accelerate the increafe of thefe iflands as much as any other; 
and will alfo account for the fea having receded from thofe 
elevated rocks before-mentioned. This is, the fpreading of 
the coral bank, or reef, into the fea; which, in my opi¬ 
nion, is continually, though imperceptibly, effected. The 
waves receding, as the reef grows in breadth and height, 
leave a dry rock behind, ready for the reception of the 
broken coral and land, and every other depolit neceffary 
for the formation of land fit for the vegetation of plants.- 
In this manner, there is little doubt, that, in time, the 
whole reef will become one ifland; and, I think, it will ex¬ 
tend gradually inward, either from the increafe of the iflots 
already formed; or from the formation of new ones, upon 
the beds of coral, within the inclofed lake, if once they in¬ 
creafe fo as to rife above the level of the fea. 
After leaving Palmerfton’s Ifland, I fleered Weft, with a 
view to make the beft of my way to Annamooka. We flill 
continued to have variable winds, frequently between the 
North and Weft, with fqualls, fome thunder, and much 
rain. During thefe fhowers, which were, generally, very 
copious, we faved a confiderable quantity of water; and 
finding that we could get a greater fupply by the rain, in 
one hour, than we could get by diftillation in a month, I 
laid afide the flill, as a thing attended with more trouble 
than profit. 
The heat, which had been great for about a month, be¬ 
came now much more difagreeable in this clofe rainy wea¬ 
ther ; and, from the moiflure attending it, threatened foon 
to be noxious; as the lhips could not be kept dry, nor the 
fkuttles open, for the fea. However, it is remarkable 
enough, that though the only refrefhment we had received 
fince leaving the Cape of Good Hope, was that at New Zea¬ 
land ; 
