6 F NATURE. 
43 
as geography informs us. Nay, that it once 
Kpread over much the grcateft part, we 
may be convinced by its yearly decreafe, by 
the rubbifh left by the tides, by Jbells, ftrata , 
and other circumftances. 
The fea-fhores are ufually full of dead tefta- 
ceous animals, wrack, and fuch like bodies, 
which are yearly thrown out of the fea. They 
are alfo covered with fand of various kinds, 
ftones, and heaps of other things not very 
-common. It happens moreover, that while 
the more rapid rivers rufh through narrow val- 
lies, they wear away the fides, and thus the 
friable, and foft earth falls in, and its ruins 
are carried to diftant, and winding fhores j 
whence it is certain, that the continent gains 
no fmall increafe, as the fea fubfides. 
The clouds colleded from exhalations, 
chiefly from the fea, but likewife from other 
waters, and moift grounds, and condenfed in 
the lower regions of the atmofphere, fupply 
the earth with rain •, but fince they are at- 
traded by the mountainous parts of the earth, 
it neceffarily follows, that thofe parts muft 
have, as is fit, a larger fhare of water than 
the reft. Springs, which generally rufh out 
at the foot of mountains, take their rife front 
this 
