oo Mr. Anderson’s Account , &c. 
mountains are compofed of fch'Jlus argiilaceus and talcum lilho - 
mar go ; but the plains or low lands remaining nearly in the 
fame moift ftate as at its formation, the component particles 
have not experienced the viciffitudes of nature fo much as 
the more elevated parts, confequently retain more of their pri- 
mitive forms and properties. As argillaceous earth is formed 
from the fediment of the Ocean, from the fituation of Trini- 
dad to the Continent, its formation is eafily accounted for, 
granting firft the formation of the ridge of mountains that 
bound its windward fide, and the high mountains on the Con- 
tinent that nearly join it: for the great influx of currents into 
the Gulf of Paria from the coafts of Brazil and Andalufia 
muft bring a vaft quantity of light earthy particles from the 
mouths of the numerous large rivers which traverfe thefe parts 
of the Continent ; but the currents being repelled by thefe ridges 
of mountains, eddies and fmooth water will be produced where 
they meet and oppofe, and therefore the earthy particles would 
fubfide, and form banks of mud, and by frefh accumulations 
added would foon form dry land ; and from thefe caufes it is 
evident fuch a tradl of country as Trinidad muft be formed. 
But thefe caufes ftili exift, and the effedt from them is evident ; 
for the ifland is daily growing on the leeward fide, as may be 
feen from the mud-beds that extend a great way into the Gulf, 
and there conflantly increafe. But from the great influx from 
the Ocean at the fouth end of the ifland, and its egrefs to the 
Atlantic again, through the Bacas, a channel muft ever exift 
between the Continent and Trinidad. 
