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INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



17 



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and the spiracle of inflammable air. It is also 

 apparent, that these must have been deposited 

 under the influence of a current setting from a 

 North-East point, which, while it furnished the 

 argillaceous and other materials to be accumrilaied 

 in the protected hollow and similar situations, 

 would wash freely down the inclined surface of the 

 other parts of the island the loose substances, which 

 may antecedently have been collected thereon. It 

 is scarcely necessary to add, that a current setting 

 from the Norlh-East at present exists, and is exten- 

 sively influentiaj ; for being stopped in its progress 

 by the Isthmus of Darien, it is reflected through the 

 Gulf of Mexico, and passing between the shores of 

 Florida and tlie Bahama bank, it constitutes the 

 gulf stream, which so powerfully affects the navi- 

 gation of the Atlantic. This current being depen- 

 dent on the North-easterly trade wind, must have 

 been coeval with the present direction of our terres- 

 trial poles 5 but for the transportation and depo- 



sition of the substances forming Scotland, it would 

 seem necessary that its force should have been 

 increased by causes, wliich may be presumed to 

 have operated during such a catastrophe as the 

 tumultuous rising of the waters of a deluge. 



In what manner the inequalities under the ocean, 

 one eminence of which constitutes the foundation 

 of Barbados, were produced, I do not contemplate 



in this place inquiring; neither sliall I attempt to 



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