in reply to Mr. R. C. Taylor. 203 



the question, in an inquiry as to the origin of these lands, and 

 the nature of that operation, by which they were Jirst raised 

 above the level of the sea. 



With respect to the flat sandy tract between Caistor and 

 Gorleston, I have thus demonstrated, — 



First, That the wind and vegetation — the two " powerful 

 agents," which Mr. Taylor condemns me for having altoge- 

 ther overlooked — have in fact contributed in a very " insig- 

 nificant " degree to its formation ; and 



Secondly, That from their very nature, they could not have 

 begun to act in the manner described, unless the foundation 

 for their superstructui-e had been previously elevated above 

 the highest range of the tide. 



Mr. Taylor's arguments, therefore, have left unshaken all 

 my positions ; and until a stronger case can be made out 

 against them, I am still authorized to maintain, 



1. That the shore which stretches across the opening of this 

 valley, was originally a bank thrown up by the sea in the 

 mouth of the ancient ffistuai'y. 



2. That supposing the German Ocean to have retained in- 

 variably the same level, " its waves must always be capable of 

 sweeping away at one time what they may have washed up at 

 another, and that they must at least occasionally overflow the 

 mounds which they raised." And 



3. That as this portion of our coast, although " compacted 

 and depressed by the weight of massy buildings and the traflSc 

 of a numerous and busy population," has never for many cen- 

 turies been surmounted by the assailing waters, it is evident 

 that these no longer rise to that height, to which they must 

 have flowed at the period of its formation. 



Here then we have a decided flood-guage, to which we may 

 safely appeal, if any doubts should arise, as to the character 

 of the phaenomena of the interior valleys with which it is con- 

 nected. That natural principle which I have shown to have 

 operated in the construction of the one, must be equally appli- 

 cable through the whole range of the others, and will be found 

 to accord perfectly with all the facts that they exhibit. Allu- 

 vial ground, lying above the waters that formed it, proves 

 that the surface of those waters has fallen : they may have 

 been raised above their ordinary level by transient floods ; 

 but at all events they have sunk below the elevation at which 

 they stood, when the nmd was deposited, which by their sub- 

 sidence has been converted into dry land. The main ques- 

 tion, therefoi'c, with respect to these valleys, is — has their soil 

 been brought into them by such extraordinary inundations? • 

 2 1) 2 or 



