

16 



INTRODUCTORY ESSA^Y. 



protected to the West, North- West, and South- 

 West, by high ridges of coralline structure; and 

 that they are every where to be found on the 



r 



North-eastern coast, extending more or less into 

 the body of the island, according to the depth of 

 the indentations of the coast; and attaining ele- 

 vations proportioned to the height of the coral 



ridges against which they rest. To illustrate the 

 latter part of this statement, I will instance only a 

 single example to be found at Skect's Bay, on the 



North-East of the Thickets, where, notwithstand- 

 ing the land is low, the minerals of Scotland, clay 

 and gypsum, are thrown up against the calcareous 

 cliffs; but immediately round the point, these are 

 wanting, and the South-eastern coast appears ex- 

 posed precipitous, and undermined by the waters 



of the ocean. 



This disposition of the argillaceous minerals 



seems to me to indicate that they were deposited 

 in their present situation after the coral rock, on 

 which they lie, had attained its present elevation ; 

 and the occurrence of saline springs in this part of 

 the island rather confirms me in this opinion. 

 The argillaceous deposition of Scotland, 1 there- 

 fore think should be referred to the rising of the 

 waters of the ocean, at some period subsequent to 

 the formation of the coral ; and should be con- 

 sidered as of diluvial origin; a view of the subject 

 well according with the appearance of petroleum, 



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