The Cannibal Islands | Page 9

Robert Michael Ballantyne
insect!
When corallines (as they are called) set about building an island, they
lay the foundation on the top of a submarine mountain. The ordinary
islands of the sea are neither more nor less than the tops of those
mountains which rise from the bottom of the sea and project above the
surface. Some of these sea-mountains rise high above the surface and
form large islands; some only peep, so to speak, out of the waves, thus
forming small islands; others again do not rise to the surface at all--
their highest peaks being several feet below the level of the ocean. It is
on these water-covered mountain-tops that the coral insects lay the

foundations of their islands. As few mountain-peaks are level, however,
whether above or below water, the insect finds it more convenient to
form a ring round the sides of the mountain-top than to build on the
exact top itself. Then they set to work with the busy industry of bees.
Their talents are few; apparently they have received only one, but they
turn that one to good account. They fulfil the work for which they were
created. No creature can do more!
They begin to build, and the work advances rapidly, for they are active
little masons. The ring round the mountain-top soon begins to shoot
upwards and extend outwards. As the labourers continue their work
their families increase. It is a thriving and a united community. There
are neither wars nor disputes--no quarrelling, no mis-spent time, no
misapplied talents. There is unity of action and design, hence the work
advances quickly, steadily, and well. In process of time the coral ring
becomes a solid wall, which gradually rises above the highest peak of
the submarine mountain, and at length approaches the surface of the sea.
When it reaches this point the work is done. The coral insect can only
work under water. When its delicate head rises above the waves it
ceases to build, and, having done its duty, it dies. Those which reach
the surface first, die first. The others that are still below water work on,
widening and strengthening the wall until they too reach the fatal
surface, peep for one moment as it were on the upper world and then
perish. Thus the active builders go on adding to the width of the
structure, and dying by successive relays; working with their little
might during their brief existence, and knowing nothing of the great
end which is to result from their modest busy lives.
With the death of the coral insects the foundation-stone of the island is
laid, in the form of a ring just peeping out of the ocean. Thenceforth
other creatures continue the work. The waves lash and beat upon the
uppermost 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
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