45 
and comparison of the levels of the strife of Scottish valleys, 
with the local surface level of standing water, investigated with 
most scrupulous regard to accuracy, might furnish data for the 
geometrician to frame computations of the subverting energies 
still at work, by natural law, to disturb the earth's equili- 
rmm, and accomplish an aqueous catastrophe, similar to the 
only one traditionally known to our race, but of the recur- 
rence of which, at many successive periods of the earth's 
antiquity, some geologists have largely treated, and submitted 
many proofs. 
CHAPTER III. 
Contents. — Existing aspect of geological or theoretical surmises to mining 
— On the tormation of Coal, place of its deposit, and suggested mode 
of search for it —Variance of Victorian geologists' ideas as to occur- 
rence of gold, with results of Calit'ornian and Victorian experience — 
Encouragement to mining on physical principles — Description of an 
economical holing apparatus— Concluding remarks. 
Belief, when accorded, as to existence of a cause of loss of 
our sjmere's equilibrium, and hence overflow of her oceans, 
is practically tantamount to admission of certain necessary 
sequences of effect upon the crust of the earth ; and these are 
amply evidenced, though ascribed by some geologists as 
emanating from simple causes, acting uniformly thoughout 
an infinity of time with no such catastrophe intervening as 
the Noachian Flood. Hence its action in denudation, disin- 
tegration, or disruption into masses, and deposit in new 
strata, of the primary rocks, is not duly explained to the 
miner, who might materially profit in his enterprises by 
intelligent reasoning on such premises. He often suffers 
loss by abandonment of mining claims, because Geology 
affirms certain varieties of rock to be the bed, beneath 
which it is vain to search for gold, not seeing that aqueous 
disruption may have torn away sections of former hills, 
and precipitated huge masses of stratifications into the 
positions presented as beds to the miner, and thus the most 
ancient strata may be locally subverted, and may be superin- 
cumbent upon recently deposited payable gold drifts. Again, 
the position of quartz lodes may be affected by denudation 
of supporting walls, and the disintegration, and deposit of their 
particles, or of large masses, apart from their position in situ. 
Here, in this ancient valley, the miner carries expensive 
shafts, and drives, almost at random, in search of the aurife- 
rous gutters. There, on yonder range, he has "worked 
out " what he deems a fiat reef, but which is a portion of the 
lode in situ, broken off, and precipitated downwards, in some 
land slip, from excavation, and denudation by torrents, 
