LAN DS . I pretend not: to defend any particular hypothefis relative to the
theory o f the earth; but, j f we call our eyes on the two hemi-
fpheres o f our globe, fu'ch as they are known fince our laft voyage,
they feem to offer fome curious particulars to our view.
A ll the remarkable Southern points o f lands- on: our globe, ;have
a great and linking fimilarity in regard to their conformation, and
the fituation; o f iflands in their vicinity. Th e y are all high and
rocky; each feems to be the extremity o f a range o f high mountains
running northward. A l l have to the eallward one or more:
large iflands. Nay, i f w e continue the comparifon, all continents
have a great finuofity on the welt-fide towards the north. So many
coinciding circumftances feem, not to be merely accidental, but
rather to proceed from one and the fame general caufe.. - I do not
pretend to point out this' firlt caufe, but cannot help fufpedtihg,
that a violent flood coming from the. fouth-weft has produced this
Itriking identity of conformation in thefe lands, though I can neither
point out the time when this great revolution happened, nor
aflign any reafon for its operating in this manner. It fuffices to have
mentioned the fait, and hinted at the next caufe, without any- of-
tentation.
America has the Andes running front the South, to the North,
and ending in Cape Froward, nay, extending even beyond the
Freight to Cape Horn. Th e finuofity on its Welt-fide is evident
about
about the tropic o f Capricorn, and to the Eaft of its South-point l a n d s .
are Tierra del Fuego, Staten Land, and the Falkland Iflands.
Africa, on its Weft coaft, has a great finuofity to the North oF
the Line. T h e high rocks o f its Southern extremity at the Cape
o f Good Hope are continued by a long range o f high mountains' running
in the dire&ion o f North Eaft from the Cape.' Madagafcar, and
feveral final! iflands, are to the Eaft or North-Eaft. o f its Southern
extremity..
Afia terminates at Cape Comorin in a high, rocky point, formed
by the extremity o f a chain o f the mountains, o f Gatte : beyond
Cambaya, towards the river Sind, there is a finuofity fimilar to thole
already mentioned and- on the Eaft-fide of Cape Comorin, is the
ifland of Ceylon.
Neiu-Hollarid has a high rocky point bn its Southern extremity,
which, according to the accounts of Tafinan and our laft navigators,
feems to be continued in a feries of mountains extending a good way
up .to the North. Whofoever calls a glance on- Africa and New-
Holland, mull, upon, the whole, be flruck with the fimilarity o f
their general outlines; the finuofity to the Weft being-very remarkable
in "both : and Eallward of New-Holland are the two large,
iflands, which form New-Zeeland..
Se c t .