The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1912-07-26

Ash and bird life The sea bird population alone
probably cannot be cqualed In any other part "
The world Tens of millions Of feathered fowl
make their home these lonely specks N land,
repalring thither each year In countless Hooks
70 establish roOkcrles ana to rear their young.
The reefs aud waters about tho islands fairly
swarm with nah and other forms ~ life. 80 that
they really form dcnsely populated natural 200.
logical garden
To the naturalist tho outof.door enthusiast the
nature study photographer or the man who sim
oily loves outoithc way places and tho unusual
aud novel these islands leave little TO be desired
4 chance to run down along this chain Is tho
opportunity OF lifetime and bound TO result In
a really worth while experience ono that VIII
live fresh In tho memory long after the details
n other trips and experiences have been mingled
with the commonplace of life
Unfortunately at present. visiting the islands
In the reservation In not tho simple matter that
IL should be- nor that II IL hoped II may he made
In umo In former years the operations ot
gunnn company then engaged In exploiting tho
guano ar bird limo deposits ON the islands, made
Il rosslhlo 10y invitation lo make the Journey to
IuyaUu Island from Honolulu during the summer
months In one of the company sailing vessels
while thr islands of the chain are am different
from each other and nll Intensely interesting
LAWSON ~ In certain sense typical NJ most ~
them II H. raised coral Atul approximately two
miles across that IN general form has been com.
pared 20 a broad shallow platter composed On.
tfpy NJ sand or raised coral reef not moro than
40 feet about the sea M the highest point on the
snnd rim which completely surrounds the salt
water lagoon that occupies the central part " the
Island This lagoon Is Of special interest since
us water contains more salt than docs thnt NJ tho
open sea This interesting fact tells much of the
geological history NJ the island and points unruia
takahly 10 tho origin of the land II shows II 20
ho a circular coral atoll that a. the time 81 its
elevation above the sea carried tho water Of the
lagoon up IN us present level Since that time
aud II must have been very long rgo. the waters
have eyaporated to some eNtcnt and loft that
which remains more concentrated and salty than
Il was when the island was nrst made About tho
edge Of tho lagoon tho boggy earth Is covered with
crystals ~ salt mixed with chips NJ guauo This
sheIlIke substance sparklcs iu the sun and sug
Ersts a band of silver at the waters edge About
This barren ring IL a narrow band covered with
low creeping vines Hack " this again is a growth
" iuncaA which rs backed mp IN turn by ring
OF low bushes The prevailing plant of the island
however IL a Kind Of coarse bunch grass that
grows Tires or four feet high More than score
of plants have found footing there during tho
long period that has elapsed since the dry land
nrst rose 30 that at the time OF rs discovery and
indeed. on tho occasion Of my first yisit Tor q
Gand Island II was well supplied with low
growth Of hardy vines. grass and shrubs. unfor
tuuat0ly the introduction Of rabbits on the Island
has marked a sad change since then