351 



ble, even unrler the most aggravated circumstances by 

 wliicb the gulf stream bas ever been known to be re- 

 gulated. Hence it is taken for granted that no part 

 or portion of the great alluvial region, upon any part 

 of the Atlantic shores, nor of the shores of the gulf of 

 Mexico were ever brought and deposited by the sea, 

 or gulf stream; for with as much propriety might it be 

 said that the great alluvial region skirting the north- 

 ern borders of Siberia, and constituting the southern 

 boundaries of the Arctic sea for more than seven hun- 

 dred leagues from west to east, was formed by allu- 

 vion brought from the North Pole, where not an inch 

 of land is, at least, known to exist; for it is well 

 known that currents are not wanting in the Arctic sea 

 of sufficient rapidity, to produce much more extensive 

 and surprising effects of the kind if it depended on 

 them.* 



Jt only remains to examine the second opinion, viz. 

 that the alluvial lands in the neighbourhood, and at 

 the mouth of the Mississippi river, have been formed 

 by the alluvion brought down by that river and its 

 auxiliary streams. 



That an almost inconceivable quantity of alluvion is 

 annually borne away by the current of that river, there 

 cannot remain the least shadow of doubt ; but that the 

 lands to the extent that many are inclined to believe, 



* For an account of which see Linschotten's Voyage to Waygat's 

 Straits, vol. IV. page 204-. and Wm. Barent's account of the voyage 

 of the Dutch East India Company. 



