e were, in a way,
helping them in their idolatry; but I could not get others to see the
matter in that light.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER 5.

We now passed several coral islands. One we saw quite near was about
six miles long, with a large lake in the centre, with an entrance to it
from the sea. Outside the island, about a quarter of a mile off, was a
narrow reef, just rising above the water. The sea breaking on this was
prevented from washing over the island.

These coral islands are really made of coral; and made, too, by a little
insect. It begins on the top of a rock far down under the water, where
it makes a house for itself; then it builds another above that, and so
on, till it reaches the surface. It cannot build out of the water; but
sea-weed first grows on it, and anything floating is caught by this, and
stops; and then birds rest on it, and drop seeds, which take root. Then
the sea washes bits of coral up from the outer edge, and thus a firm
mass is formed, which rises higher and higher, as more trees grow and
decay, and more coral is washed up. A sandy beach is formed of broken
coral, and tall cocoa-nut trees grow up and bear fruit, and other
fruit-trees and vegetables and roots grow, and people come and live on
the island. There are many islands in the Pacific Ocean which have been
formed in this way, and which have long had people living on them.
Some, however, are rocky, and have high mountains in them. Many of
these have been thrown up by the means of fire, and are still burning
mountains. Some are very beautiful, and have valleys and streams and
fountains and rocks and trees of all sorts, and shrubs, and support a
large number of people.

We were becalmed near one of them; and as we wanted water and fresh
provisions, and the people were said to be well-disposed, the captain
determined to send on shore. Two boats were manned and armed, in case
of accidents, and with a supply of goods to barter (cotton handkerchiefs
and knives and hatchets), we pulled in. There was a reef outside,
against which the sea broke, and, rising up, curled back in a mass of
foam. We, however, found a passage through it, in which, though it was
very narrow, the water was smooth.

"Give way, lads," cried Mr Hudson, who was in the leading boat. I was
with him. We pulled hard. A large roller came on after us. The water
foamed up on either side, and in an instant it seemed we were in smooth
water.

Numbers of peopl