250 Report on the Laccadive Islands. [No. 10, new series. 



east to west and from north to south) has risen from the depths of 

 the unfathomable ocean apparently almost in a columnar form, and 

 appearing above the water in an oblong shape, forms an Island on 

 the east side with a large lagoon encirled by a reef to the west of it. 



12. The Island at the broadest part is less than a mile in width, 

 the lagoon is about four miles broad and 5 long. 



13. The reef for about J of its length is visible at low water ; 

 over the n orthern J of the reef there is never less than 2 or 3 feet 

 of water : near the south end of the reef an Islet* has been formed 

 on it about 100 yards square ; at the middle of the reef there is a 

 small barren Islet 20 yards square ; near the north end another 

 small barren Islet 10 yards square was thrown up in 2 fathom 

 water by the storm of 1847. 



1 4. The reef consists of flat ro cks, 20 yards in width with stones, 

 large and small, loose and connected, sometimes covering, and 

 sometimes sparingly scattered over it : the water very gradually 

 deepens on the outer side for about 100 yards where the coral for- 

 mation ends with a precipice. On one side of a boat may be seen 

 the clear white bottom with rocks and fish ; on the other deep blue 

 sea; within 100 yards of this it is said that frequently there is no 

 bottom to be found : this appears to be still more the case on the 

 east side of the Island. 



15. There are 3 entrances to the lagoon only one of which, 

 that at the west, is adapted for large vessels ; over this latter there 

 is at low water 2 fathoms and in ordinary high tides 3 fathoms of 

 water. 



16. The depth of water within the lagoon is very various, 

 about \ of the lagoon is less than 6 feet deep and much of this 

 only 3 or 4 ; there are large portions with 6 and 7 fathoms of 

 water ; a white coral sand covers most of the bottom of the lagoon; 

 small rocks however abound in parts, and here and there rise pre^ 

 cipitously to near the surface ; they are composed of living coral 

 of numerous shapes and colours, and often spring from the bottom 

 of sudden hollows of 7 fathom water where the neighbourhood is 

 only 1 or 2, and in these cases the angle at which the sand stands 

 is astonishing ; the sand sides of these pits being frequently harcl- 



* There are about 50 Cccoanut trees on it. 



