GEEST LAND. 193 



other stones of that class, exactly in the same manner as 

 in the country which I have lately described, and it 

 islands in the North Sea. On the borders of the two first 

 of these Danish islands, there are also blocks in the sea; 

 but only in front of abrupt coasts, as is the case with the 

 islands of Poel and Rugen, and along the coasts of the Bal- 

 tic. The lands added to these islands of geest are in most 

 part composed of the sand of the sea, the land-waters there 

 being very inconsiderable ; and to the south of them 

 have been formed several islands of the same nature, the 

 chief of which are Laland and Falster, near Seeland. 

 These, like the marsch islands in the North Sea, are sand- 

 banks accumulated by the waves, and, when covered 

 with grass, continuing to be farther raised by the sedi- 

 ments deposited between its blades. In the Baltic, 

 where there are no sensible tides, such islands may be 

 inhabited without dikes, as well as the extensions of the 

 coasts ; because, being raised to the highest level of that 

 sea, while their declivity under water is very small, and 

 being also more firm in their composition, the waves die 

 away on their shores ; and if, in any extraordinary case, 

 the sea rises over them, it leaves on them fresh deposits, 

 which increase their heights. These soils are all per- 

 fectly horizontal, like those added to the coasts of the con- 

 tinent. 



Some of these islands approach entirely or in part to 

 the nature of that of Rugen. This island of Seeland, on. 

 that side which is called Hedding, has a promontory 

 composed of strata of chalk with its flints. The island of 

 Moen, (or Mona,) on the south of the latter, has a simi- 

 lar promontory near Maglebye and Mandemark ; and the 

 island of Bornholm, the easternmost of those belonging 

 to Denmark, contains strata of coal, covered by others 

 of sandstone. Phenomena like these, evident symptoms 



