siimed, or, in other words, continued, after the waters 

 of the flood had so far subsided, that the continents 

 were but partially inundated, and the waters confined 

 to great and extensive vallies, through which rivers 

 run ; and these too, by the continued draining of the 

 lands, which had been long saturated with water ; in- 

 stances of which may be witnessed, on the subsidence 

 of every spring and autumnal flood of our rivers : and 

 also, to the disruption of the sides of deep and exten- 

 sive reservoirs, formed by nature, upon elevated lands, 

 and upon the tops of mountains, through which the wa- 

 ters that were collected during the flood, and left on its 

 subsidence, rushed with overwhelming force, bearing 

 away every moveable thing, and particularly the soil, 

 to add to the currents of rivers already turbid with al- 

 luvion. 



It is to this source that we may reasonably look for 

 the cause by which this immense district has, at least 

 in part, been formed and projected into the bay of 

 Mexico, so far beyond the adjacent coasts. 



In order to establish this point, it is necessary that 

 all the existing facts and circumstances, relating to the 

 geology and topography of this region, should be exa- 

 mined and brought into view. These it is difficult, 

 nay, impossible, to have access to, being, in part, be- 

 neath the surface ; and the remainder but superficially 

 known, or if examined at all, it has not been with a 

 view to the subject in question. 



Now the difficulties under which a person must la- 

 bour, who is endeavouring to elucidate a point that is 



