390 FUNAFUTI: THE STORY OF A. CORAL ATOLL. 



first glimpse of a low island presents itself as a thin dark-green band, 

 which separates the deep azure of the sky from the still deeper blue of 

 the sea; Avith nearer approach a cream-colored streak inserts itself 

 below the green and is instantly followed by a line of dazzling snowy 

 white, which is soon recognized as the fringe of surf which marks the 

 boundary of the sea. Sailing nearer, the streak of cream color becomes 

 the island beach, and the zone of green resolves itself into a mass of 

 luxuriant vegetation, over which the feathery crowns of the graceful 

 cocoanut palms, towering to a height of 80 feet, wave indolently in the 

 sea breeze. 



As the details of this gracious scene, rising like an apparition from 

 the deep, unfold before the eyes, one seems to gaze on some island of 

 enchantment, and with the music of the surf thundering in one's ears 

 one thinks of the Tritons sounding the loud conch, and half expects to 

 " see old Proteus rising from the sea! " 



If it be with surprise that we first make the acquaintance of these 

 islands the feeling is in no degree abated with closer familiarity; from 

 beginning to end their whole story is a chapter of surprises. 



Mariners soon learned to dread the surf-beaten shores, for they could 

 find no anchorage within a safe distance of the breakers, the sides of 

 the island descending precipitously to great depths within a few hun- 

 dred yards of the coast; and within this distance a reef of rough and 

 rugged rocks forms the shelving floor of the sea. A bark once driven 

 on to this heels over, with its deck facing the pitiless waves, and is 

 swept clean from stem to stern. 



Bristling with dangers on the outside, the island conceals within 

 itself a spacious inner sea or lagoon, into which, through dangerous 

 passages, a ship may make its way, and once there securely ride out 

 the most destructive storm. The island thus differs from most others 

 in being hollow in its midst; a mere rocky rim to a sea lake, which may 

 be as much as 60 or even 100 miles across, and 60 fathoms deep, though 

 20 fathoms is more usual. From this feature the islands are known, 

 not only as "low" islands, but as "lagoon" islands. The shores of the 

 lagoon are bordered by a smooth, gently sloping beach of flesh-colored 

 sand, over which the wavelets fall faintly; and palms and laurel-like 

 shrubs growing down to the water's edge are reflected in its crystal 

 margin. 



When the voyager first set foot on this strange new land it was a 

 fresh surprise to him to find it peopled. The inhabitants, usually 

 graceful and prepossessing in appearance and amiable in manners, came 

 timidly forth to welcome him, speaking a language full of soft vowel 

 sounds, which has been aptly styled the Italian of the Pacific. In some 

 cases, particularly when the natives were not red men but black, they 

 showed less favor to strangers, and the island sometimes became the 

 theater of bloody strife. 



Besides man, whose presence is an additional problem of the islands, 



