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 partis less than a mile in width, 

 the lagoon is about four miles broad and 5 long. 



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

 over the northern 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. 



14. The reef consists of flat rocks, 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 tha 

 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 hard- 



* There are about 50 Cocoanut trees on it. 



