Thelongstripsofland，formingthelinearislets，havebeenraisedonlytothatheighttowhichthesurfcanthrowfragmentsofcoral，andthewindheapupcalcareoussand。Thesolidflatofcoralrockontheoutside，byitsbreadth，breaksthefirstviolenceofthewaves，whichotherwise，inaday，wouldsweepawaytheseisletsandalltheirproductions。Theoceanandthelandseemherestrugglingformastery：althoughterrafirmahasobtainedafooting，thedenizensofthewaterthinktheirclaimatleastequallygood。Ineverypartonemeetshermitcrabsofmorethanonespecies，[6]carryingontheirbackstheshellswhichtheyhavestolenfromtheneighbouringbeach。Overhead，numerousgannets，frigate-birds，andterns，restonthetrees；andthewood，fromthemanynestsandfromthesmelloftheatmosphere，mightbecalledasea-rookery。
Thegannets，sittingontheirrudenests，gazeatonewithastupidyetangryair。Thenoddies，astheirnameexpresses，aresillylittlecreatures。
Butthereisonecharmingbird：itisasmall，snow-whitetern，whichsmoothlyhoversatthedistanceofafewfeetaboveone’shead，itslargeblackeyescanning，withquietcuriosity，yourexpression。Littleimaginationisrequiredtofancythatsolightanddelicateabodymustbetenantedbysomewanderingfairyspirit。
Sunday，April3rd——AfterserviceIaccompaniedCaptainFitzRoytothesettlement，situatedatthedistanceofsomemiles，onthepointofanisletthicklycoveredwithtallcocoa-nuttrees。CaptainRossandMr。
Lieskliveinalargebarn-likehouseopenatbothends，andlinedwithmatsmadeofwovenbark。ThehousesoftheMalaysarearrangedalongtheshoreofthelagoon。Thewholeplacehadratheradesolateaspect，fortherewerenogardenstoshowthesignsofcareandcultivation。ThenativesbelongtodifferentislandsintheEastIndianarchipelago，butallspeakthesamelanguage：wesawtheinhabitantsofBorneo，Celebes，Java，andSumatra。IncolourtheyresembletheTahitians，fromwhomtheydonotwidelydifferinfeatures。Someofthewomen，however，showagooddealoftheChinesecharacter。Ilikedboththeirgeneralexpressionsandthesoundoftheirvoices。Theyappearedpoor，andtheirhousesweredestituteoffurniture；butitwasevident，fromtheplumpnessofthelittlechildren，thatcocoa-nutsandturtleaffordnobadsustenance。
Onthisislandthewellsaresituated，fromwhichshipsobtainwater。
Atfirstsightitappearsnotalittleremarkablethatthefreshwatershouldregularlyebbandflowwiththetides；andithasevenbeenimagined，thatsandhasthepoweroffilteringthesaltfromthesea-water。TheseebbingwellsarecommononsomeofthelowislandsintheWestIndies。
Thecompressedsand，orporouscoralrock，ispermeatedlikeaspongewiththesaltwater，buttherainwhichfallsonthesurfacemustsinktothelevelofthesurroundingsea，andmustaccumulatethere，displacinganequalbulkofthesaltwater。Asthewaterinthelowerpartofthegreatsponge-likecoralmassrisesandfallswiththetides，sowillthewaternearthesurface；andthiswillkeepfresh，ifthemassbesufficientlycompacttopreventmuchmechanicaladmixture；butwherethelandconsistsofgreatlooseblocksofcoralwithopeninterstices，ifawellbedug，thewater，asIhaveseen，isbrackish。
AfterdinnerwestayedtoseeacurioushalfsuperstitioussceneactedbytheMalaywomen。Alargewoodenspoondressedingarments，andwhichhadbeencarriedtothegraveofadeadman，theypretendbecomesinspiredatthefullofthemoon，andwilldanceandjumpabout。Aftertheproperpreparations，thespoon，heldbytwowomen，becameconvulsed，anddancedingoodtimetothesongofthesurroundingchildrenandwomen。Itwasamostfoolishspectacle；butMr。LieskmaintainedthatmanyoftheMalaysbelievedinitsspiritualmovements。Thedancedidnotcommencetillthemoonhadrisen，anditwaswellworthremainingtobeholdherbrightorbsoquietlyshiningthroughthelongarmsofthecocoa-nuttreesastheywavedintheeveningbreeze。Thesescenesofthetropicsareinthemselvessodelicious，thattheyalmostequalthosedeareronesathome，towhichweareboundbyeachbestfeelingofthemind。
ThenextdayIemployedmyselfinexaminingtheveryinteresting，yetsimplestructureandoriginoftheseislands。Thewaterbeingunusuallysmooth，Iwadedovertheouterflatofdeadrockasfarasthelivingmoundsofcoral，onwhichtheswelloftheopenseabreaks。Insomeofthegulliesandhollowstherewerebeautifulgreenandothercolouredfishes，andtheformandtintsofmanyofthezoophyteswereadmirable。Itisexcusabletogrowenthusiasticovertheinfinitenumbersoforganicbeingswithwhichtheseaofthetropics，soprodigaloflife，teems；yetImustconfessIthinkthosenaturalistswhohavedescribed，inwell-knownwords，thesubmarinegrottoesdeckedwithathousandbeauties，haveindulgedinratherexuberantlanguage。
