102 = Proofs of Currents upon the Earth's surface. 
sufficient for any conceivable purpose. Supposing the solid 
earth suddenly seayed: or even slightly checked ee aoe 
motion, the Pacific Ocean would, as it were ina 
rush over the Andes and Alleganies into the Atlantic, antic 
the mean time would be sweeping over Europe, Asia, and 
Africa. A few hours would cover the entire surface of the 
an 
imal and vegetable life, in one, all but liquid mass. The same 
sweeping flood which might be thus suddenly a bya 
cessation of, or change in the rotary motion of the earth, 
might have been produced, equally, by the original commu- 
nication of this motion, and the suddenness or slowness with 
which this motion should be ilieatitincl would determine 
the violence of the flood 
The appearances presented on the surface of the earth are 
ccs such as we should expect after such a catastrophe ; 
——the cuter more friable strata of rock, torn out from the sol- 
id mass, rounded into boulders and pebbles of every size, or 
crushed into atems, according to their exposure and power of 
resistance ; the surface of the harder strata, not forced out of 
place, as well as of those less exposed by their original position 
beneath other strata, ground, pounded, worn, in the manner 
descri The ie dicpeajsion: of the disintegrated por- 
conformable to this — 
tions of rock and sand, is esis, 
— reconcilable with no other with which I am acquainted ; 
—as the cement should by degrees lose its violence, the more 
elevated ridges, presenting the most powerful obstacles to the 
‘course of the water, would first show themselves above its sur- 
face, arresting at thie same time, the more ponderous detach- 
ed rocks, together with the confused mass of pebbles and sand 
accOmpanying them ; the lighter portions of the latter would 
he carried off to a lower level, by the farther subsidence of 
boulders, wi 
of 
nore ee them, except where the latter aecear sone 
eaks. 
The appearance of the surface of rocks, in place, to which I 
have alluded, appears to me, however, to be tos most str» 
circumstance in support of this theory. I have 
tbs imevery pans of ‘ New-England, and diukeben markedend d 
