494r 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
Fig. 3. 
by telescopes of great power, such as Lord Rosse's magnificent reflector, the moun- 
tain ranges seem almost without exception to be of volcanic origin ; generally cir- 
cular, with a central valley, having again 
in its centre a small conical hill, they re- 
semble most wonderfully our terrestrial 
volcanos ; even the lava currents and vol- 
canic stratification are in some clearly 
traceable, while neither on their rugged 
sides, nor on the enormous blocks which in 
one or two instances are visibly strewed 
over the flat bottoms of the central valleys, 
does the abrading power of water appear 
ever to have exerted its strength, even 
although these central valleys are mostly 
sunk below the level of the general sur- 
face. At the same time it is but just to 
state that large regions are also to be 
found perfectly level, and seemingly pos- 
sessing an alluvial character, and in one or 
two cases mountain ranges which afford 
no proof of volcanic structure have also 
been observed. 
Another question naturally suggests it- 
self. Allowing that at one time seas rolled 
and rivers ran on the face of the moon 
presented to our earth, and that by some 
as yet unknown influence these waters had 
been abstracted from their original abode 
and drawn down through the opened win- 
dows of heaven in such enormous quan- 
tities that "all the high hills that were 
under the whole heaven were covered." 
What has now become of these waters ? 
Why do they not yet prevail ? They do 
not seem to have been returned to the 
moon. 
Before concluding this short and imper- 
fect notice, it may be right to state that 
even our earth, having, as may be readily 
seen by inspecting one of the common 
terrestrial globes, one of its hemispheres 
mostly covered with water, while on the 
other, land is in large excess, would indi- 
cate a slight difference between the true 
place of its centre of gravity and centre of 
symmetry. I may also state that in the 
case of a globe of the size and constitution 
of our moon (being rather more than 
2100 miles in diameter), a distance of about 
forty miles between these two points would 
occasion the phenomena above referred 
to. It might also be a subject of no 
small interest to inquire into the appear- 
ances which a world constituted as the 
moon is thus supposed to be, would present to its inhabitants ; but this, with 
many other interesting, and therewith connected discussions, belonging more 
properly to Astronomy, cannot be here entered into. 
I am, your obedient servant, 
Reswallie, Utli Oct., 1861. James PowiiiE. 
