HOLDERNESS. 49 



DILUVIUM. Wherever in Holderness the earth has been penetrated 

 to a sufficient depth, diluvial accumulations have been found at the 

 bottom. However deep, in some instances, are the deposits of clay and 

 peat in the sites of ancient lakes, and of silt in places overflowed by the 

 tide, all these deposits rest on a basis of diluvial clay or gravel. 1 

 mention this general truth thus early, because some confusion has existed 

 concerning it, and, in consequence, a great mistake has been committed 

 with respect to the antiquity of the deposits of peat and timber. Thus, in 

 the Philosophical Magazine for April, 1827, Mr. R. Taylor, comparing the 

 subterranean forest, as it is called, of the Yorkshire coast to that of East 

 Norfolk, is led to suppose that both these accumulations of timber, with 

 all their imbedded bones, took place before the deluge. I do not presume 

 to say any thing concerning the forest of East Norfolk, but, on what I 

 think very sufficient evidence, I venture at once to affirm that the sub- 

 terranean forests of East Yorkshire grew since the diluvian era. Of 

 this satisfactory proofs will be adduced, Avhen I come to describe par- 

 ticularly the appearances on the coast; and it may, therefore, be sufficient 

 now to state, that in several places the timber, peat, shells, and sediment, 

 which together make up the lacustrine deposit, are seen resting on a 

 depressed part of the diluvial clay and gravel. For the very same 

 reason, then, that the diluvial accumulations are admitted to be pos- 

 terior to the rocks which they cover, we must allow that the subter- 

 ranean peat and timber are of later date than the diluvial matter beneath 

 them. 



The lowest of all the accumulations which rest upon the chalk of 

 the wolds is an irregular layer of fragments of chalk and flint, which, 

 being derived from the stratum beneath, are very little water-worn. 

 This singular deposit seems due to a less violent action of running 

 water than the general mass of heterogeneous pebbles which covers it. 

 It seems to indicate that the effects of the deluge were produced at 

 different periods ; as if the water had been liable to great periodical 

 ebbing and flowing. I am not aware that any remains of land 

 animals have occurred in this rubbly deposit, near Flamborough, or 

 on the wolds ; but at Hessle it contains the teeth, and bones of the 



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