Mr. Kendal’s account of the Dighton rock. 177 
If it should be found, that the rocks are generally so seated as to 
be covered sometimes by water, this fact itself will throw some light 
upon their history ; and at least induce us to relinquish the attempt to 
show, that the water of Taunton river did not always overflow the soil, 
upon which the rock is found, and still less the summit of the rock it- 
self. 
There is no doubt but that, generally speaking, the rivers of Ame- 
rica have rather retired from, than risen upon their ancient margins 5 
but this is no evidence against) particular instances of usurpation, 
which must necessarily occur, even in a river, which on the whole di- 
minishes. ‘That part of Taunton river, in which the rock is found, is 
sO circumstanced, as easily to be admitted among these exceptions. 
The river, as it passes the west side of Asonet neck, suddenly widens 
from twenty five rods to ninety, entering this gulf with a current from 
the northwest, and therefore setting on the neck. A great proportion 
of the bed of the river in this wider part is composed of flats, on which, 
at ebb-tide, there is only a foot and a half or two feet of water; and 
beyond these flats, and also beyond a lesser channel at the foot of a 
gently ascending shore, is seated the rock. If we suppose that the 
urrent has worn away any natural mound, which formerly lay be- 
tween the great channel and the rock, we immediately restore, in im- 
agination, the river to its proportionate width, and the rock to dry 
land. Thus too we get rid of the difficulty of conceiving, that so 
much labour should have been bestowed, in producing something to 
be seen in a situation, which, from the natural course of the tides, could 
only allow it to be exposed, at short and varying periods, sometimes 
by day, but as often by night. 
But as to the probable state of Taunton river at the period of engraving 
the inscription, and as to the difficulty of conceivi Pate woke covered 
MEU REAL Y 8 UE 
vay ie waschosen for this purpose, other Langage siny be feld. 
