10G NATURAL HISTOBT OF 



stantinople, joins the Balkan to the Illyriun range, and, with 

 broken intervals, passes to the Carpathian and Alpine systems, 

 terminating in the Pyrenees; and that, recommencing west of 

 the Sea of Azoph, proceeds north to the Euxine, forming the 

 Cymbric Chersonesus. 



From the culminating points of this central region to the 

 shores of every sea, we find traditions, historical records, and 

 demonstrated facts, attesting changes of surface and of level 

 truly appalling, — several of them having been converted, from 

 physical realities, into mythological fictions. In the north, the 

 Arctic shore has been for ages in a constant rising progress. 

 Whole regions have been submerged on the south and east of 

 Asia, particularly between the coasts of Malabar and Ceylon ; 

 and, again, vast provinces have disappeared in the Chinese and 

 Japan Seas. 



Already, in remote times, volcanic activity, manifested by 

 upheaving of the earth, relieved the elevated valleys of their 

 lakes, — such as those of Cashmeer and of Nepaul, — both 

 events being recorded in the traditions of the people. That of 

 the western Gobi escaped by the upper Irtish, and the lake of 

 Balcach was, most likely, absorbed or percolated through the 

 sand in the same direction. In the present era, percussions 

 continue to be frequent in Afghanistan and Caubul, sometimes 

 destroying houses and whole cities, with many human lives ; 

 and they are still more abundant and violent on the east side, 

 where the mountains dip into the northern Pacific, to rise again 

 and produce desolation in Japan. 



A diluvian convulsion evidently occurred during the present 

 zoology. It passed over Western Asia, from south to north, 

 affecting the Arctic coast, and snapping a portion of the cardi- 

 nating mountain ridge, it caused the surface of the earth to 

 sink below the level of any known dry land, excepting the 

 basin of the Dead Sea ; thus the Caspian formed an abyss ; the 

 Aral lake, and, futther west, perhaps the Euxine Sea shared the 

 same convulsion ; for all have the greatest depth of water on 



