n_,
meles l'un et l'autre de _coquilles_
dans plusieurs couches.

142 pieds.--Soit la plus grande profondeur,
ou s'est manifestee la _presence_
de la mer.

49.---_Argille_ dure sans melange de
coquilles, soit que ce soit une
couche _argilleuse continentale,_
ou les premiers depots des
fleuves; ce qu'il est difficile de
Determiner.

191 pieds.

13.---Sable mele de pierres; qui est
enfin surement le _sol_ vierge
continental.

28.---Sable pur; continental encore;
car j'ai remarque partout
dans la _Geest_, que c'est
dans la couche superieure, a
une petite profondeur que se
trouvent les pierres; au-dessous
le _sable_ est pur.

232 pieds.--C'est a cette profondeur, ou
dans la masse de ces deux dernieres
couches, que se trouva
l'eau douce, et par consequent
le vrai _sol continental_."

The light that we have from this pit which has been made in the soil,
according to my view of the subject, is this, that here is the depth of
232 feet in travelled soil, and no solid bottom found at this distance
from the surface or level of the sea. How far this depth may be from the
bottom of these travelled materials is unknown; but this is certain,
that all that depth, which has been sunk, had been filled up with those
materials[13].

[Footnote 13: An interesting map for the use of natural history would be
made by tracing the places (behind this country of loose or travelled
soil) where the solid strata appear above the level of the sea. We
should be thus able to form some notion of the quantity of materials
which had been deposited in the water of this sea. But, though we might
thus enlarge our views a little with regard to the transactions of time
past, it would only be in a most imperfect manner that we would thus
form a judgment; for, not knowing the quantity of sand and mud carried
out by the currents from the German sea into the Atlantic, we could only
thus perceive a certain minimum, which is perhaps a little portion of
the whole.]

It will thus appear of what unstable materials is composed the land of
that temporary country. It will also be evident, that, by removing
the sand banks of this coast, the whole of this low country would be
swallowed by the sea, notwithstanding every effort that the power of man
could make. But it may be alledged, that those sand banks are increasing
still with the alluvion of Germany, instead of being in a decreasing
state. I sh