File:Corals and coral islands (1874) (17487201194).jpg

Title: Corals and coral islands
Identifier: alr2577.0001.001.umich.edu
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Dana, James Dwight, 1813-1895
Subjects: Coral reefs and islands; Corals
Publisher: New York, Dodd & Mead
Contributing Library: University of Michigan
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Michigan

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130 C0BAL8 AND CORAL ISLANDS. the boldness of the shores and depth of waters, the reef is wanting. The barrier reef at one point has a passage through it, w4iich is an opening to a harbor; and many such harbors exist about coral-girt islands.
Text Appearing After Image:
HIGH ISLAND WITH BAHRIEK AlTD FRINGING REEFS. While some islands have only narrow fringing reefs, others are almost or quite surrounded by the distant barrier, which stands off like an artificial mole to protect the land from an encroaching ocean. The barrier is occasionally ten or fifteen miles from the land, and encloses not only one, but at times several, high islands. From reefs of this large size, there are all possible variations down to the simple fringing platform. The inner channel is sometimes barely deep enough at low tide for canoes, or for long distances may be wanting entirely. Then again, it is a narrow intricate passage, obstructed by knolls or patches of coral, rendering the navigation dangerous. Again, it is for miles in length an open sea, in which ships find room to beat against a head wind with a depth of ten, twenty, or even thirty fathoms. Yet hidden reefs make caution necessary. Patches of growing corals, from a few square feet to many square miles in extent, are met with over the broad area enclosed by these distant barriers. These varieties of form and position are well exemplified in a single group of islands—the Feejees ; and the reader is referred to the chart of this Archipelago at the close of this volume.

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