36 LEAVES FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE. 



the coast, and throw their burden into the great ocean. 

 Thus, age after age, the loftiest parts of heaven-aspiring 

 mountains are broken to pieces, and swallowed by the 

 ever-hungry sea. There, by their own gravity, and by 

 the weight of the impending waters, they are pressed 

 together, firmly and solidly, until they form new rocks, 

 which human eyes do not see, and which, for thousands 

 of years, may not be called upon to take their place 

 upon the dry land. So that, if the ocean swallows 

 mountains, they, in return, have their revenge, and fill up 

 the sea, slowly and unseen, but with unerring certainty. 

 Such is the might of small things upon earth. 



Slow as this process is, its effects are astounding. For, 

 the same abrasion and dilution has been going on for 

 centuries, and gigantic rivers have ever since poured their 

 contents into the ocean. Overcoming all obstacles, rush- 

 ing, rolling gaily down from their mountain homes, falling 

 over huge precipices, running past rocky ridges, they 

 hurry on without rest and ceasing. Where do they rush 

 to, so eagerly 1 ? Towards certain death, in the great 

 ocean! For, no sooner have they reached the distant 

 shore, than their course is arrested here they drop all 

 the solid parts with which they were loaded, and thus 

 form themselves a barrier against their further progress. 



These deposits form shoals and bars; they grow, as 

 year after year brings new additions from the far-off 

 mountains, until hills rise below the surface: the river 

 has to divide, in order to pass them on both sides, and, 

 at last, the increasing sands appear above the water in 

 the shape of a delta. Thus, new land is formed by these 



