Part i. of the Earth. 



This was a Scruple that never en- 

 tered into their Heads. The Shells, 

 being then fair, found, and free from 

 decay, were fo exa£S:ly like thofe they 

 faw lying upon their Shores, that they 

 never made any queftion but that they 

 were the ExuvU of Shell- fifli, and that 

 they once belonged all to the Sea. But 

 the Difficulty was how they came thi- 

 ther, and by what means they could 

 ever arrive to places oftentimes fo re- 

 mote from the Ocean. 



The Ages that went before knew 

 well enough how thefe Marine Bodies 

 were brought thither. But fuch wer6 

 the Anxieties and Diftreffes of the then 

 again infant World : fo inceffant their 

 Occupations about Pfovifion for Food^ 

 Ray men t, and the like, that (even af- 

 ter Letters were difoovered) there was 

 little leifure to commit any thing to 

 Writing; and, for want thereof ^ the 

 rhemory of this extraordinary Accident 

 was in great meafure worn oot and 

 loft. 'Tis true there was a general and 

 loud Rumour amongft them of a migh- 

 ty Deluge of Water that had drowned 

 all Mankind except only a very few 

 f^erfons. But there had alfo happened 

 tery terrible Inuodatioos of later date,; 



F 2 and 



