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SECTION III.

THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

HAVING in the previous pages described the immense coast line which bounds the Great Ocean on the East and North, we come to a far different order of features in the "cloud of islands" which are distributed over the wide expanse of water which separates the eastern and western world.

Before commencing this task, it will be better for the casual reader of these pages to dismiss from his mind any notions of the magnitude and extent of the land which thus dots the surface of the Pacific that may be gathered from the representations of them. An ordinary chart or map, particularly on a small scale, gives a very imperfect idea of the actual relative sizes of the greater part of these singular natural features. The necessary exaggeration of the scale of the minute but important specks in such a representation would greatly mislead. Another point, too, is that the names attached to these islands adds to their apparent magnitude; and thus, what is in reality but a mere point on the ocean-scarcely discernible at a few miles' distance-becomes, in appearance, on the chart of as much importance as a spot very many times greater in magnitude. As an example, the Caroline Archipelago, which makes such a formidable array of land and names, extending over 27° of longitude, would not, if all the land composing its various groups, with the exception of the two islands which are volcanic, cover a greater surface than is occupied by St. Petersburg and its suburbs. This remark will equally apply to the whole of the Coral groups, which are the distinguishing features of the great world of waters.

The islands of the Pacific are to be separated, generally, into two classes, those of coral structure, and those of volcanic formation. In a later part of this work we will give the distinctive feature of these two great classes of islands. It is a subject which has received very much attention from the naturalists of the present day, and in the foremost rank of this honourable array stands the name of Charles Darwin, Esq., who accompanied Capt. FitzRoy in the Adventure and Beagle during their arduous services. Some outline will be given of this gentleman's views on the Volcanic and Coral Groups of the Pacific. Another prominent name is that of Jas. D. Dana, Esq., who accompanied the United States' Exploring Expedition under Lieut. Wilkes. It is needless here to dilate on these points; they will be referred to in their proper place.

The order that has been chosen for the accompanying of these descriptions

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