6 



the world, some 3'ears ago, a clear idea of its wonderful 

 power and exquisite operations. 



Although the torrid zone is the principal evaporating 

 area of onr globe, evaporation takes place from every water 

 surface npon it — varying in quantity according to tempera- 

 ture, winds, &c., hut transpiring even below zero, for in 

 liquid matter, as in gaseous, there is at all times a constant 

 action of repulsive force, or energy, tending to drive the 

 particles asunder. This is entirely a surface work; as water 

 acts only upon the solid surfaces, so the aerial forces act 

 only upon the liquid surfa-ces, all the liquid matter beneath, 

 being as removed from the atmospheric operations of 

 nature, as the buried strata of the earth are from aqueous 

 and atmospheric agencies. 



Therefore, if it is indeed true that the land surfaces have 

 encroached upon those of the water anywhere, this change 

 in the relative quantities of land and water areas, must 

 produce eflects of such a marked and unmistakable charac- 

 ter as to be discovered upon the continents, which receive 

 the aqueous vapor evaporated from the water surfaces of 

 the seas which supply their precipitation. 



If there is less water surface, there will be less evapora- 

 tion, less moisture in the atmosphere, less precipitation, a 

 gradual lowering of all inland seas and lakes — and con- 

 stantly lessening drainage, or smaller rivers returning to 

 the oceans. 



Such a slow but certain change in physical conditions 

 would produce corresponding changes in organic life, uni- 

 form change instead of " uniformity without change," and 

 "aqueous forces that would" not "remain forever unim- 

 paired." 



In studying the inland waters and drainage of the con- 

 tinents to determine whether there are any proofs of a de- 

 crease of precipitation, the salt lake regions afford the most 

 striking evidences of a decrease of evaporating surfaces — 

 and it is a significant fact that upon each of the great con- 

 tinents, and upon many iplands, there are immense saline 



