— a form of respect due to one who had so much 

 communication with the outside world. 



Then there were the fishermen who frequently called 

 for drinking water or to gather bark to twist into impromptu 

 string for their rowlocks. These men would sometunes do 



