52 ATOLLS. Ch. I. 



nection of adjoining atolls, if a hasty glance be taken 

 at the chart (tig. 4, Plate II.) of Mahlos Mahdoo and 

 the line of unfathomable water be followed, no one 

 will hesitate to consider it as one atoll. But a second 

 look will show that it is divided by a bifurcating 

 channel, of which the northern arm is about one mile 

 aDd three-quarters in width, with an average depth 

 of 125 fathoms, and the southern one three-quarters 

 of a mile wide, and rather less deep. These channels 

 resemble in the slope of their sides and general form, 

 those which separate atolls in every respect distinct ; 

 and the northern arm is wider than that dividing two 

 of the Male atolls. The ring-formed reefs on the 

 northern and southern sides of this bifurcating channel 

 are elongated, and so continuous that the northern and 

 southern portions of Mahlos Mahdoo may claim to 

 be considered as distinct atolls. But the reefs of 

 the intermediate portion are less perfect, so that this 

 portion hardly yet resembles a distinct atoll. Mahlos 

 Mahdoo, therefore, is in every respect in an inter- 

 mediate condition, so that it may be considered either 

 as a single atoll nearly dissevered into three portions, 

 or as three atolls almost perfect and intimately con- 

 nected. This is an instance of a very early stage of 

 the apparent disseverment of an atoll, and another 

 is exhibited at Tilla-doumatte. In one part of 

 this atoll, the ring-formed reefs stand so far apart 

 from each other, that the inhabitants have given 

 different names to the northern and southern halves : 



