before mentioned, this wave broke in many places over the reef and
scattered some of its spray into the lagoon, but in most places the
reef was sufficiently broad and elevated to receive and check its
entire force. In many places the coral rocks were covered with
vegetation, - the beginning, as it appeared to us, of future
islands. Thus, on this reef, we came to perceive how most of the
small islands of those seas are formed. On one part we saw the
spray of the breaker washing over the rocks, and millions of
little, active, busy creatures continuing the work of building up
this living rampart. At another place, which was just a little too
high for the waves to wash over it, the coral insects were all
dead; for we found that they never did their work above water.
They had faithfully completed the mighty work which their Creator
had given them to do, and they were now all dead. Again, in other
spots the ceaseless lashing of the sea had broken the dead coral in
pieces, and cast it up in the form of sand. Here sea-birds had
alighted, little pieces of sea-weed and stray bits of wood had been
washed up, seeds of plants had been carried by the wind and a few
lovely blades of bright green had already sprung up, which, when
they died, would increase the size and fertility of these emeralds
of Ocean. At other places these islets had grown apace, and were
shaded by one or two cocoa-nut trees, which grew, literally, in the
sand, and were constantly washed by the ocean spray; yet, as I have
before remarked, their fruit was most refreshing and sweet to our
taste.

Again at this time Jack and I pondered the formation of the large
coral islands. We could now understand how the low ones were
formed, but the larger islands cost us much consideration, yet we
could arrive at no certain conclusion on the subject.