I79I' THE PROBABLE CAUSES OF THE DELtJGE. 211 



generally break ofF perpendicularly, about a mile out at 

 Cea, which makes their approach very difficult and 

 dangerous ; and as the ftratum immediately under the 

 loam of the furface has an alhy or lava-like appearance, 

 the voyagers very naturally concluded that theimmenfe 

 number of fmall iflands which itud that extenfive ocean, 

 were the produft of fubaqueous eruptions. If I might 

 be allowed to hazard an opinion againft fuch refpe£lable 

 authority, I fhould rather apprehend that the Pacific 

 Ocean had been once a continent, and that at the de-^ 

 luge, when the earth's furface v/as difarranged and 

 broken ijy by the violent motion of the waters, the 

 general body of it funk beneath the level, or was 

 waflied avK-ay to other parts, leaving only the more ele- 

 vated and folid part remaining. For volcanos throw up 

 matter piecemeal : iflands therefore formed by them, 

 would have a floping or gradual finking fiiore ; where.. 

 33 the iflands of the great South .Sea are furrounded by 

 perpendicular rocks that fink in that direction to an al- 

 moll: unfathomable depth in the fea. Befides how can 

 we account for that fimilarity of manners, cuftoms, 

 colour, and even language, among the inhabitants of 

 iflands fo diftant that no mode of navigation they prac- 

 tifc would ever make them acquainted, or have any 

 communication with one another ? If thcfe iflands 

 were thrown up from the bottom of the fea, their in- 

 habitants would not be tlirown up along with them, 

 and all with the fam.e cuftoms and language. Now 

 if this immenfe part of the globe was a continent before 

 the deluge, the inhabitants might be alike ; and if the 

 elevated parts were above the waters (a circumftancc 

 more than probable) inhabitants might be faved among 

 them with every circumftance of fimilarity v/e now 

 find among them ; for that revolution is not of fo 

 remote date, but remains of aatidciuvian manners 

 might exiil at this time. 



Accept of thefe exerpts from your well-wifiier, 



Capt. Firelock. 

 Dd 2 



