330 ORIGINAL SALTNESS OP 



whenever the Mediterranean becomes more elevated, or 

 the jEgean or Marmora seas are higher than the Euxine, 

 the current proceeds the other way, and a flood of salt 

 water pours into the Euxine, until 4he level is restored. 

 This flux and reflux, this current and counter-current, 

 explains a fact mentioned by the elaborate Le Sage, that 

 the Euxine is not so saline as the ocean ; though, as Pro- 

 fessor Clarke relates, briny enough at the Crimea, to ena- 

 ble salt to be manufactured. Thus the Euxine receives 

 salt water from the Mediterranean as occasion may re- 

 quire. In theorizing upon its saltness, it may be con- 

 sidered as. less saline than it originally was. It may be 

 expected to grow fresher, by slow degrees, until, possibly, 

 after a very long course of ages, the Black Sea may be- 

 come as fresh as lake Superior. 



The inland seas of North America differ from all these 

 cases, except that of the upper lake of Mexico. They are 

 unlike the Caspian and the Judean seas, because these latter 

 have no outlets. They vary from the Mediterranean and 

 Euxine, inasmuch as the supplies of the latter are abun- 

 dant ; and the outlets of the American lakes pass along 

 such declivities, and are so rapid and precipitous, that 

 the stream always sets one way, and a reflux is impossible. 

 If the American lakes had originally been ink or alcohol, 

 instead of brine, the respective fluids would have long 

 ago, by incessant supplies of pure water, passed through 

 all the stages of dilution, and have wholly lost their co- 

 loured or spirituous qualities. Their original saltness 

 may therefore be conceived as having been incessantly 

 weakened by the copious and incessant supplies of fresh 

 water ; and the freshened water which descended the ra- 

 pids and the cataracts, fell to a depth whence it was im- 

 possible for it to flow back. 



