182 THEORY OP THE EARTH. 



which the increased cultivation of the ground en- 

 ahled the mountain torrents which flowed into 

 them to carry away the soil. Owing to these 

 causes, the bay called Sacca di Goro was very soon 

 filled up, and the two promontories which had 

 been formed by the two former principal mouths 

 of Mazzorno and Toi, were united into one vast 

 projecting cape, the most advanced point of which 

 is now 32,000 or 33,000 metres* beyond the meri- 

 dian of Adria : so that in the course of two hun- 

 dred years, the mouths or delta of the Po have 

 gained about 1 4,000 metres^ upon the sea. 



From these facts, of which I have given a brief 

 enumeration, the following results are clearly 

 established. 



First) That at some ancient period, the precise 

 date of which cannot be now ascertained, the 

 waves of the Adriatic washed the walls of Adria. 



Secondly, That in the twelfth century, before a 

 passage had been opened for the waters of the Po 

 at FicarolO) on its left or northern bank, the shore 

 had been already removed to the distance of nine 

 or ten thousand metres^ from Adria. 



* From 19 miles 7 furlongs and 15 yards, to 20 miles 4 furlongs and 

 9 yards, English measure. Transl. 

 \ Or 15,366 yards. Transl. 

 f Equal to 9,842 or 10,936 yards. Transl. 



