sessor, aud discredit to the practice, ha3 

 been the inevitable result. Indeed, in 

 ver}' few instances, in which I have sent 

 men for this purpose, has there been 

 found water sufficient to give an effectual 

 covering to all the land, which has beea 

 thought capable of being floated. It is 

 evident, therefore, that what lias ^s yet 

 been written on the subject, has by no 

 means given a precise idea of the prac- 

 tice, but has, in some instances, had a 

 worse tendency. 



I feel it a duty therefore, that I owe to 

 a certain part of the community, again to 

 step forward, and endeavour to point out 

 the causes of these opinions evidently 

 founded in error ; and thereby to coun- 

 teract their injurious effects. For this 

 purpose, instead of publishing another 



edition 



