C 49 ] 
This hypothecs may perhaps be liable to great ob- 
jections ; but it is at leah confident with what Mofes 
relates of the fountains of the great deep being broken 
up j and, without any perplexity or difficulty, accounts 
at once for a fufficient quantity of water to cover the 
tops of the higheft antediluvian mountains, even 
fuppofing they were left handing: though it is not 
improbable but that they might be thrown down by 
means of the fame earthquake. If they were lei t 
handing, fome of them might (on the retreat of the 
waters from their tops after the hrh concuffion) form, 
fome of the illands that now fubfih. 
I muh alfo add, that this hypothecs is perfeClly 
confident with, and perhaps in fome meafure accounts 
for, that lingular polition of the hrata of coals, ores, 
and various kinds of earths (mentioned in Mr. 
Mitchell’s papei ), which are found always hoping Irony 
mountainous countries, and higher grounds,, towards 
the bottom of the lea; fo that what is neared the 
furface ot the earth in mountains and high countries 
lies deepeh in low lands and under the fea-.. 
It is, befides, fomewhat confirmed by that lingular 
obfervation of Dr. Hafielquih’s, in his travels, (p. 33) 
where, fpeaking of Natolia and the eahern countries 
in general, he fays, “ In no place was it more 
“ evident that the continent, we call earth, was in 
<l the beginning the bottom of the fea.” Ulloa alfo 
informs us, that the fame thing is evident in the whole 
country of Valles in South America*': and Nordem 
ocean forms our prefent land : and that confequently fome part 
of the ocean was fea both in the antediluvian earth and in the 
prefent ftate of it, and common to both. 
* UUoa’s voyage to South America, vol. II. p. 09. 
Vol. LVII. H 
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