IN THE COVOS-KEELINO ISLANDS, 



13 



one : a calni lake-like sea enclosed by a palisade of palm trees 

 on a narrow riband of land. My first feelings were those of 

 surprise at tlie size of the atoll ; far it was very much smiUler 

 than the mental picture I had formed of it from 9tndyin*2^ 

 the Admimlty chiirt, and then of wonder that such a B[wck 

 could hold its own against the relentless ocean, which seemed 

 as if it might wash it sway in any angry moment 



To form by personal observation more clear idea*? of coral 

 formation, and chiefly to note how the struggle between the 

 reef-makers and the waYCS had been going during the pjxst 

 forty-three years, and perhaps the pride of saying I had 

 liyed on a reef, being the ohjecta of my comiug, no amount 

 of dissimilarity from conceiTcd ideas could disappoint me, or 

 cause me to regret my visit ; but I could not kelp thinking 

 that it was a woe-begone spot to chwse for a perpc^tiial home^ 

 and a limited field to expend one'a energies on, 



Sir. G, C. Eoss, the proprietor, shortly came on board, and 

 with the most hearty greeting welcomed me;* he rowed me 

 ashore, and, without power of gainsay, installed me as gwest in 

 his comfortable home, for I was the first European who, not 

 by compulsion of weather or other disaster, but really of set 

 purpose, had during that period visited his island. AVe sat 

 far into the night talking together, and I scarcely know wliich 

 of us seemed most eager to learn. The rtipid question and 

 reply shot between us incessantly to the early hours, and a^ 

 we sat and talked, it was with an eerie feeling that I telt the 

 very foundations of the land thrill under my feet at every dull 

 boom of the snrf on the outward barrier — I conveying to my 

 host's household all that was strangest and most interesting 

 from the busy centres of civilisatian, in politics (a far cry to 

 themX in discovery and in invention, all that was newest from 

 the outer and, to them, far-off world ; ho relating to me the 

 thrilling domestic annals of his island domain- 

 Half a century had elapsed since his grandfather, descended 

 of an old Scottish family wrecked in the troublous times of 

 1745, having brought an adventurous seafaring life to a close 

 in command of one of the vessels stationed in the Java Bea, 

 for the protection of British interests during our occupation 

 of that island, had landed in December, 1825, and virtually 

 taken possession of the group* His intention was to make 



