76 CORAL FORMATIONS. 
otherwise overstock the half-a-dozen square miles of which their little 
world consists. 
Yet there are more comforts than might be expected on a land of 
so limited extent,—without rivers, without hills, in the midst of salt 
water, with the most elevated point but ten feet above high tide, 
and no part more than 300 yards from the ocean. ‘Though the soil is 
light and the surface often strewed with blocks of coral, there is a 
dense covering of vegetation to shade the native villages from a tropical 
sun. The cocoanut, the tree of a thousand uses, grows luxuriantly 
on the coral-made land, after it has emerged from the ocean; and the 
scanty dresses of the natives, their drinking vessels and other utensils, 
mats, cordage, fishing-lines, and oil, besides food, drink, and building 
material, are all supplied from it. The Pandanus or screw-pine 
flourishes well, and is exactly fitted for such regions: as it enlarges 
and spreads its branches, one prop after another grows out from the 
trunk and plants itself in the ground; and by this means its base is 
widened and the growing tree supported. The fruit, a large ovoidal 
mass made up of oblong dry seed, diverging from a centre, each near 
two cubic inches in size, affords a sweetish husky article of food, 
which, though little better than prepared corn-stalks, admits of being 
stored away for use when other things fail. The extensive reefs, 
abound in fish which are easily captured, and the natives, with wooden 
hooks, often bring in larger kinds from the deep waters. From such 
resources a population of 10,000 persons is supported on the single 
island of Taputeouea, whose whole habitable area does not exceed 
Six square miles.* 
Water is usually to be found in sufficient quantities for the use of 
the natives, although the land is so low and flat. They dig wells 
five to ten feet deep in any part of the dry islets, and generally obtain 
a constant supply. These wells are sometimes fenced around with 
special care; and the houses of the villages, as at Fakaafo, are often 
clustered about them. On Aratica (Carlshoff) there is a watering 
place 50 feet in diameter, from which our vessels in a few hours 
obtained 390 gallons. ‘The T'arawan Islands are generally provided 
with a supply sufficient for bathing, and each native takes his morning 
bath in fresh water, esteemed by them a great luxury. On Taritari, 
* There are a few islands better supplied with vegetable food, though the above state- 
ments are literally true of a large majority. 
