Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-05-23

top, and made prisoner oil part oil the wa
terry element between them and the next
adjoining abutment which through time
wore a passage through its prison walls,
and formed what we now call the beds OF
rivers, their falla, cataracts, &c. This
is further confirmed by the east sides OF
the mountains being nearly always more
s'oping than the west-the quiet state IN
which the water rested there, did not so
much favor a gradual accumulation as
the boisterous dashing of the waves to
the east-and as the water found its pas
sage, by wearing away channels through
the mountains, it receded quietly, with
out sccasioniug other unduIatious than
were made by the suction towards the
new channel. If exceptions be found to
this. it may be supposed to be owing to
several inland seas existing at the same
time, which, all in like manner, had the
impetuosity of their waves broken by the
land which eDyironed them on both sides.
This theory will hold good as to the rocky
mountains to the west. We cannot sup
pose tina, eddies, which take in but small
compass Of ocean, could make as rapid
sccumulations Of earth as could be formed
by direct current-therctore the noun
tains to the west approach near to the
margin Of the Pacific.
What have said of North, will be
equally applicable to South America
and think they we're once connected by
a wider tract of country than the isthmus
OF Darien, and had their intermediate sea
in common. The West India islands, or
what are now the West Indies, being a
continuation of, and connection between
the Alleghauies and Andes; till some
great convslsion Of nature sunk them all
but their highest SUBMITS, which now
project out of the sea in all the ragged
Leiormity, or if you will, romantic gran
deul Of mountains tops. Or, another
conjecture may De risked here, as P'oba.
BILE conjecture is all that we can advance
on this head. The trade winds, which
occasioned correspondent current in
the sea, might have worn away the sell
on the eastern side Of the mountains, at
this part; the imprisoned ocean, an1-
ious to find IFS level, there wore its way
from the west, and the long parted bro
theirs again mutually emb aced. One, or
perhaps. beth oil these causes, must have
contributed to the draining Of the west
ern country, or thar tract Of land between
the two first named ledge. OF mountains.
lido not SUPPOSE the whole Of the land
to be at once drained of its water, but to
be done gradually as resistancss were
wors away. In fact, great deal is yet
to be done-the immense lakes which
bind Us to the north and north est, are
in time to be drained By the same era
dual process, and are now in places, ma.
king visible advances that way.
Here, then, nature assumed 4 different
aspect, aud new element assumed the
ascendency. Rivers had to make for
themselves channels, and wind, in SER
pen,ine directions, through immense
fields Of mud incredible marine and We
gitable putreiaction took place, which
must have v;tiated the air 20 a great dis
tance-tIl the invigorating influence OF
the sun, aided in producing new coat
of verdure, which here found more
conseuial soil, than it had in the barren
sand to the east of the mountains. -
According to this theory, the fertility
Of the western country may be account
ed for. As mentioned before, The inland
sea must have been in measurabiy qul'
escent state--this occasioned an increas-
ed deposition OF ali the saline and earthly
PARTICLES which might have come into
contact with the water, which covered
its bottom with mud in the place OF sand
aud must have multiplied to an amazing
degree the stock Of marine animals, VIII"
there left their putrid bodies when the