AND INHOSPITABLE DESERTS. 
2-13 
a loose 
irj'.^Poii t] 
t>ti„ J "'e tops of the reef. 
II “till, 
state, form wliat i.s usually called a 
The new bank is not lonsc 
'“’^d by sea birds; salt plants take root upon 
*ti)re . *] *’^Rlns to be foiTOed; a cocoa nut is thrown 
*id ^Ces , birds visit it and deposit the seeds of shrubs 
>llv high tide, and still more every gale, 
to the bank ; the form of an island is gradu- 
ssi I'lijj .j and last of all comes man to take possession. 
V ’ biivi advanced in the above progressive 
>iitf'!'^5ch ? many years, probably some ages, above 
'V tlie°l highest spring-tides, or the wash of the 
tij''cl; . ’t'aviest gales. I distingtfished, however, in 
L',- tt|y . ’icli forms its basis, the sand, coral, and shells 
tr„ / Ulro\v^, 
small 
up, in a more or less perfect state of co- 
pieces of w'ood, pumice stone, and other 
®'ib.st chance had mixed with the cal- 
kSr,!!.’ ! 
itices vvlien the cohe.sion began, were inclosed 
in some cases, were still seiiarablc from it 
0. The upper part of i he island is a mix- 
'‘f I ^^’■bstances in a loose state, wiih a little vc- 
tNt^<=H;ce, 
tree covered with the c/J.vz/n;-i??aauda variety 
'tii'j'h shiiibs, which give food’ to parorpiets, 
^ ijp ■'’‘Jttie other birds ; to whose ancestors it is pro- 
‘•ttd Was origlnallv indebted for this vegetation." 
ASIATIC DESKRTS. 
J, and INH0.SPITAI5LE DESERT! 
DESERTS ai'c in Persia and Aiabia, the 
IV(.' ®t)d r ttountries contains three of considerable. 
T '111,'* tl' first of the.se comn:iences on 
iV‘ I in liuiuulc tliirty-tbree, is pervaded 
tC ^ and extends to tlic iiorili of Shasler. 
■ '^■'iri';. from the vicinity of Korn very nearly 
k, tt line, from east to -west, of about four 
Riv- ‘ ‘"'•<■1 — V 
A Kerman, which, nloue, e.xtends 
'tii'vi'()|.p fitrce hundred and fifty mil 
and, 
'd and' tll'iy. 
from north to south, or 
In the latter direction it 
K /.Id 
be 
es. The two 
considered as forming one common 
ab(j^.^P“-''cb, north-west and south-east, over a 
■ seven hundred miles, thus '.ntersecthig this 
M 2 
