73 



able thickness; and thus to travel {tioyagev) more than six 

 thousand yards, without being impeded by such barriers: 

 and, what seems still more extraordinary, this current has 

 not only descended the declivity, but has also ascended 

 {escaladie) the skirt of the mountain, €t s'est ilevi jusques sur 

 sa Crete. 



The postulates Mr. St. iFond makes, to enable him t<!> 

 explain this singular fact, are, that the volcano was sub- 

 marine; that the current of lava, as it flowed along the 

 bottom of the sea, impinged against the mountain of Cha- 

 marelle, at that time, as well as all the other mountains in 

 its vicinity, submerged, par I'effet cle quelque grand revolu- 

 tion. And we must presume, (as we now find them highly 

 elevated,) that they were raised again, by some other as 

 powerful revolution. (Min. des Volcans, chap. 13.) 



I hope to be excused, for having dwelt 30 long upon 

 Mr. St. Fond and Mr, Dolomieu. They are admitted to 

 be the most eminent writers on this question; and they are 

 both spoken of, in the highest terms, by Mr. Kirwan and 

 Dr. Hamilton. Yet, notwithstanding this honourable testi- 

 mony, from men decidedly attached to the religion they 

 profess, I cannot help suspecting, that both Mr. St. Fond, 

 and Mr. Dolomieu, were in the confidence of Mr. Desmarest; 

 acquainted with his object, which we have accidentally dis- 

 covered; and that they were his associates, in carrying it 

 into effect. That they both leaned to the same conclusion 

 he ■wished to draw, appears, from many passages in their 



writings, 



