362 J- f. gronovius [1754. 



the creation of the world, so that they should not be taken for 

 diluviana, but antediluviana. 



It is also probable that after the creation, there have been as well 

 storms as in our time, when the sea overflowed several countrys. To 

 these overflowings I attribute the strata, and per consequence, so 

 many strata there are, so many overflowings there have been. We 

 see that confirmed in this country ; for when we dig three feet, 

 Ave find a stratum all of shells, the same as we have at our sea- 

 coast, under it a stratum of clay, and then again a stratum of 

 shells. It is also confirmed, that before the sand-hills were thrown 

 up by a great storm, this country was not habitable in winter time, 

 by the overflowing of the sea, and that the few inhabitants of it 

 were obliged to remove to Batavodurum, which is thirty-six miles 

 from hence. 



So farther, I suppose the sea had overflowen the land, and left 

 there a stratum of shells ; this was easily overspread by the flying 

 sand, upon which the waters coming, or by the rain, or by any 

 other way, and standing there make a sedimentum, out of which 

 there becomes by time a marshy ground, being the matrix of the 

 Sjihagnum and likely sort of plants ; and from which, in time, by 

 the accession of other particulars, are produced the different sorts 

 of clay and humus, and so by succession we get a fertile ground. 



It is a great hardship to me, I must tell you, that the water-mill 

 of Mr. Genete is woll finished, but the experiment is not yet 

 taken with it. Every one talks very indifferently of it, and the 

 most part have no opinion of it. * * * * 



That there are vast chains of mountains in the sea, where they 

 are called islands, and banks, is not to be contradicted, and I 

 believe several petrified subjects are the prove of it. * * 



Yea, I believe that Majorca and Minorca are only the tops of 

 mountains standing in a large province under sea, where many 

 fishes find their food. We know by Mr. Cleghorn's observations, 

 that there is no places where more variety of fishes is, than at 

 Minorca ; and I have by reports of some of our sea officers the 

 confirmation of it. 



And now lastely to your letter dated the 6 of December, 1753, 

 which I get by our good friend Mr. Slatter, I hope you shall 

 hear from him, that he hath been here with good success ; at list I 

 have contributed what is in my power. He hath a great patrone 

 to Mr. Thomson, the minister at Amsterdam, to whom I commu- 



