At the Reef itself, an exceedingly well-built little town was springing up.  Since the removal of the whaling operations to the Bight, all nuisances were abated, and the streets, quays, and public walks were as neat as could be desired.  The trees had grown wonderfully, and the gardens appeared as verdant and fresh as if they had a hundred feet of loam beneath them, instead of resting on solid lava, as was the fact.  These gardens had increased in numbers and extent, so that the whole town was embedded in verdure and young trees.  That spot, on which the sun had once beaten so fiercely as to render it often too hot to be supported by the naked foot, was now verdant, cool, and refreshing, equally to the eye and to the feelings.  The streets were narrow, as is desirable in warm climates—­thus creating shade, as well as increasing the draughts of air through them; it being in the rear that the houses obtained space for ventilation as well as for vegetation.  The whole number of dwellings on the Reef now amounted to sixty-four; while the warehouses, public buildings, ships, offices, and other constructions, brought the number of the roofs up to one hundred.  These buildings, Colony House and the warehouses excepted, were not very large certainly, but they were of respectable dimensions, and neat and well put together.  Colony House was large, as has been mentioned; and though plain, certain ornaments had been completed, which contributed much to its appearance.  Every building, without exception, had some sort of verandah to it; and as most of these additions were now embowered in shrubs or vines, they formed delightful places of retreat during the heat of the day.

By a very simple process, water was pumped up from the largest spring by means of wind-sails, and conveyed in wooden logs to every building in the place.  The logs were laid through the gardens, for the double purpose of getting soil to cover them, and to put them out of the way.  Without the town, a regular system had been adopted, by which to continue to increase the soil.  The rock was blown out, as stone was wanted; leaving, however, a quay around the margin of the island.  As soon as low enough, the cavities became the receptacles of everything that could contribute to form soil; and one day in each month was set apart for a “bee;” during which little was done but to transport earth from Loam Island, which was far from being exhausted yet, or even levelled, and scattering it on those hollow spots.  In this manner, a considerable extent of surface, nearest to the town, had already been covered, and seeded, and planted, so that it was now possible to walk from the town to the crater, a distance of a quarter of a mile, and be the whole time amid flowering shrubs, young trees, and rich grasses!