Green Dots of the Empire. 
15 
And should the schooner have drifted down 
upon the land with the stealthy westerly current 
there is no such thing as trusting even to good 
ground tackle on the weather side of an Ellice 
Group atoll. Did the ocean slumber too, and 
the black ledges of the windward reef were 
laved but by the gentlest movement of the 
water, there would be no anchorage, unless the 
ship were loaded with a cable long enough ; 
and ere the sun has dried the dews of the night 
on the coconuts the merry trade wind pipes 
up again, the smooth surface of the ocean swells 
and undulates, the rollers sweep in from the 
eastward and charge wildly against the black 
wall of coral rock, smothering it in a maddened 
tumble of froth and foam, the while the smoky 
sea-spume is carried on high to fall in drenching 
showers upon the first line of coco-palms and 
puka scrub growing down close to the iron- 
bound shore. And of the eight islands of the 
Ellice Group all are alike in this respect—a wild 
tumultuous surf for ever beats upon the weather 
shore even under the influence of the ordinary 
trade wind ; and, on the lee, there lies a sea as 
placid and motionless as a mountain lake. 
