11 
1895.] C. F. Oldham —Physical Features of the Laccadives. 
during ebb, as follows—as soon as the level of the lagoon during ebb 
has fallen to the level of the encircling coral reef, the remaining waters 
have to escape by the channel on the western side ; the current then is 
strong, and the island lying in the track, it rushes past with consider¬ 
able velocity ; the waters of the lagoon are filled with sand carried in 
during flood, and the eddy currents deposit this sand on the western 
side of the island, forming the two spits. From the soundings and the 
appearance of reef and reef-flat it seems probable that the reef is ex¬ 
tending southward more rapidly than in other directions. 
Suheli Par , of an oval-shape, extends nearly nine-and-a-half miles 
N. N.-E., and S. S.-W., with a width of about three-and-a-half miles. 
A very narrow fringe reef, broken to the N.-W., encloses a lagoon with 
depths of 4 to 7 fathoms in it. The S. and S.-E., sides of the atoll are 
occupied by a shallow sandy flat similar to the flats in Betra, Peremul, 
and Bungarra reefs. The reef flat extends along the east side to the 
north extreme, but is much narrower here than on the S. and S.-E. 
sides. 
Two islands are situated on the reef-flat, one on the extreme north 
point, and the other three-quarters of a mile from the edge of the reef 
on the south-east side of the atoll. They are both very low and level ; 
and like the islands at Betra and Bungarra are sand-cays, covered with 
vegetation. The northern of the two has in several places the sand of 
which it is formed cemented into coral-sand rock, which shews plainly 
on the eastern side, and there is still in process of formation. On the 
western side this rock has been broken up by the south-westerly gales, 
and is strewn over the beach just above high-water mark ; the northern 
and southern extremes are formed by sand spits which appear to be 
extending. The south island I had no opportunity of examining, but 
the plan of it shews that it has two arms or spits of sand extending 
from the extremes to the northward, in the direction taken by the ebb 
current. No good water exists on either island. In addition to the 
islands, a sandy spit and patches of sand, which dry, extend for more than 
a mile along the N.-E. side of the atoll. 
A shallow flat with 4 to 5 fathoms on it extends off the north end 
for about a mile, otherwise the hundred-fathom line lies about 2 cables 
from the reef. From the existence of the 2 ’eef flat the atoll appears to 
be extending most rapidly to the south and south-east sides. The islands 
are apparently formed first as sand cays. 
Peculiar characteristics to be noted from the foregoing observations. 
1. Kiltan, Chitlac, Kardamat, Kavaratti and Agatti are all situated 
on the eastern side of the atolls ; at Betra Par there is an islet and two 
