430 



DELTAS ON THE COAST OF ASIA MINOE. [C H . XVHl 



matter including multitudes of broken shells of recent species. 

 The observations lately made on this subject corroborate the 

 former statement of Marsilli, that the earthy deposits of the 

 coast of Languedoc form a stony substance, for which reason 

 he ascribes a certain bituminous, saline, and glutinous nature 

 to the substances brought down with sand by the Rhone * 

 If the number of mineral springs charged with carbonate of 

 lime which fall into the Ehone and its feeders in different 

 parts of France be considered, we shall feel no surprise at the 



sediment 



embered 



rivers being lighter than the water of the sea floats over the 

 latter, and remains upon the surface for a considerable dis- 



tance. 



much 



as 



the waters of a lake ; and the area over which the river- water 

 is spread, at the j unction of great rivers and the sea, may well 

 be compared, in point of extent, to that of considerable lakes. 

 Now, it is well known, that so great is the quantity of water 

 carried off by evaporation in some lakes, that it is nearly- 



some 



Caspian, it is quite equal. We may, therefore, well suppose 

 that, in cases where a strong current does not interfere, the 

 greater portion not only of the matter held mechanically in 

 suspension, but of that also which is in chemical solution, 

 may be precipitated at no great distance from the shore- 

 When these finer ingredients are extremely small in quantity, 

 they may only suffice to supply crustaceous animals, corals, 



ne plants, with the earthy particles necessary for 

 their secretions ; but whenever it is in excess (as generally 

 happens if the basin of a river lie partly in a district of active 

 or extinct volcanos), then will solid deposits be formed, and 



mar 



mass 



)/ Asia Minor 



xam 



vance of the land upon the sea are afforded by the southern 

 coast of Asia Minor. Admiral Sir ¥. Beaufort has pointed out 

 in his survey the great alterations effected since the time of 

 Strabo, where havens are filled up, islands joined to the mam- 

 1 and, and where the whole continent has increased many miles 



* Hist. Phys. de la Mer. 



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