ORIGIN OP THE 



valleys were formed ; but they were small com- 

 pared with the immense mountains that now 

 point toward the heavens. As the crust became 

 thicker, the resistance being greater, a larger 

 quantity of water would be retained, for a longer 

 time, under the crust, which, being decomposed, 

 or converted into steam, by the igneous fluid, 

 would burst forth from its prison, and force the 

 barrier to its escape, upwards, in immense masses. 

 Then would the fluid matter rush in, under the 

 raised mass, to fill the cavity, and a valley would 

 be formed on each side of the hill, corresponding 

 to the mass removed. Then, too, would the 

 waters rush from the hills to the valleys, carrying 

 with them every thing detached from the hills 

 which fell in their way. All was commotion, 

 uproar, and chaos, upon the exterior of the 

 planet we inhabit ; but within, beyond the reach 

 of the agitation, caused, as before stated, by the 

 action of the external gases, the most dense 

 fluids, having gradually subsided towards the 



