Geology, Sc. of the Connecticut. 13 
older formations ; and that organic remains are found 
in these rocks. For every geologist knows’ that all this 
must be referred to a period anterior to that, in which 
the last grand diluvian catastrophe happened to the 
globe and left our continents in their present form.* Nor 
is the mere occurrence of masses of stone, evidently round- 
ed by the attrition of running water, any evidence in favour 
of this hypothesis ; for we must look for the cause of this 
also, as far back at least as the Noachic deluge.—No cur- 
rent of water with which we are acquainted i is sufficient to 
transport such masses of rock into the situations in which 
_ we find them: for though we can readily conceive how 
agency of violent currents may have driven these blocks 
down an inclined plane, or, if the vts a fergo were sufficient, 
along a level surface, or even up a very slight and gradual 
acclivity, it is impossible to ascribe to them the Sisyphean 
labour of rolling rocky masses, sometimes of many tons in 
weight, up the face of abrupt and high escarpments.’’t 
Rounded masses of rock may however occur under such 
circumstances as_ to show them to have been removed by 
currents posterior to the deluge. 
The principal evidence in favour of the supposition that 
the waters of the Connecticut once flowed over the broad 
valley onits banks, consists in the appearance of the chan- 
nel of the river where it passes through certain mountains. 
Thus, every one perceives that this river must have cut its 
deep passage through the mountains below Middletown : 
in other words, this supposition will account for that gulf 
several hundred feet deep in which this river now flows, and 
we are not acquainted with any other agency that will ac- 
count for it. And if it be admitted that this passage was 
#8 § i t work of se 
beare and Philips, cited “ Outlines oF is Geology of et 
es 57 Introduct: 
t Vid. same work aah 29, 5 ateaciuctioe * 
Vox. VIL — 3 
