fea had formerly reached fo fa r ; and fome of thefe perforated
rocks were almoft in the centre of the land.
Tut the ftrongeft proof of the increafe, and from the caufe
we have afligned, was the gentle gradation obfervable in
the plants round the lldrts of the iflands ; from within a
few inches of high-water mark, to the edge of the wood.
In many places, the divifions of the plants, of different
growths, were very diftinguiihable, efpecially on the lee, or
weft-fide. This, I apprehend, to have been the operation
of extraordinary high tides, occafioned by violent, accidental
gales from the Weftward j which have heaped up the fand
beyond the reach of common tides. The regular and gentle
operation of thefe latter, again, throw up fand enough to
form a barrier againft the next extraordinary high tide, or
florm, fo as to prevent its reaching as far as the former
had done, and deftroying the plants that may have begun
■to vegetate from cocoa-nuts, roots, and feed brought thither
by birds, or thrown up by the fea. This, doubtlefs, happens
very frequently; for we found many cocoa-nuts, and
fome other things, juft fprouting up, only a few inches
■beyond where the fea reaches at prefent, in places where,
it was evident, they could not have had their origin from
thofe, farther in, already arrived at their full growth. At
-the fame time, the increafe of vegetables will add faft to
the height of this new-created land; as the fallen leaves,
and broken branches, are, in fuch a climate, foon converted
into a true black mould, or foil *.
Perhaps
* Mr. Anderfon, in. his Journal, mentions the following particulars, relative
to Palmerfton’s Ifland, which ftrongly confirm Captain Cook’s opinion about
. its formation. “ On the laft of the two iflots, where we landed, the trees, being in
“ great
Perhaps there is another caufe, which, if allowed, will
accelerate the increafe of thefe iflands as much as any other; e.—*
and will alfo account for the fea having receded from thofe
elevated rocfcs before-mentioned. This is, the fpreàding of
the coral bank, or reef, into the fea ; which, in my opinion,
is continually, though imperceptibly, affeited. 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 fand, and every other depofit neceflary
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 extend
gradually i'nwar-d, either from the increafe of the
iflots already formed ; or from the formation of new ones,-
upon the beds o f coral, within the inclofed lake, if once
they-increafe fo as to rife above the level of the fea.
After leaving Palmerfton’s Ifland, 1 fleered Weft, with a
view to make the belt of my way to Annamooka. We itili
continued to have variable winds, frequently between the
North and Weft, with fqualls, fome thunder, and much
rain. During thefe ihowers, 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
« great numbers, had already formed,,by their rotten parts, little rifings or eminences,
« which, in time, from thè fame caufe, may become fmall hills. Whereas, on the firft
- « iflot, the trees beinglefs numerous, no fuch thing had,,as yet, happened., Neverthe—
« -lefs, on that.'little, fpot, t h e manner of formation, was more plainly, pointed out.
M For, adjoining to it,, was a fmall ifle,.which had,,doubtlefs, been very lately formed j
<t- as it was not, as yet,, covered with any trees, but. had a great many ihrubs, fome
, iff of which, were growing among pieces of corai that thè fea had thrown up. There
<e was itili a more fure proof o f this method of formation a little farther on, where
4< two patches Of fand, about fifty yards long, and a foot or eighteen inches high,
« lay upon-the reef,, but not, as yet, furnifhed with a fingle buih, or tree.’9
one