April6th——IaccompaniedCaptainFitzRoytoanislandattheheadofthelagoon：thechannelwasexceedinglyintricate，windingthroughfieldsofdelicatelybranchedcorals。Wesawseveralturtleandtwoboatswerethenemployedincatchingthem。Thewaterwassoclearandshallow，thatalthoughatfirstaturtlequicklydivesoutofsight，yetinacanoeorboatundersail，thepursuersafternoverylongchasecomeuptoit。A
manstandingreadyinthebow，atthismomentdashesthroughthewaterupontheturtle’sback；thenclingingwithbothhandsbytheshellofitsneck，heiscarriedawaytilltheanimalbecomesexhaustedandissecured。
Itwasquiteaninterestingchasetoseethetwoboatsthusdoublingabout，andthemendashingheadforemostintothewatertryingtoseizetheirprey。CaptainMoresbyinformsmethatintheChagosarchipelagointhissameocean，thenatives，byahorribleprocess，taketheshellfromthebackofthelivingturtle。“Itiscoveredwithburningcharcoal，whichcausestheoutershelltocurlupwards，itisthenforcedoffwithaknife，andbeforeitbecomescoldflattenedbetweenboards。Afterthisbarbarousprocesstheanimalissufferedtoregainitsnativeelement，where，afteracertaintime，anewshellisformed；itis，however，toothintoheofanyservice，andtheanimalalwaysappearslanguishingandsickly。”
Whenwearrivedattheheadofthelagoon，wecrossedanarrowislet，andfoundagreatsurfbreakingonthewindwardcoast。Icanhardlyexplainthereason，butthereistomymindmuchgrandeurintheviewoftheoutershoresoftheselagoon-islands。Thereisasimplicityinthebarrier-likebeach，themarginofgreenbushesandtallcocoa-nuts，thesolidflatofdeadcoral-rock，strewedhereandtherewithgreatloosefragments，andthelineoffuriousbreakers，allroundingawaytowardseitherhand。Theoceanthrowingitswatersoverthebroadreefappearsaninvincible，all-powerfulenemy；yetweseeitresisted，andevenconquered，bymeanswhichatfirstseemmostweakandinefficient。Itisnotthattheoceansparestherockofcoral；thegreatfragmentsscatteredoverthereef，andheapedonthebeach，whencethetallcocoa-nutsprings，plainlybespeaktheunrelentingpowerofthewaves。Norareanyperiodsofreposegranted。Thelongswellcausedbythegentlebutsteadyactionofthetrade-wind，alwaysblowinginonedirectionoverawidearea，causesbreakers，almostequallinginforcethoseduringagaleofwindinthetemperateregions，andwhichneverceasetorage。Itisimpossibletobeholdthesewaveswithoutfeelingaconvictionthatanisland，thoughbuiltofthehardestrock，letitbeporphyry，granite，orquartz，wouldultimatelyyieldandbedemolishedbysuchanirresistiblepower。Yettheselow，insignificantcoral-isletsstandandarevictorious：forhereanotherpower，asanantagonist，takespartinthecontest。Theorganicforcesseparatetheatomsofcarbonateoflime，onebyone，fromthefoamingbreakers，andunitethemintoasymmetricalstructure。Letthehurricanetearupitsthousandhugefragments；yetwhatwillthattellagainsttheaccumulatedlabourofmyriadsofarchitectsatworknightandday，monthaftermonth？Thusdoweseethesoftandgelatinousbodyofapolypus，throughtheagencyofthevitallaws，conqueringthegreatmechanicalpowerofthewavesofanoceanwhichneithertheartofmannortheinanimateworksofnaturecouldsuccessfullyresist。
Wedidnotreturnonboardtilllateintheevening，forwestayedalongtimeinthelagoon，examiningthefieldsofcoralandthegiganticshellsofthechama，intowhich，ifamanweretoputhishand，hewouldnot，aslongastheanimallived，beabletowithdrawit。NeartheheadofthelagoonIwasmuchsurprisedtofindawidearea，considerablymorethanamilesquare，coveredwithaforestofdelicatelybranchingcorals，which，thoughstandingupright，werealldeadandrotten。AtfirstIwasquiteatalosstounderstandthecauseafterwardsitoccurredtomethatitwasowingtothefollowingrathercuriouscombinationofcircumstances。
Itshould，however，firstbestated，thatcoralsarenotabletosurviveevenashortexposureintheairtothesun’srays，sothattheirupwardlimitofgrowthisdeterminedbythatoflowestwateratspringtides。
