produced by the Action of the Ocean. 91 



The extensive denudations of numerous districts laying 

 bare the identical strata, which in the vicinity are found 

 reposing under vast depths of other incumbent strata, leave 

 us without doubt that the superincumbent materials, how- 

 ever massive and onerous, have been swepi away from off 

 the denudated tracts, A similar disruption, but on a yet 

 more extended scale, is forcibly inculcated by these singu-* 

 lar eminences of isolated material which cannot be identified 

 with any of the surrounding strata, and which are, therefore^ 

 only the remaining patches of the stratum to which they 

 formerly belonged. But the most stupendous proofs of de- 

 structive disruption, are to be found in the numerous and 

 highly elevated ranges of stratified mountains, whose forma- 

 tion, while it perfectlji.accords with, can admit of no other 

 explanation than that of their being the remaining fragments 

 of extensive countries which have disappeared. And her« 

 again, as we were constrained to refer the formation of all 

 the strata to the action of the sea, we are in like manner 

 compelled to assign their disruptive transportation tc the only 

 natural agents whose gigantic forces and powers of mobility 

 are in any degree commensurate to such mighty perform- 

 ances, — the numerous and sweeping currents of the ocean. 



Let us now turn to the sea itself, and endeavour to ascer- 

 tain the nature of its present beds, and the changes which 

 they are experiencing from the mighty effects of its powerful 

 agency, Tlie active and interested concerns of commerce 

 have occasioned such extensive and accurate soundings to 

 be taken of vast and various tracts of the sea, that we have 

 from thence actually acquired a more correct knowledge of 

 extensive regions over which the ocean is incessantly rolling, 

 than of many portions of those countries which emerged 

 from its waves so many centuries ago; and from these it 

 has been fully ascertained, that extensive horizontal plains 

 are as rare below as above the great receptacle of waters, 

 and that inequalities, in every respect similar, prevail in 

 both regions, of banks, hollows, declivities, and elevations, 

 from the least perceptible rise, up to the prccii)itous fronts 

 of unfathomable rocks. With this corresponding similitude 

 of surFace there has also been discovered an eijually corre- 

 B 3 spondiiig 



