Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 15.djvu/351

Rh MALDIVE ISLANDS 329 Ari and North and South Nilandu there are on the inner or eastern side seventy-three deep-water channels through the barrier, on the outer or western side only twenty-five ; whilst on the atolls of South Male, Felidu, and Mulaku, which lie facing the three former, there are on the inner or western side fifty-six deep-water openings, and on the outer or eastern side only thirty -seven. These differences are doubt less due to differences in the action of the sea caused by the juxtaposition of the two rows of atolls, and analogous facts are observed elsewhere in atolls exposed to trade-winds. Immediately outside of the great chaplets or atolls the figures of the soundings rise suddenly. Thus at Ihavan- diffulu (Heawandoo of charts), the most northerly atoll, close to the margin of the reef the line gave 50 and 60 fathoms, and at 300 yards distance there was no bottom with a 300-fathom. line. And this sudden increase of depth applies to the deep channels between the atolls as much as to the ocean east and west of them. We have spoken of the small reefs, which fringe the atolls and dot their area, as also ring-shaped. This is the type, but it is not universal. The charts show that where the channels or breaches through the marginal reef of the atoll are few or narrow there are no minor annular reefs (e.g., in Suadiva) ; where the channels are somewhat broader, the intercepted portions of reef are annular, but not the reef in the central area ; where the channels are broadest, almost every reef throughout the atoll is more or less perfectly annular. The depth of the lagoon within these rings is generally 5 to 7 fathoms, but sometimes, as in Ari atoll, it reaches 12 fathoms. The outer margin of the rings is bordered with living coral, within which is a flat surface of coral-rock. On this flat, sand partially indurated, and fragments of coral, &c., have accumulated, and been converted into islets clothed with vegetation. Such islets sometimes fill the whole ring of reef, and some times are mere strips occupying a segment of it. Obviously the whole aggregate of actual dry land in such an archi pelago is infinitesimal compared with the area of the atolls. The highest part of the islands is generally about 6 feet above water. Moresby found the surface-sand usually about 3 feet thick, the upper part partially mixed with vegetable matter so as to form a light soil ; below this a white compact sand, and then a soft sandstone 2 feet thick,, below which it softened -to sand again, and fresh-water appeared. All the islands of any extent are well clothed with wood, including many fine large trees and the ordinary shrubs of the Ceylon coast-jungle ; where the jungle has been cleared, grass grows luxuriantly. But the cocoa-palm is the char acteristic tree ; and, low as the islands are, being covered with these, they can be seen from a masthead at 15 miles. The appearance they present is that of a tuft or line of trees rising out of the water. A good deal of vicissitude seems to go on in tlie forma tion of new islets and decay of old ones, of which our survey-officers met with various instances. All the inhabited islands, and some besides, afford fresh water. But the quality of water varies ; and it is not uncommon to see two wells within a few feet of each other, one brackish and the other excellent. None of the wells are more than 6 feet deep. The whole archipelago has from the earliest reports of it formed a little kingdom. Physically the number of atolls may be reckoned as nineteen, besides some solitary islands ; bat administratively these are grouped into thirteen, and the term atoll has been transferred to this division. We give in the following table the list of these (political) atolls, in a second column the spelling of the marine charts, and in a third the list of atolls as given by Pyrard de la Val, in the beginning of the 17th century. Names of Atolls. As in Moresby s Charts, 1837. As in Pyravd de la Val. 1. Tilladummati. Tilla Don Matte. Tilla dou niatis. 2. Miladunimadulu, 1 ) orMiladuimnadu. Milla Dou Madou. IMilla doue ma- doue. 3. Fadiffolu. 4. Malosmadulu. Paddipholo. Mahlos Mahdou. Padypolo. Malos niadou. 5. Male. Male. Male Atollon. 6. Ari. Avi. Ariatollon. 7. Felidu. Phah-Lee-doo. Poulisdous. 8. Mulaku. Moloque. Molucque. 9. Nilandu. Nillandoo. Killandous. 10. Kolumadulu, or ) Kolumandu. Collomandoo. Collomadous. 11. Haddummati. Adou Matte. Adou matis. 12. Suvadiva, or Huvadu. Suadiva, orllooah- doo. 13. Addu, which in cludes the island of Fua Mulaku. Acldoo (and Phooa Moloku Island). !Addou and Poua Mol- lucque. The list from Pyrard shows that the division in the beginning of the 17th century was identical with what it now is. But we may gather that it is substantially of much greater antiquity, from the statement of Ibn-Batuta (c. 1343), who says the islands were divided into aklini (xXt/iaTa), each under a governor. He mentions eleven of these : Balibilr, Kannalus, Mahal, Tiladib, Karaidu, Tim, Tiladummati, Hiladummati, Baridu, Kandakal, Muluk, of which indeed the names of only seven, viz., (1) Tiladummati, (2) Heladummati, (3) Balibur, (5) Mahal, (7) Baridu, (8) Muluk, (12) Suweid, can be identified with those of the existing divisions. But another, Karaidu, no doubt repre sents Karadiva, a well-known solitary island north of Mal6 atoll ; Kandakal is an island of the Miladummadu atoll, called in the charts Condaicoll ; Tim appears near the north of Tilladummati as Oteitn ; and the three Kannalus, Kandakal, and Tim are presented prominently as the islands Camdalus, Camdicall, and Otimo in the Mappe- monde made for Henry II. of France (c. 1555, see Jomard s Facsimiles, livr n . vi., copied in fig. 2 supra; and compare Portulano of 1570, copied in Mr Birch s translation of Albuquerque s Commentaries). Possibly, therefore, the Moorish traveller had substituted true names of islands which he remembered for the names of atolls which he had forgotten. The Maldives are inhabited by a people of old civiliza tion, professing Islam, and ruled by a sultan of ancient lineage. What the number of islands may be we cannot say. They are popularly estimated at 12,000, as appears by the ancient style of the sultan as &quot;king of 12,000 islands and 13 atolls.&quot; (See also Marco Polo, 2d ed., 1875, il 417-19.) Those marked with names in the British survey amount to 602, and the inhabited islands to 178. The men are of a darkish copper colour, short stature (5 feet 2 inches), and poor physique, but oval contour of face, pleasing expression, and large bright eyes, suggesting resemblance to both the Singhalese and Malabar people. The women are fairer than the men, with regular features and clean healthy aspect. A few of the people bear signs of African mixture, easily accounted for; and probably the blood of the small communities has been tinged by the occasional settlement of other foreigners. The people are decidedly unwarlikc ; and there is hardly any crime of violence among them. They are said to be lax in morals and conversation; but otherwise their character and disposi tion have favourably impressed visitors. Though suspicious of strangers, they are hospitable ; and among themselves they are kindly, and affectionate to their kindred and in attendance on the sick. They are very cleanly in person 1 The frequent termination du represents the Singh. dUva, diva, and Sansk. dv tpa, &quot;island.&quot; Bell takes tnadulu for Sansk. manrlala, &quot;region.&quot; Qu. mahA-atolu, &quot; great atoll &quot;? XV. 4 2
 * Souadou.