H. TV. Pearson — Oscillations of Sea-level. 261 



overwhelmed by the sea in the year 709, although the submergence 

 was not completed until 860 " ( Jas. Geikie, " Prehistoric Europe," 

 p. 481). " Migulon and Psalmody were islands in the year 815, and 

 in 1820 they were two leagues from the sea" ("The Mediterranean," 

 p. 13), Ferd. de Lesseps shows that eleven centuries ago (about 

 800) the mean level of the Red Sea was about three metres higher 

 than now [Geological Eecord, 1874, p. 146). 



Certain ancient documents now existing in the Town Hall of 

 Rye (Charter of King Richard I, 1194, etc.) plainly show that prior 

 to that date the sea had surrounded the town of Rye (Rep. Brit. 

 Assoc, 1890, p. 825). "A deplorable state of the Fens (England) 

 is depicted by some who wrote of that period (early part of eighth 

 century). Dugdale shows that the fresh waters were of wide extent 

 and deep" ("The Fenland Past and Present," p. 71). Again, "The 

 Isle of Ely was, even at that early period (870 a.d.), a place of 

 refuge ; parties detached from the fleet (Danes) passed up the river 

 in quest of booty, for such was the depth of the water, which 

 extended to the sea, that they had an easy access into it by 

 shipping" (p. 82). (Now Ely is 30 miles from the sea.) "The 

 tide then, 1,000 years ago, flowed up the river Witham to Lincoln " 

 ("Lincolnshire and the Danes," p. 195). 



In the years 800 to 950 the isles of Ammiuno and Costanziaco, 

 near Venice, disappear (" Gallery of Nature," p. 388). Notre Dame 

 des Ports " was also a harbour in 898, but is now a league from 

 the shore" (p. 393). Saugus Island, at mouth of River Ganges, 

 at one time contained the largest city in India ; this city was 

 entirely destroyed by the sea 1,000 years ago (from card on exhibit 

 in Memorial Hall, Philadelphia; authority quoted, Sir Wm. Jones). 

 "This seems to place Lydd on the shore (year 774), though it is 

 now nearly three miles from the shore" (Greenwood, "Rain 

 and Rivers," p. 63). "The present position of several edifices 

 situated in the island of Munkholm, near Trondhjiem, proves that 

 during a thousand years the elevation of the ground has been less 

 than 20 feet " (" The Earth," p. 532). Verawow, India, was settled 

 more than 800 years ago. "At that time sea-going ships came with 

 ease to the vicinity of the present town, and they still show the 

 stone posts to which the ships were moored " (Journ. Roy. Geog. 

 Soc, 1870, p. 195). " About the year 850 there occurred a fearful 

 inundation of the Tigris" ("The Remains of Lost Empires," p. 260). 



Data as to Loio-Water Period of about 600 a.d. 

 The Archipelago of Chausey is stated in the "Lives of the 

 Saints" to have formed part of the mainland in the beginning of 

 the eighth century, the area now covered by the sea being then 

 occupied by a vast forest (Reclus, "Europe," vol. ii, p. 251). It is 

 well known that previous to a.d. 709 the whole Bay (Bay of 

 Mont St. Michel) as far as Chausey rocks, and for a considerable 

 breadth northwards as far as Cape La Hague and the country 

 southwards as far as Del, was the forest of Scisey (Rep. Brit. 

 Assoc, 1865, p. 70). "It is certain that Mont St. Michel, which 



