32 INTRODUCTION. 



disposed by the action of fire and water. These 

 deposits declare the universality, force, and direc- 

 tion of a general mighty current, and also the 

 courses and effects of partial currents, generated 

 while the waters were receding from the deluged 

 earth. The eastern sides of all mountains, hills, 

 or any considerable elevation of surface, are less 

 precipitous than the western ; the latter being 

 more abrupt and washed bare by the general 

 current, which evidently flowed from the west. 

 Hence we find the finest of the detritus of the 

 antediluvian surface carried to, and deposited on, 

 the eastern slopes, especially that description of 

 soil called loam. It also appears that, during the 

 time when the flood was passing off, partial cur- 

 rents were in action, falling from the higher to 

 the lower ground. The larger valleys were 

 partly formed by, while they conveyed, the larger 

 currents ; receiving the inferior streams along 

 their sides ; these forming smaller valleys, ravines, 

 and all those beautiful undulations of surface 

 which exist at this day. 



The depth and rapidity of a current gives cha- 



