SUBMARINE FORESTS. 
79 
was once covered by a dense forest, in 
which the present St. Michael’s Mount arose, 
as a hill in a wilderness of wood. 
The Norman legend is, that in the year 
709, a low wooded tract of six miles breadth 
was suddenly submerged, leaving the once 
forest-girt Mount St. Michael a rocky islet. 
In aid of the popular belief, relative to 
the subsistence within the historical era of 
a large space of land oS our western shores; 
we have, first, the undoubted fact, of the 
remains of trees, imbedded in the soil, wdth 
their roots extended as when growing, 
visible below the present sea level, on the 
northern shores of Brittany and Normandy, 
the coasts of the channel islands, and the 
promontory of Cornwall. 2ndly. The fresh 
- appearance of these remains, still convertible 
■ to economical uses, and in many places 
. actually so converted. 3rdly. The occur- 
1 rence of fragments of tiles, and other indi- 
< cations of human works, amidst the soil of 
t the forest. 4thly. The peculiar aspect of 
^ some half-tide rocks wdthin the area of 
»subsidence. 5thly. The specific legends 
» agieeing 'v^ith observation of physical facts. 
