J. D. Dana — Origin of Coral Reefs and Islands. 171 



among the reefs of Tahiti, the Samoan (or Navigator) Islands, 

 and the Feejees (at this last group staying three months), he was 

 also at the Hawaian Islands; and, in addition, he landed on and 

 gathered facts from fifteen coral islands, seven of these in the 

 Paumotu Archipelago, one, Tongatabu, in the Friendly Group, 

 two, Taputeuea and Apia, in the Gilbert Group, and five others 

 near the equator east of the Gilbert Group, Swain's, Fakaafo, 

 Oatafu (Duke of York's), Hull and Enderbury Island * The 

 writer may, therefore, be acquitted of presumption if he states 

 his opinion freely on the various questions that have been 

 brought into the discussion by other investigators. Sympa- 

 thising fully with the sentiment expressed in the words, " The 

 example of Darwin's own candor and over-mastering love of 

 truth remains to assure us that no one would have welcomed 

 fresh discoveries more heartily than he, even should they lead 

 to the setting aside of some of his work," and knowing that we 

 are all for the truth and right theory, he has reason to believe 

 that those who have been led to object to Darwin's conclusions 

 will be pleased to have their objections reviewed by one who 

 has a personal knowledge of many of the facts. 



II. Subsidence not ordinarily a fact because methods of origin 

 have been brought forward that do not require its aid. 



It is urged that, while subsidence may have happened in 

 several cases, it is not at all necessary to the making of barrier 

 reefs and atolls ; that "subsidence has been invoked because 

 no other solution of the' problem seemed admissible;" that the 

 "solution" by subsidence "is only, an inference resting on no 

 positive proofs, "f 



a. Darwin's usual methods were not such as these words imply, 

 and we think that he was true to those methods in his treat- 

 ment of coral island facts. Darwin can hardly be said to have 

 " invoked" subsidence. Subsidence forced itself upon his at- 

 tention. He saw evidence that it was a fact, and the theory 

 came ready-made to him. The proof of subsidence from the 

 relations in form, structure and history between atolls and the 

 large barrier islands, like the Gambier Group, Raiatea, Bolabola 

 and Hogoleu, scarcely admitted, he says, of a doubt; and other 

 facts were all in harmony with it. This, his chief argument, 

 with the enforcing evidence in my Report, (see §§ 4 and 10 of 

 Part I of this paper) is not set aside and not mentioned in the 

 Address from which the above sentences are cited. 



b. Darwin observes that "from the nature of things it is scarcely 



* These five islands are on the map of the Central Pacific accompanying Part I 

 of this paper. Hull's Island, is " Sydney" of the writer's Expedition Report, 

 f Address, page 24. 



