164 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



perceptible, that they attract to them the vapours, 

 which the Sun raifes out of the Sea in the day- 

 time, and which difappear in the night. Hence 

 is formed that meet of water which inundates the 

 Plain of the Cafres, and from which mod of the 

 brooks and rivulets that water the ifland take their 

 rife. You may equally diftinguifh a vegetable at- 

 traction in thofe ever-green afpins, and thofe other 

 trees, at all times humid, which it is impoffible to 

 kindle into flame. 



The Iiland of Bourbon is almoft round, and 

 rifes out of the Sea in the Ihape of half an Orange. 

 On the higheft part of this hemifphere are fituated 

 the Plains of Silaos and of the Cafres, where Na- 

 ture has placed thofe labyrinths of peaks continu- 

 ally involved in fogs, planted like nine pins, and 

 elevated like fo many turrets. 



Did time and room permit, I could make it 

 evident, that there are a multitude of fimilar peaks 

 on the chains of lofty mountains, of the Cordeliers, 

 of Taurus, and others, and at the centre of mofl 

 iflands, without admitting the poffibility of fup- 

 pofing, though the opinion be current, that they 

 are the remains of a primitive Earth railed to that 

 height ; for what mull have become, as has been 

 already demanded, of the wreck of that Earth, 

 the pretended teftimonies of which arife on every 



hand 



