dr. little’s coral theory. 
700 
the neatest point of this reef, is double the distance of Dr Little’s 
limit of safety. 
The evidence is therefore complete from a survey, as elaborate 
as that of the British Channel, that no exposed coral reef, is as yet 
known in the vicinity of Labuan; and that not a single assertion 
advanced by Dr Little on hearsay evidence, is consistent with the 
facts established by Captain Gordon’s chart, by the silence of Sir 
Edward Belcher on the subject, and by the personal observations 
of many residents on the island. 
Your readers, and probably Dr Little himself, will be now satisfied 
on this point, and entertain a conviction, that when such a mistake 
could occur on ground so well known, and so accurately surveyed, 
the other examples brought forward to suppport this theory, 
are utterly fallacious and valueless, and before concluding this 
portion of my task, I would request Dr Little to reconcile with his 
theory the two following cases—not taken upon doubtful testimony, ' 
but resting on the observations of British naval officers and in one 
instance confirmed by personal experience. 
1st, “Raines islet* (near the Barrier reefs) is 1,000 yards long by 
500 wide and in no part more than 20 feet above high water mark,” 
so writes Mr Jukes, and he adds “ it is surrounded by a coral reef 
that is narrow on the lee side, but to windward, or towards the 
East, stretches out for nearly two miles. The surface of this reef 
is nearly all dry at low water.” 
On this islet nevertheless. Captain Blackwood erected an obser¬ 
vatory, and during his long continued and arduous survey, parties 
were constantly on shore for a length of time, sleeping in tents, or 
huts, and but little protected from the weather. Yet the crew of 
the Ely did not suffer, and no mention is made of any fever cases 
amongst them. Here then a large coral reef, exposed at low water, 
and situated to windward of a low islet, produced no bad effects 
upon the health of those residing close to it. 
On the same authority, the same may be said of Murray, Darn- 
ley and other islands situated in a smooth sea within the Barrier, 
which are surrounded by exposed coral reefs, the natives of which 
are nevertheless a healthy and stout race. 
2nd, Sirhassan, an island of the Southern Nutuna group, has a 
broad fringing coral reef, in many parts a mile in width, extending 
ten miles along its Southern and western shores ; the deep bight, 
within which the town is situated, is choked with coral patches, 
and there is a large coral reef called Karang Hadji near the small 
island of Brian, two and a quarter miles from the shore of the 
main island.f 
All these reefs, are exposed in whole or in part at low water ,l 
* Lat. 11- 38’ Long. 144- 6’—vide Voyage of H. M. S. Fly. Let the reader bear 
in mind the masses of exposed coral within the barrier. 
t From Captain Gordon’s minute survey. 
I A ship’s cutter grounds at the outer edge of the fringing reef at low water. 
