rmost coral cells and break them up into fine white sand.
Currents of ocean throw upon this beach pieces of sea-weed and drifting
marine substances of various kinds. The winds convey the lighter seeds
of land plants to it, and sea-birds that alight upon it to rest do the
same thing. Thus, little by little, things accumulate on the top of the
coral ring until the summit rises above the reach and fury of the waves.
No sooner is this accomplished than the genial sun of those regions
calls the seeds into life. A few blades of green shoot up. These are
the little tokens of life that give promise of the luxuriance yet to
come. Soon the island ring is clothed with rich and beautiful
vegetation, cocoa-nut palms begin to sprout and sea-fowl to find shelter
where, in former days, the waves of the salt sea alone were to be found.
In process of time the roving South-Sea islanders discover this little
gem of ocean, and take up their abode on it; and when such a man as Cook
sails past it, he sees, perchance, the naked savage on the beach gazing
in wonder at his "big canoe," and the little children swimming like
ducks in the calm waters of the lagoon or gambolling like porpoises
among the huge breakers outside that roll like driven snow upon the
strand.

During their formation, these islands are fraught with danger to ships,
for sometimes, in parts of the ocean where charts show deep water, the
sailor finds an unexpected coral reef, and, before he is aware, the good
ship runs on this living wall and becomes a wreck. Many a noble vessel
goes to sea well appointed and with a good brave crew, but never more
returns;--who knows how many such have, when all on board thought
themselves secure, been dashed to pieces suddenly, and lost upon the
coral reefs of the Pacific?

These circular islets of coral never rise more than a few feet above the
surface of the sea, but there are many other islands in the South Seas--
some of which have been thrown up by the action of volcanoes, and are
wild, rugged, mountainous, and of every conceivable shape and size.

The busy corallines before mentioned are so numerous in the South Seas
that they build their coral walls everywhere. As they have an objection
apparently to commence building in shallow water, they are obliged to
keep off the shore a distance of a mile or more, so that when they reach
the surface they enclose a belt of water of that width, which is guarded
by the reef from the violence