eg 
America, and the Alps, in Europe. The’ Ese 
the soil, in the low prairies, and not in the high 
alluvial, can justly be attr uted, it is pres me 
and other vegetables and light materials of which they 
composed, having been washed by heavy rains I 5 rast, 
from the rher to the lower places. This so account 
for the circumstance of trees growing upon the summits of the — 
hills of steep ascent: being thin and poor, the grass neither ~ 
grows sufficiently long or thick to kill the timber when fired. 
They could not have been islands in this fairy lake; because 
their summits are frequently much lower than high prairie 
flats a few miles distant. These are facts which will be re- 
collected by those who have ever travelled through a prairie 
country of any extent. a jeer 2: 
But suppose it to have been proved, that the waters of Lake 
Erie once overspread the state of Ohio, from its present shore 
to Chillicothe, (a supposition which I trust has however been 
shown to be visionary) does it follow that the prairies were 
occasioned by such overflowing? If the water, by covering 
the country, prevented the timber from growing, should we 
not naturally look for the largest timber on the higher grounds 
which would be first forsaken by the waters, and for small 
timber on the low grounds, where the water remained longest? 
If this be true, (and it is unquestionable) we should then look 
for prairies on the low grounds bordering on Lake Erie, 
Huron, and ‘Michigan ; and the thickly timbered country e 
would be on the high land, near the sources of the rivers. 
But the contrary is absolutely the fact: we find heavy tim- 
bered land, and no prairies, in the low countries north of 
the lakes, and none south, either in Michigan terenory or 
elsewhere, until we arrive near the sources of the rivers. It 
is true, that the water standing in ponds will prevent the 
timber from growing; but the difference is readily observed 
between prairies, properly so called, and those hoger 395 8 
But to prove farther that water had no agency in bringing 
the prairies into existence, we ma mention those on and 
near the summit of the Alleghany mountains, (principally in 
Ven. 1 3 
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