78 ORIGIN OP THE 



As the waters receded from the hills to the 

 valleys, immense bodies of coal, which had been 

 deposited, together with shells of every descrip- 

 tion, (some of which had become agglutinated, 

 and formed into limestone,) remained on the 

 oozy surface; crystals of all kinds, vegeta- 

 ble and animal remains, which had been formed, 

 endued with life, and died, were strewn over 

 the land, or mixed with molten rock which had 

 become solidified ; and many of which had be- 

 come, or were becoming, extinct, by the change 

 of temperature in the waters. These, with 

 countless others, still represented by living speci- 

 mens, were exposed on the surface, or imbedded 

 in the soft alluvial deposits formed by vegetable 

 decay. Thus was the land, as it became 

 drained, prepared with decaying materials for 

 the future growth and perpetuation of the 

 inhabitants destined to occupy the situations 

 intended for them. 



