Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-07-04

very surprising and unaccountable phenon
enon, in lime stone quarry OF mine at
White Marsh, in the county OF Montgome-
ry, of this state. was employed in split
ting solid rock of limestone which was
about three feet long, two broad, and two
deep, and without any visible assure. It
was taken about four feet below the top of
the quarry; and the top was about three
feet below the surface of the earth. In split
ting it, discovered red toad near the
centre of the stone, alive and plump and
perhaps had lived there from the creation or
the deluge; for the stone around the cavity,
forming small prison JUST big enough to
contain it, was of the same red color of the
little animal itself. How and when it came
there /; and how it subsisted there without
meat, drink or air, is the inquiry, ard one
l cannot very satisfactorily resolve.
T-I--.'
Several instances of this nature have been
recorded to the astonishment Of the phio-
sophcr; and have seen no attempt to &C
count for such occurrences. 10 account for
it. it seems necessary to observe 1st. hat
toads, frogs, &c. are animals that are torpid
during certain degree of cold. Suspend
ed animation from cold in man, has been
resuscitated, it is said on are after the sixth
day; and John Hunter supposes that If it
were possible Cor the body tobe frozen sud
denly by an instantaneous abstraction OF
heat, life might be suspended for years, and
terminated at pleasure. IDLY. That natu-
ralists have observed many facts which con-
fru. the authenticity of Moses account OF
the deluge. And it appears that the bed OF
the ocean with its shells have by some
dreadful CONFUSION of nature, become the
highest parts of our lands. So dreadfuliy
" were the fountains Of the great deep brok-
en- uD"-and our continent depressed into
the waters of the great deep, on which the
Psalmist declares them to be founded till
the highest hills were no more visible. / hat
the lands were SO depressed appears evident
from the weight of the atmosphere equallipg
80 inches only of mercury, or 81 feet OF wa
ter. So that if our whole atmosphere was
converted into water, it could not proba-
blv raise the ocean more than 80 teet,which
would be far short of OVERLOOKING the sum
mits Of the Andes, or even our lowest hills.
The tree trunks standing upright IL the
Chowau river Of North Carolina, and the
stump of tree cut with an axe above TWEEN
ty feet under the surface of the earth, & the
axe nearly eaten up with the rust, near the
same river, show that this level extensive
country is BETWEEN 90 and sc feet higher
now than il was formerly. 3dly. Chalk Is
said TO be calcareous deposition of the O.
cean, which by duration is converted into
the carbonites Of lime of great solidity. Is
is also probable from the various kinds OF
prbbles, shells and small flirts found IN
rocks, that the earth is converted with Its
pebbles into solid rocks by some natural
process
Having promised these things--it is not
improbable that frogs and toads in their tor
Did state, have laid under cover since the
deluge in chalk till il was converted INTO
lime stone, and in dirt or mud, till it become
a solid rock !; where the temperature o.
their place of confinement was too low to
resuscitare them. The instant they are eX-
posed to the stimuli of the air, so ylvitylng
to newborn infants, they wake as from last
autumnal nap, and rejoice in The light OF
day and the warmth of the atmosphere.
-.-sa.ss.ssH.D- .--------
AMAA