found. in Sandstone in Dumfriesshire. 207 



non. The quarry has been worked to the depth of about 45 feet 

 from the top of the rock, and as far down as the labours of the 

 quarrymen have hitherto extended (I speak on the concurrent 

 testimony of several eye-witnesses), similar impressions have 

 been found, and those equally distinct and well defined with 

 such as are nearer the surface. But this is far less remark- 

 able than another fact which I give on the same authority. 

 Although the sandstone at the place where the quarry was ori- 

 ginally opened, contained no foot-marks, as it consisted of what 

 is called by the workmen solid (i. e. imperfectly stratified) rock, 

 yet it soon changed its character, and whenever it assumed the 

 form of regular layers, the impressions began to occur. From 

 this period, as the workmen proceeded in their labours, they 

 have continued to find numerous impressions, particularly in one 

 part of the quarry, and that not on a single stratum, but on 

 many successive strata ; that is to say, after removing a layer 

 which contained foot-prints, they found perhaps the very next 

 clay-face stratum, at the distance of a few feet, or it might be of 

 less than an inch, exhibiting a similar phenomenon. Since the 

 foot-marks were first discovered, about forty yards of sandstone 

 have been removed in a direction perpendicular to the line of 

 the strata, and throughout the whole of that extent, impressions 

 of precisely the same kind have, at frequently recurring inter- 

 vals, been uncovered, and are still continuing to be uncovered. 



This seems to prove incontestably that the process, whatever 

 it may have been, by which the impressions were buried in the 

 sand, has not been occasioned by any sudden and isolated con- 

 vulsion of nature, but has been carried on through many succes- 

 sive years, or rather ages. Nor has it been the result of tides 

 on the shore of the sea, which can scarcely be supposed to have 

 flowed to the height of between forty and fifty feet ; and, even 

 if they had done so, would certainly have swept away or filled up 



