The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-07-19

fish and bird life. The sea bird population alone
probably cannot be equaled in any other part oi
the world Tens Of millions or featnereu lo"l
make their home on these lonely specks OF ldnu'
repairing thither each year In countless hochs
to establish rookeries and to rear their young
The reefs and waters about the islands falry
swarm with fish and other forms OF lie, so thal
thew really form densely populated natural Aoo-
logical garden
To the naturalist, the out-of-door enthusiast INC
nature study photographer or the man WHO SIN
ply loves outof-the-way places ana 'he unusu.'
and novel these islands leave little to be desired
A chance 70 run down along this chain Is the
onnortupity of a lifetime and bound to result IN
really worth while experience-one tnat VIII
live fresh in the memory long after the oetans
of other trims and experiences have been mlhseo
with the commonplace of lite
Unfortunately. at present, visiting the isia,ius
IN the reservation Is not the simple matlef 'na'
II should be, nor that 1t Is hoped II may pe hlsoe
In time In former years the operations ol
guano company, then engaged IN e&pio.lne
guano or bird lime deposits on the lsiailo'' niato
:. .ao,ih1o NV invitation. to make the journey 10
Iaysan Island from Honolulu during lhe eu,ll''e'
months in one Of the companys SAILING Vessels
while the islands of the chain are all aiheleh'
from each other and all intensely lnteles.'A =.
lawson ia in certain sense ypicai VI ms .,,a
thon II ia raised coral atoll approximately WV
roiles across that in general form has oeeh eonl
roroa m broad. shallow platter composeu W
IT, of sand or raised coral reef not more 'lan
~ foot obout the sea at the highest point Oh 'ie
80 Vim, which completely surrounds Tue sa'l
.,tor lagoon that occupies the centrai PAL. VI 'n
e,1opd This lagoon Is of special interest -,
;ts wotor contains more salt than does 'na' VI ~
onon Goa This interesting fact tells hiuoh VI ~
raoooicol history of the island and pointS y. -
es,rohI,, N the origin of the land IL SHOWS ~ w
| , o,uo,,1or coral atoll that at the uhle VI ,''
70 ,'a4,ar obove the sea carried the Wates Oh TIC
a - ito nresent level Since that tlihe'
and II must have been very long ago. 'n "a tha+
have eyaporated to some extern. anu ~, .hon
which remains more concentrated anu So go. .b,
Is r,., when the island was first mace ADo.. AZ.
odao Of tho lagoon the Doggy earth Is IT'S
49,. Of calf mixed with chips OF guaho' ln''
| sto1,1;,a substance sparkles in the sun anu sc
80. bond of silver at the waters edse' foou
20" Sunon ring ia narrow band coVefeo WIN
,nls Da vines Rack of this again is grown
lo y. ~ ,rhich IL backed up in turn py iihs
~ 49, hshes The prevailing plant OF the isianu
1880 20 a kind of coarse punch grass .na
oo,,,o tbrea or four feet high. More than soo ~.
O. r,arts have found footing there uu,lne I
~ nariod that has elapsed since Tue uiy a as
ohs Pc - thot at the time of its discovery, anu
nfse i.'e' .bn occasion Of my first Vlsl'' ioI
lhueeu .-,aa q was well supplied with low
growth Of hardy vines. grass anu sn sho island
,unately the introduction OF raou,ss oA
Sac marked sad change since 'nsA