332 



ON THE BED OF THE 



to their action, we have many proofs, even at very 

 considerable depths, by the breaking up of the 

 wrecks of ships, the occasional drift of sea-weed, 

 and also drift timber, nuts, &c. into regions far dis- 

 tant from those in which they are spontaneously 

 produced. The dispersion of fishes, evinced by 

 their disappearance from the fishing grounds in 

 stormy weather, tends to shew the disturbance of 

 the waters of the ocean to the depth of 30 or 40 

 fathoms. This observation I have frequently had 

 an opportunity of making near the entrance of the 

 Frith of Forth. Numerous proofs of the sea being 

 disturbed to a considerable depth have also occur- 

 red since the erection of the Bell Rock Light- 

 house, situate upon a sunken rock in the sea, 12 

 miles off Arbroath, in Forfarshire. Some drift 

 stones of large dimensions, measuring upwards of 

 30 cubic feet, or more than two tons weight, have, 

 during storms, been often thrown upon the rock 

 from the deep water. These large boukler-stones 

 are so familiar to the lightkeepers at this station, 

 as to be by them termed travelki^s. It is there- 

 fore extremely probable, that a large portion of the 

 debris is carried down with the drainage water of 

 the higher country, as before noticed, and ultimate- 

 ly washed out of the North Sea into the expanse 

 of the ocean. 



The question which naturally arises as to the re- 

 sult of all this waste or transposition of the so- 

 lid matters of a large portion of the globe, is. 



