Coral Reefs [99]
page 437) speaks of the low islets on the reef; coloured dark blue.
PELEW ISLANDS.
Krusenstern speaks of some of the islands being mountainous; the reefs are distant from the shore, and there are spaces within them, and not opposite valleys, with from ten to fifteen fathoms. According to a MS. chart of the group by Lieutenant Elmer in the Admiralty, there is a large space within the reef with deepish water; although the high land does not hold a central position with respect to the reefs, as is generally the case, I have little doubt that the reefs of the Pelew Islands ought to be ranked with the barrier class, and I have coloured them pale blue. In Lieutenant Elmer's chart there is a horseshoe-formed shoal, laid down thirteen miles N.W. of Pelew, with fifteen fathoms within the reef, and some dry banks on it; coloured dark blue.--SPANISH, MARTIRES, SANSEROT, PULO ANNA and MARIERE Islands are not coloured, because I know nothing about them, excepting that according to Krusenstern, the second, third, and fourth mentioned, are low, placed on coral-reefs, and therefore, perhaps, contain lagoons; but Pulo Mariere is a little higher.
MARIANA ARCHIPELAGO, or LADRONES.
GUAHAN. Almost the whole of this island is fringed by reefs, which extend in most parts about a third of a mile from the land. Even where the reefs are most extensive, the water within them is shallow. In several parts there is a navigable channel for boats and canoes within the reefs. In Freycinet's "Hydrog. Mem." there is an account of these reefs, and in the "Atlas," a map on a large scale; coloured red.--ROTA. "L'ile est presque entierement entouree des recifs" (page 212, Freycinet's "Hydrog. Mem."). These reefs project about a quarter of a mile from the shore; coloured red.--TINIAN. THE EASTERN coast is precipitous, and is without reefs; but the western side is fringed like the last island; coloured red.--SAYPAN. The N.E. coast, and likewise the western shores appear to be fringed; but there is a great, irregular, horn-like reef projecting far from this side; coloured red.--FARALLON DE MEDINILLA, appears so regularly and closely fringed in Freycinet's charts, that I have ventured to colour it red, although nothing is said about reefs in the "Hydrographical Memoir." The several islands which form the northern part of the group are volcanic (with the exception perhaps of Torres, which resembles in form the madreporitic island of Medinilla), and appear to be without reefs.--MANGS, however, is described (by Freycinet, page 219, "Hydrog.") from some Spanish charts, as formed of small islands placed "au milieu des nombreux recifs;" and as these reefs in the general chart of the group do not project so much as a mile; and as there is no appearance from a double line, of the existence of deep water within, I have ventured, although with much hesitation, to colour them red. Respecting FOLGER and MARSHALL Islands which lie some way east of the Marianas, I can find out nothing, excepting that they are probably low. Krusenstern says this of Marshall Island; and Folger Island is written with small letters in D'Urville's chart; uncoloured.
BONIN OR ARZOBISPO GROUP.
PEEL Island has been examined by Captain Beechey, to whose kindness I am much indebted for giving me information regarding it: "At Port Lloyd there is a great deal of coral; and the inner harbour is entirely formed by coral-reefs, which extend outside the port along the coast." Captain Beechey, in another part of his letter to me, alludes to the reefs fringing the island in all directions; but at the same time it must be observed that the surf washes the volcanic rocks of the coast in the greater part of its circumference. I do not know whether the other islands of the Archipelago are fringed; I have coloured Peel Island red.--GRAMPUS Island to the eastward, does not appear (Meare's "Voyage," page 95) to have any reefs, nor does ROSARIO Island (from Lutke's chart), which lies to the westward. Respecting the few other islands in this part of the sea, namely the SULPHUR Islands, with
PELEW ISLANDS.
Krusenstern speaks of some of the islands being mountainous; the reefs are distant from the shore, and there are spaces within them, and not opposite valleys, with from ten to fifteen fathoms. According to a MS. chart of the group by Lieutenant Elmer in the Admiralty, there is a large space within the reef with deepish water; although the high land does not hold a central position with respect to the reefs, as is generally the case, I have little doubt that the reefs of the Pelew Islands ought to be ranked with the barrier class, and I have coloured them pale blue. In Lieutenant Elmer's chart there is a horseshoe-formed shoal, laid down thirteen miles N.W. of Pelew, with fifteen fathoms within the reef, and some dry banks on it; coloured dark blue.--SPANISH, MARTIRES, SANSEROT, PULO ANNA and MARIERE Islands are not coloured, because I know nothing about them, excepting that according to Krusenstern, the second, third, and fourth mentioned, are low, placed on coral-reefs, and therefore, perhaps, contain lagoons; but Pulo Mariere is a little higher.
MARIANA ARCHIPELAGO, or LADRONES.
GUAHAN. Almost the whole of this island is fringed by reefs, which extend in most parts about a third of a mile from the land. Even where the reefs are most extensive, the water within them is shallow. In several parts there is a navigable channel for boats and canoes within the reefs. In Freycinet's "Hydrog. Mem." there is an account of these reefs, and in the "Atlas," a map on a large scale; coloured red.--ROTA. "L'ile est presque entierement entouree des recifs" (page 212, Freycinet's "Hydrog. Mem."). These reefs project about a quarter of a mile from the shore; coloured red.--TINIAN. THE EASTERN coast is precipitous, and is without reefs; but the western side is fringed like the last island; coloured red.--SAYPAN. The N.E. coast, and likewise the western shores appear to be fringed; but there is a great, irregular, horn-like reef projecting far from this side; coloured red.--FARALLON DE MEDINILLA, appears so regularly and closely fringed in Freycinet's charts, that I have ventured to colour it red, although nothing is said about reefs in the "Hydrographical Memoir." The several islands which form the northern part of the group are volcanic (with the exception perhaps of Torres, which resembles in form the madreporitic island of Medinilla), and appear to be without reefs.--MANGS, however, is described (by Freycinet, page 219, "Hydrog.") from some Spanish charts, as formed of small islands placed "au milieu des nombreux recifs;" and as these reefs in the general chart of the group do not project so much as a mile; and as there is no appearance from a double line, of the existence of deep water within, I have ventured, although with much hesitation, to colour them red. Respecting FOLGER and MARSHALL Islands which lie some way east of the Marianas, I can find out nothing, excepting that they are probably low. Krusenstern says this of Marshall Island; and Folger Island is written with small letters in D'Urville's chart; uncoloured.
BONIN OR ARZOBISPO GROUP.
PEEL Island has been examined by Captain Beechey, to whose kindness I am much indebted for giving me information regarding it: "At Port Lloyd there is a great deal of coral; and the inner harbour is entirely formed by coral-reefs, which extend outside the port along the coast." Captain Beechey, in another part of his letter to me, alludes to the reefs fringing the island in all directions; but at the same time it must be observed that the surf washes the volcanic rocks of the coast in the greater part of its circumference. I do not know whether the other islands of the Archipelago are fringed; I have coloured Peel Island red.--GRAMPUS Island to the eastward, does not appear (Meare's "Voyage," page 95) to have any reefs, nor does ROSARIO Island (from Lutke's chart), which lies to the westward. Respecting the few other islands in this part of the sea, namely the SULPHUR Islands, with