699 
DR. LITTLE’S CORAL THEORY. 
exposed in whole, or in part at low water and these reefs are 
composed of sand, and coral debris, with patches of rocky ground. 
Burong is a steep islet, covered with wood, and in sailing very 
often near it, I never saw any exposed reef in its vicinity, whilst 
the bay within Burong is shoal and rocky. 
Having thus enumerated the islands and reefs to the westward 
of the anchorage, I must refer your readers to the chart of Captain 
Gordon, which only differs from that of Sir Edward Belcher in 
being far more minute and finished. 
By a reference to this chart it will be clear that the nearest point 
of Kuraman, and the nearest Rusakan are six miles distant from 
the harbour of Labuan; that the exposed reefs to the West¬ 
ward of the former, as well as the latter, are rocky, with patches 
of sand, and that though these islands are surrounded by coral reefs, 
they are all under water, at depths varying from 5 to 2 fathoms. 
Burong is steep to all round, excepting to the northward where 
there is marked a very small patch of sand , and the Bay within 
is choked by an extensive fringing reef of rock, Burong likewise 
is three miles in a straight line from the anchorage, and nearly two 
miles from the islet of Ino, or as written on the chart Ennoe. 
It may be decided therefore as matter of fact, that there are 
no exposed coral reefs to the westward of the Bay; that the 
distance would protect the town from their influence, supposing 
their existence, and I may add, that no wind from these islands 
could reach the usual anchorage, without blowing over a jungle 
covered hill! 
Within the harbour, or immediately contiguous to it, is firstly 
the reef extending from the outside of Ino, or Ennoe, to the main 
shore at Point Hamilton, and thence fringing the left hand side of 
the creek. This reef is in whole or in part exposed at low water, 
and is distinctly marked in Captain Gordon’s survey as composed 
of rock and sand, and my own impression, after being on this reef 
a dozen times or more, fully bears out the correctness of the chart. 
The island of Pappan, in like manner, has a small sandy beach, 
and on the S. E. side a rocky reef of inconsiderable extent, and 
between Pappan and Daat, large boulders of sandstone are visible 
at low water, but I am not aware that this reef is further exposed, 
or that there are any other reefs, to be seen at any time of tide 
within it, and I may add, that there are channels for vessels of 
burden through these masses of sandstone. Neither ef the charts 
go beyond this reef, but Captain Gordon has occasional soundings 
immediately within it of three and two fathoms ; and according to 
Dr Little’s theory, supposing this to be as deadly a coral reef as his 
fancy could pourtray, it could have no evil effect on the health of 
the settlement, as the prevailing winds from S. to S.W. blow over 
the opposite direction, and it would require a wind to the Eastward 
of S.E., to waft the imaginary effluvia in the direction of the 
anchorage. It must likewise be borne in mind that the distance of 
