240 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



compofed of one folid mafs lengthwife, as has been 

 afcertained by repeated borings ; and it would be 

 impoffible for a veffel to get into Brafil, were it 

 not for the feveral inlets which Nature has 

 formed *. 



Go from South to North, and you find fimilar 

 precautions employed. The coaft of Norway is 

 provided with a bulwark nearly refembling that of 

 Brafil. Pont Oppidan tells us, that this coaft, which 

 is nearly three hundred leagues in length, is, for 

 the mofl part, fteep, angular, and pendant ; fo 

 that the Sea, in many places, prefents a depth of 

 no lefs than three hundred fathoms clofe in-fliore. 

 This has not prevented Nature from proteâiing 

 thefe coafts, by a multitude of iiles, great and 

 fmall. *' By fuch a rampart," fays that Author, 

 " confiding of, perhaps, a million, or more, of 

 " mafly flone pillars, founded in the very depth 

 '* of the Sea, the chapiters of which rife only a few 

 *' fathoms above the furface, all Norway is de- 

 '^ fended to the Weft, equally againft the enemy, 

 " and againft the Ocean." There are, however, 

 fome coaft-harbours behind this fpecies of fea- 

 bulwark, of a conftruftion fo wonderful. But as 

 there is frequently great danger, adds he, of fliips 

 being driven afliore, before they can get into port, 



* See Hiflory af the Troubles of Brafil, by Peter Moreau. 



from 



