234 THE INFLUENCE OF INANIMATE SUEROUNDUfGS, 



I. The general form and structure of the Palaos Islands 

 and Reefs. — The Palaos Islands — the Pelew Islands of English 

 maps — form a small chain lying almost exactly NNE. and 

 SSW., and of which the greatest length, from the northern- 

 most island, Kriangle,* to the southernmost, Ngaur (or Angaur), 

 is about 80 geographical miles. The nearest islands are 

 Sonsorol, about 120 miles to the south-west, and Yap, belong- 

 ing to the West Caroline Isles, at a distance of fully 150 miles to 

 the north-east. 



The structure of these islands is very peculiar. The most 

 northerly group is formed of five small, low islets lying on 

 the eastern side of a true atoll ; the largest of them, Kriangle 

 proper, has given its name to the whole little cluster. At about 

 forty miles to the north-west is the^bank or reef of Aruangle, 

 which is uninhabited, but which, from the description of the 

 natives of Kriangle, seems to be a true atoll. Due south of 

 Kriangle is the bank of Kossol, which is open to the south west, 

 and may be described as a horse-shoe atoll. From this begins an 

 extensive barrier-reef which encloses the largest island of the 

 group, Babelthuap. Its northern end is very narrow, in many 

 places scarcely half a mile wide ; then it suddenly widens, 

 so that the island towards the middle is about ten miles f or 

 rather more across ; its length is about twenty-five miles. 

 The southern portidn of the group is composed of innumerable 

 islets, the greater part of them being included in the same reef 

 that hems in Babelthuap ; but this, as it runs south, alters more 

 and more in its structure. The most southerly island, Pelelew, 

 marksthe end of the reef, though further south still is the island of 

 Ngaur — the Angaur of the maps — which is divided from the 

 others by a very deep channel, and is now surrounded by no 

 reef at all. It is high land, and the surf beats directly on the 

 foot of its raised coral cliffs, which have ceased to grow and 

 which are as white as chalk. A glance at the subjoined map 

 suflSces to show that from north to south there is a gradual 



Written as Kiangle or Kyangle on many maps, 

 •f Geographical miles, 60 to a degxee. 



