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feet above the level of high-water mark. But as many of them are far higher, we must resort to some other principle for effecting this purpose. And this is the action of a subterraneous elevating force. How this, and its effects, have been overlooked by all the scientific navigators among these islands, it is not for me to explain: how geologists in particular have neglected that which offers more demonstrable and tangible assistance in explaining all the revolutions of the earth, than any thing which exists, they must themselves say; but how it is connected with these, and, more immediately, with the elevations of Italy, it is my business to show. I have already said that Tongataboo is ten feet above the high-water mark ; and even this is a greater elevation than can be produced by the action of the sea; supposing too that all the surface consisted of fragments, and not of perfect corals, unable to rise a single inch above the highest level of the water. But in many of these islands, the corals, with all their characters perfect, are found at elevations many hun dred feet above this. I need not say that the ocean could not have been depressed by this quantity, or could not have stood so much higher than it does at present. To suppose this, is for those who dispose of oceans at their pleasure. The island itself must have therefore been elevated. But independently of this reasoning, there are sufficient proofs of such elevation visible. And the causes to which this is owing, are easily traced, however they may have been neglected. They have acted on the bottom of the ocean, so as to have effected the changes necessary for the production of these results ; and they have consisted in volcanic powers. In many places, there is no difficulty in