WE STKIKE ON A CORAL REEF. 



183 



see many round massive Leads of brain-coml, Mean- 

 drirm, and otber beautiful branching forms, Astrea^ 

 bundi-eds of massive and tubular sponges, and broad 

 sea-fans, Gorgonim^ as we glided over these miniature 

 forests and mde gardens beneath the sea 



A clear sunset gave a good promise of an nnusu- 

 allj pleasant night, and the stars twinkled Ijrightly 

 as the evening came on, but the dull vibrations of the 

 ti& and the continual crashings of the gongs, with 

 now and then a wild, prolonged shout from one of 

 the oarsmen, and a similar chorus ii-om the others, 

 kept me awake till late in the night. Finally, just 

 as a troubled sleep was creeping over me^ there was 

 a sudden shout from every native, and our round-bot- 

 tomed prau gave a frightful lurch, first to stai'boai'd 

 and then to larboard. All was confusion and uproai*, 

 and my first waking thought was that w^e must have 

 mn into the back of some sea-monster, and that, per- 

 haps, the sea-serpent was no mjih. after all, fi?r when 

 only such savages are seen on the land for men, it is 

 not unreasonable that hideous, antediluvian monsters 

 must be twisting their long, snaky forms beneath in 

 the deepj dark ocean. After awhile the danger was 

 explained : we had stnick on a coral reef, though we 

 were at least half a mile from the shore. This indi- 

 cates the width, at this place, of the plattbiin of coral 

 which encircles the whole island. The heavy swell 

 which had scarcely affected the boat while ailoat now 

 made her roll almost over the moment her keel 

 touched the rock. Such rough, projecting coral reefs 

 are very dangerous to the best boats, for in a few 

 moments they will frequently grind a hole through 



