258 STUDIES OF NATURH. 



We have alreadj^ remarked, that a region all 

 fand is fo hot, even in our CHmates, from the mul- 

 tiphed refledtion of it's brilhant particles, that we 

 never find the fnow covering it for any confider- 

 able time together, even in the middle of our fe- 

 vered Winters. Thofe who have crofled the fands 

 of Eftampes, in Summer, and in the heat of the 

 day, know well to what a violent degree the heat 

 is there reverberated. It is fo ardent certain days 

 in Summer, that, about twenty years ago, four 

 or five paviers, who were at work on the great 

 road leading to that City, between two banks of 

 white fand, were fufFocated by it. Hence it may 

 be concluded, from fads fo obvious, that but for 

 the ices of the Pole, and of the mountains in the 

 vicinity of the torrid Zone, a very confiderable 

 portion of Africa and Afia would be abfolutely 

 uninhabitable, and that but for the fands of Africa 

 and Afia, the ices of our Pole would never melt. 



Every icy mountain, too, has, like the Poles, 

 it*s fandy girdle, which accelerates the fufion of 

 it's fnows. This we have occafion to remark, in 

 the defcription of all mountains of this fpecies, as 

 of the Peak of TenerifF, of Mount Ararat, of the 

 Cordeliers, &c. Thefe Zones of fand furround 

 not only their bafes, but there are fome of them 

 on the higher regions of the mountains, up to the 



very 



