THE WAVES BREAKING ON A CORAL REEF. 199 



and all this flat area is eitlier bare at low tide, or 

 only covered to the depth of a few inches hj small 

 pools. Here the beautifal " mitre-shells " abound — 

 the MUm epmopaUs^ or "Bishop^s mitre" and the 

 MUra papalu^ or " Pope's mitre " and many beauti- 

 ful cones and cypmeas. 



From Amet to Abobo, at the southern end of the 

 island, a distance of more than a mile, the coral plat- 

 form nan'ows until it is quite near the high-water 

 line. Along the whole length of this reef the hea\y 

 swell from the ocean is seen rising again and again 

 into one grand wall, which, slowly curling its high 

 white crest, plunges headlong over the soft polyps, 

 which, despite the utmost efforts of the ocean, slowly 

 but continually advance their wondrous structure 

 seaward This endless lashing and washing of the 

 waves, which would wear away the most adaman- 

 tine rocks, only enables those delicate animals to 

 work with a greater vigor, and this is probably the 

 chief reason that the reef here is wider than anywhere 

 else along the shores of the neighboring islands. 



Between Amet and Abobo there is sometimes 

 found a very beautiful cone, covered with mottled 

 bands of black and salmon-color, which once com- 

 manded fabulous prices in Europe, and is now gen- 

 erally regarded by the natives as the most valuable 

 shell obtained in these seas. Although I travelled 

 along nearly all the shores of the adjacent islands, I 

 was continually assured that this part of Nusalaut 

 was the only place where this shell was ever found, 

 an assertion which I regard as true, so sparing is 

 Nature of her choicest treasures. 



