their courses, and thrown back to inundate the whole 

 country between it and the Arabian Sea. While 

 the same operations were going on throughout 

 all Arabia and Persia, the currents were driven with 

 great force through the Red Sea into the Mediterra- 

 nean without obstruction ; for it is more than proba- 

 ble that the Isthmus of Suez did not exist at that time. 



Among the proofs to be adduced, in support of the 

 currents from the Southern Ocean or South Pole, are 

 the following. 



New Zealand, in a high southern latitude, presents 

 an aspect similar to the high northern regions of Ame- 

 rica, being almost destitute of soil, as would appear from 

 the description given by Dr. Hawksworth " A pros- 

 pect more rude, craggy and desolate than this country 

 affords from the sea, cannot possibly be conceived; for 

 as far inland as the eye can reach, nothing appears but 

 the summits of rocks which stand so near together, that 

 instead of valleys, there are only fissures between 

 them."* 



The south side of the Island of J ava, which was ex- 

 posed to the operation of the currents, is high, broken, 

 and rugged While the north side is low and of an al- 

 luvious formation, and extending thirty miles or more 

 into the country, where it begins to rise into hillsf. 



The island of Tongotaboo in the Pacific Ocean, ri- 

 ses suddenly from the sea, on the south east coast; 



* See Cook's Voyage round the World, 

 t Cook's Voyages. 



