THE BUILDING OF AN ISLAND. 43 



So far our observations of the older rocks have tausfht us somethinaf of 

 their origin, and something of the remarkable changes which they have under- 

 ofone since thev were laid down in the sea, and amona: these changes we have 

 noted that in the process of their elevation they have been forced up into 

 highly sloping positions, and we have also observed in a general way that the 

 slopes or dips are not all in the same direction. So varied are they, in fact, 

 that our first observations in different parts of the island would almost lead us 

 to despair of ever finding any system in the arrangement of these ancient 

 strata ; but if we go on collecting and mapping our information, order begins, 

 by-and-bv, to appear out of chaos, and the subject becomes one of absorbing 

 interest. 



