TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



73 



channel, may, perhaps, be connected with the subsid- 

 ing of the surface of the Mediterranean in general, 

 a phenomenon, for which more historical and phy- 

 sical testimony may be found, than for the contrary 

 one, of its increase, by encroaching on the land in 

 some places, which probably may depend upon 

 local circumstances. The filling up several har- 

 bours with sand, the alluvion of considerable tracts 

 upon the coasts, and the union of islands and 

 rocks, with the continent, which w^ere formerly sur- 

 rounded by the sea, even where there are no rivers 

 like the Nile to produce this effect, occur on many 

 parts of the coast.* The Black Sea and the Caspian 

 offer a phenomenon perfectly similar, very large 

 tracts having gradually become uncovered on their 

 coasts ; it is therefore probable that these formerly 

 great inland seas, began to decrease in depth when 

 they became connected with the ocean. But the 

 hypothesis, that the great basin which was once 

 formed by the Euxine and the Sea of A soph, and 

 perhaps also by the Caspian, after bursting its dam 

 in the Bosphorus, flowed westwards into the Medi- 

 terranean, but receded on the east, from the 

 declivities of the Steppe of Caucasus into the pre- 



mile ; by Strabo, one geographical mile and a half; by Pliny, 

 almost one geographical mile and two-fifths. At present the 

 narrowest part is almost two geographical miles. (See Von 

 HofF's abovementioned work, p. 150.) 



The facts are collected with great diligence in Mr. Von 

 HofF's abovementioned work. 



