86 



mitting this fact, and that they were transported by a 

 current flowing from the north, it may have been the 

 result of the general deluge, which, according to the 

 author whom 1 have already quoted (St. Pierre ) hap- 

 pened in the month of February and March. If this 

 circumstance be true, it will enable us to determine, 

 why the seeds were preserved from germinating or 

 perishing, and also, why those immense masses of gra- 

 nite, mentioned by Mr. Drake in his Picture of Cincin- 

 nati, should be found upon an alluvial soil, at least 

 one hundred leagues from the nearest granite, in 

 place, on the north 5 and perhaps one thousand leagues 

 from the nearest on the south ; for it is well known, 

 that large masses of rocks of different kinds are often 

 enveloped in ice, and, by the freshes of rivers or tides 

 of the sea, are raised and transported to a great dis- 

 tance, before they are disengaged. This circumstance 

 has been taken notice of by several writers. 



Tilloch has observed that masses of stone are some- 

 times transported by cakes of ice, in which they hap- 

 pen to be enveloped ; a circumstance equally as probable 

 as that of huge animals being transported, to a great 

 distance, upon masses of floating ice, which frequently 

 occurs. The great White Bear, from the arctic re- 

 gions, and also the White Fox, are annually brought 

 from the northern coast of Greenland by these means, 

 and cast upon the coast of Iceland, to the great annoy- 

 ance of the inhabitants.* While this circumstance 



* See Troils's Description of Iceland. 