Itappears，fromsomeoldcharts，thatthelongislandtowindwardwasformerlyseparatedbywidechannelsintoseveralislets；thisfactislikewiseindicatedbythetreesbeingyoungerontheseportions。Undertheformerconditionofthereef，astrongbreeze，bythrowingmorewateroverthebarrier，wouldtendtoraisethelevelofthelagoon。Nowitactsinadirectlycontrarymanner；forthewaterwithinthelagoonnotonlyisnotincreasedbycurrentsfromtheoutside，butisitselfblownoutwardsbytheforceofthewind。Henceitisobserved，thatthetideneartheheadofthelagoondoesnotrisesohighduringastrongbreezeasitdoeswhenitiscalm。Thisdifferenceoflevel，althoughnodoubtverysmall，has，Ibelieve，causedthedeathofthosecoral-groves，whichundertheformerandmoreopenconditionoftheouterreefhasattainedtheutmostpossiblelimitofupwardgrowth。
AfewmilesnorthofKeelingthereisanothersmallatoll，thelagoonofwhichisnearlyfilledupwithcoral-mud。CaptainRossfoundembeddedintheconglomerateontheoutercoast，awell-roundedfragmentofgreenstone，ratherlargerthanaman’shead：heandthemenwithhimweresomuchsurprisedatthis，thattheybroughtitawayandpreserveditasacuriosity。Theoccurrenceofthisonestone，whereeveryotherparticleofmatteriscalcareous，certainlyisverypuzzling。Theislandhasscarcelyeverbeenvisited，norisitprobablethatashiphadbeenwreckedthere。Fromtheabsenceofanybetterexplanation，Icametotheconclusionthatitmusthavecomeentangledintherootsofsomelargetree：when，however，Iconsideredthegreatdistancefromthenearestland，thecombinationofchancesagainstastonethusbeingentangled，thetreewashedintothesea，floatedsofar，thenlandedsafely，andthestonefinallysoembeddedastoallowofitsdiscovery，Iwasalmostafraidofimaginingameansoftransportapparentlysoimprobable。ItwasthereforewithgreatinterestthatIfoundChamisso，thejustlydistinguishednaturalistwhoaccompaniedKotzebue，statingthattheinhabitantsoftheRadackarchipelago，agroupoflagoon-islandsinthemidstofthePacific，obtainedstonesforsharpeningtheirinstrumentsbysearchingtherootsoftreeswhicharecastuponthebeach。Itwillbeevidentthatthismusthavehappenedseveraltimes，sincelawshavebeenestablishedthatsuchstonesbelongtothechief，andapunishmentisinflictedonanyonewhoattemptstostealthem。Whentheisolatedpositionofthesesmallislandsinthemidstofavastocean——theirgreatdistancefromanylandexceptingthatofcoralformation，attestedbythevaluewhichtheinhabitants，whoaresuchboldnavigators，attachtoastoneofanykind，[7]——andtheslownessofthecurrentsoftheopensea，areallconsidered，theoccurrenceofpebblesthustransporteddoesappearwonderful。Stonesmayoftenbethuscarried；andiftheislandonwhichtheyarestrandedisconstructedofanyothersubstancebesidescoral，theywouldscarcelyattractattention，andtheiroriginatleastwouldneverbeguessed。Moreover，thisagencymaylongescapediscoveryfromtheprobabilityoftrees，especiallythoseloadedwithstones，floatingbeneaththesurface。InthechannelsofTierradelFuegolargequantitiesofdrifttimberarecastuponthebeach，yetitisextremelyraretomeetatreeswimmingonthewater。Thesefactsmaypossiblythrowlightonsinglestones，whetherangularorrounded，occasionallyfoundembeddedinfinesedimentarymasses。
DuringanotherdayIvisitedWestIslet，onwhichthevegetationwasperhapsmoreluxuriantthanonanyother。Thecocoa-nuttreesgenerallygrowseparate，butheretheyoungonesflourishedbeneaththeirtallparents，andformedwiththeirlongandcurvedfrondsthemostshadyarbours。Thosealonewhohavetriedit，knowhowdeliciousitistobeseatedinsuchshade，anddrinkthecoolpleasantfluidofthecocoa-nut。Inthisislandthereisalargebay-likespace，composedofthefinestwhitesand：itisquitelevelandisonlycoveredbythetideathighwater；fromthislargebaysmallercreekspenetratethesurroundingwoods。Toseeafieldofglitteringwhitesand，representingwater，withthecocoa-nuttreesextendingtheirtallandwavingtrunksaroundthemargin，formedasingularandveryprettyview。
Ihavebeforealludedtoacrabwhichlivesonthecocoa-nuts；itisverycommononallpartsofthedryland，andgrowstoamonstroussize：
itiscloselyalliedoridenticalwiththeBirgoslatro。Thefrontpairoflegsterminateinverystrongandheavypincers，andthelastpairarefittedwithothersweakerandmuchnarrower。Itwouldatfirstbethoughtquiteimpossibleforacrabtoopenastrongcocoa-nutcoveredwiththehusk；butMr。Lieskassuresmethathehasrepeatedlyseenthiseffected。
