第82章

In various charts which I have examined, several parts of the coast are represented as fringed by reefs.--MANIPA Island, between Ceram and Bourou, in an old MS. chart in the Admiralty, is fringed by a very irregular reef, partly dry at low water, which I do not doubt is of coral-formation; both islands coloured red.--BOUROU; parts of this island appear fringed by coral-reefs, namely, the eastern coast, as seen in Freycinet's chart; and CAJELI BAY, which is said by Horsburgh (volume ii., page 630) to be lined by coral-reefs, that stretch out a little way, and have only a few feet water on them. In several charts, portions of the islands forming the AMBOINA GROUP are fringed by reefs; for instance, NOESSA, HARENCA, and UCASTER, in Freycinet's charts. The above-mentioned islands have been coloured red, although the evidence is not very satisfactory.--North of Bourou the parallel line of the XULLA Isles extends: I have not been able to find out anything about them, excepting that Horsburgh (volume ii., page 543) says that the northern shore is surrounded by a reef at the distance of two or three miles; uncoloured.--MYSOL GROUP; the Kanary Islands are said by Forrest ("Voyage," page 130) to be divided from each other by deep straits, and are lined with coral-rocks; coloured red.--GUEBE, lying between Waigiou and Gilolo, is engraved as if fringed; and it is said by Freycinet, that all the soundings under five fathoms were on coral; coloured red.--GILOLO. In a chart published by Dalrymple, the numerous islands on the western, southern (BATCHIAN and the STRAIT OF PATIENTIA), and eastern sides appear fringed by narrow reefs; these reefs, I suppose, are of coral, for it is said in "Malte Brun" (volume xii., page 156), "Sur les cotes (of Batchian) comme DANS LES PLUPART des iles de cet archipel, il y a de rocs de medrepores d'une beaute et d'une variete infimies."

Forrest, also (page 50), says Seland, near Batchian, is a little island with reefs of coral; coloured red.--MORTY Island (north of Gilolo).

Horsburgh (volume ii., page 506) says the northern coast is lined by reefs, projecting one or two miles, and having no soundings close to them; I have left it uncoloured, although, as in some former cases, it ought probably to be pale blue.--CELEBES. The western and northern coasts appear in the charts to be bold and without reefs. Near the extreme northern point, however, an islet in the STRAITS OF LIMBE, and parts of the adjoining shore, appear to be fringed: the east side of the bay of MANADO, has deep water, and is fringed by sand and coral ("'Astrol.' Voyage," Hydrog. Part, pages 453-4); this extreme point, therefore, I have coloured red.--Of the islands leading from this point to Magindanao, I have not been able to find any account, except of SERANGANI, which appears surrounded by narrow reefs; and Forrest ("Voyage," page 164) speaks of coral on its shores; I have, therefore, coloured this island red. To the eastward of this chain lie several islands; of which I cannot find any account, except of KARKALANG, which is said by Horsburgh (volume ii., page 504) to be lined by a dangerous reef, projecting several miles from the northern shore; not coloured.

ISLANDS NEAR TIMOR.

The account of the following islands is taken from Captain D. Kolff's "Voyage," in 1825, translated by Mr. W. Earl, from the Dutch.--LETTE has "reefs extending along shore at the distance of half a mile from the land."--MOA has reefs on the S.W. part.--LAKOR has a reef lining its shore; these islands are coloured red.--Still more eastward, LUAN has, differently from the last-mentioned islands, an extensive reef; it is steep outside, and within there is a depth of twelve feet; from these facts, it is impossible to decide to which class this island belongs.--KISSA, off the point of Timor, has its "shore fronted by a reef, steep too on the outer side, over which small proahs can go at the time of high water;" coloured red.--TIMOR; most of the points, and some considerable spaces of the northern shore, are seen in Freycinet's chart to be fringed by coral-reefs; and mention is made of them in the accompanying "Hydrog. Memoir;" coloured red.--SAVU, S.E. of Timor, appears in Flinders' chart to be fringed; but I have not coloured it, as I do not know that the reefs are of coral.--SANDALWOOD Island has, according to Horsburgh (volume ii., page 607), a reef on its southern shore, four miles distant from the land; as the neighbouring sea is deep, and generally bold, this probably is a barrier-reef, but I have not ventured to colour it.

N.W. COAST OF AUSTRALIA.