Geological Collections. 



391 



between our historical traditions and the phenomena of geology. Both tell 

 us, in a language easily understood, though written in far different characters, 

 that man is a recent sojourner on the surface of the earth. Again, though 

 we have not yet found the certain traces of any great, diluvian catastrophe 

 which we can affirm to be within the human period, we have, at least, 

 shewn, that paroxysms of internal energy, accompanied by the elevation of 

 mountain chains, and followed by mighty waves, desolating whole regions of 

 the earth, were a part of the mechanism of nature. And what has happened, 

 again and again, from the most ancient, up to the most modern periods in 

 the natural history of the earth, may have happened once during the few 

 thousand years that man has been living on its surface. We have, therefore, 

 taken away all anterior incredibility from the fact of a recent deluge ; and 

 we have prepared the mind, doubting about the truth of things of which it 

 knows not either the origin or the end, for the adoption of this fact on the 

 weight of historic testimony Ihid. 



New Molyhdaie of Lead. — In the Paramo Rico, near Pamplona, (South 

 America), M. Boussingault found, in a decomposed syenite, at an absolute 

 height of 12,460 feet, a heavy, greenish yellow substance, in the form of 

 small concretions, and having a specific gravity of 6.00. Before the blow- 

 pipe, on charcoal, it melts easily into a dark coloured globule, giving, with 

 soda, a button of lead, and leaving an infusible scoria, which, by more soda, 

 is fused, and disappears in the charcoal. When taken off the charcoal, rubbed 

 in a mortar, and washed, a heavy gray metallic powder is obtained, which is 

 molybdena. In acid, it dissolves with effervescence. 



By analysis, the following composition was obtained : — 



98.1 



98.1 



The common molybdate of lead, from Carinthia, according to the analyses 

 of Klaproth, Hatchett, and Gobel, is a compound of atom to atom ; this 

 mineral of Boussingault may either be considered as a Tris-molybdate, or as 

 a compound of one atom molybdate, with two atoms of protoxide of lead. 



Analysis of the Mineral water of Paipa, near Tunja, (South America.) — 

 The temperature of these springs varies from 133° to 164° Fahr. The 

 water analyzed was of the latter temperature, and was taken from a spring 

 having an absolute elevation of upwards of 8360 feet, and from which a 

 copious stream of carbonic acid was constantly disengaged. 100 grains of 

 the water were constituted as follows : — 



100. 



