and various Ways extend themselves into divers Countries where they have different Names. In the Dukedom of Brunfwic they retain_fomething of their antient Name, being called Der Hark; Mount Bruderus is a Part of this Ridge. PROPOSITION II. In most Ilands, and Parts of the Continent that run out into the Sea, the Ridges of Mountains are fo fituated as to take their Course thro' the middle of them, and divide them into two Parts. IN Scotland the Grampian Mountain (or Granfbain as the Inhabitants call it) runs from Weft to Eaft tho' the middle of this Peninfula; and divides it into two Parts, which very much differ both in the Nature of the Soil, and the Inhabitants. So in the Islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Luconia, Celebes, Cuba, Hifpaniola, &c. Chains of Mountains are found which arise gradually to a great Height, from the Sea-Shore to the Inland Parts. THUS the Mountain Gate, in India, begins at the Extremity of Mount Caucafus, and reaches to Cape Comorin; whereby the Peninfula of India is divided, from North to South, into two Parts, whereof that Part which lies on this Side Gate, towards the Weft, is called Malabar; and the other beyond the Mountain towards the Eaft is called Cormandel. Part of the fame Ridge of Mountains is also stretched out into that Part of India which is now called Bengal, and from thence thro' Pegu, Siam, to the extream Parts of Malacca. THERE is the like Ridge of Mountains in the Peninsula of Cambaya, and in the Island, or Peninfula, of California; alfo in the procurrent Parts of Africa, there is a Ridge which reaches from from the Morass of Zaire to the Cape of Good-Hope. In Italy there are the Apennine Mountains; and the like in Corea, &c. AS to the Origin of these Ridges, whether they are of the fame Date with the Earth, or were afterwards generated from natural Caufes, is uncertain (a). PRO is to acquaint us, that all Land Creatures whatever, • Both Men, Quadrupeds, • Birds, and Infects, perished, (a) The learned Dr Wood- • His Intention, in the whole, 'ward, in his Effay abovemen• tioned Page 280, proves, 'that there were Rivers as well as Sea in the Antediluvian • Earth, from the great quantities of River-Shells that were then brought forth, and left inclofed among others in the • Strata of Stone, &c. And if there were Rivers, there ⚫ muft needs also have been • Mountains; for they will not ⚫ flow unless upon a Declivity, • and their Sources be raifed a⚫bove the Earth's ordinary Sur• face, fo that they may run upon a Descent. Mofes alfo, treating upon the Deluge, faith in Gen. vii. 19. &c. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high bills that were under the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward, did the waters prevail; " and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died: all in whofe noftrils was the • breath of life. Here he plainly makes thefe Antediluvian Mountains the Standards and Measures of the Rife of the Water; which they could ⚫ never have been, had they not ⚫ been standing when it did fo rife and overpower the Earth. and were destroyed by the • Water; Noab, only excepted, and they that were with him in the ark. And at the fame Time to let us fee the • Truth and Probability of the Thing: to convince us there ' was no Way for any one to escape, and particularly that none could fave themfelves by climbing up to the Tops of the Mountains that thenwere, he affures us that they, even the higheft of them, were all covered and buried under 'Water. Now to say that there was then no Mountains and that this is meant of • Mountains that were not for'med 'till afterwards, makes it not intelligible, and indeed • hardly common Sense.' Thus far Dr Woodward. But at the univerfal Deluge, the Mountains in general were defaced, levelled, and diffolved, as it were, and promiscuously mixed with the Waters, which ranfacked and tore up their very Foundations, fo as to make one common confufed Mass. Therefore these Mountains of our pre fent PROPOSITION III. To enumerate the Mountains famous for their Height. 1. THE Pike of Teneriff, which the Inhabitants call Pico de Terraira, is accounted the highest Mountain in the World; and it's Top is plainly perceived at Sea 60 Miles before we come up to it, as was faid in the preceding Chapter. There is no afcending it but in the Months of July and Auguft, for at other Times it is covered with Snow, tho' there is never any feen in the rest of the Ifland, or in the neighbouring Canaries. It's Top doth plainly appear to be above the Clouds, which are often feen to furround the middle Part; but because it is ufually covered with Snow, it is certainly, not elevated above the middle Region of the Air. It requires three Days to afcend this Mountain, whofe Vertex is not fharp-pointed but plain; from whence, on a clear Day, one may fee diftinctly the reft of the Canaries, tho' fome of them are fifty Miles remote from it. In the two Months abovemention'd great Quantities of fulphureous Stones are dug out of the Side of this Mountain, and carried into Spain. Scaliger writes, that this Mountain continually vomited out burn fent Earth, are not the fame with the Antediluvian Mountains, but were formed at the Deluge, out of the confufed Heaps of feveral forts of Matter, which (when the Caufe of the general Devaftation ceased) began to curdle as it were, and fettle in innumerable Forms and Shapes; fome extending themfelves into long Ridges, others into round and rugged Shapes; juft as the fubfiding Waters happened to dafh out, or pile up, their Particles, by washing and hollowing their Sides, or carrying the loose and unfettled Earth, towards the Drains and Sluices which were naturally formed to carry the Water downward to the Ocean. How the Antediluvian Mountains were formed see Chapter vii. Note (ƒ) above. ing ing Coals formerly (b). I am ignorant from what Author he had it, and never found any fuch Thing in those I have read. 2. IN one of the Azores, or western Islands, near the Ifland Fayal, there is found a Mountain called the Pike of St George, from whence the Island itfelf is called Pico. It is faid to be as high as the Pike of Teneriff, or fomething higher. 3. THE Ridge of the Cordileras, or Andes, in South-America, which separates Peru from other Countries, is one of the vastest and highest Mountains in the World. It is extended from the Streights of Magellan to Panama. 4. ETNA, a Mountain in Sicily; when it cafteth forth Fire the Sparks are feen from the Island of Malta, from whence it is fuppofed to be at least a [German] Mile high; but that this is a Deception of Sight we have fhewed in the preceding Chapter. 5. HECLA a Mountain in Iceland. 6. PICO de Adam in the Inland of Ceylon. 7. MOUNT Bruterus and Abnoba in Germany. 8. MOUNT Figenojamma in Japan is thought to reach above the Clouds. 9. MOUNT Caucafus was thought to be of an incredible Height by the Antients. (b) It is very likely this Mountain might burn formerly, for there is a Crater, or Tunnel, on the Top, that produceth a fort of fulphureous Earth, which, being rolled up long-ways, and put to a Candle, will burn like Brimftone; and feveral Places upon the Ledges of the Pike are even now burning or fmoaking; and in fome Places, if you turn up the Stones, you will find very fine Brimftone, or Sulphur, fticking to them. Alfo at the Bottom there are Stones which fhine, and look like Drofs that comes out of a Smith's Forge; which, without Doubt, was occafioned by the extream Heat of the Place they came from. This is teftified by Mr Edens who made a Journey thither in the Year 1715, which fee in Philof. Tranf. No. 345. Page 317. 10. PELION 10. PELION [now Petras] a Mountain in Macedonia. Pliny fays, that the Mathematician Dicearchus Siculus measured this Mountain by the Command, and at the Expence, of fome Princes, and found it to be 1250 Paces, that is 10 Furlongs, or of a German Mile: and Geminus tells us, that the fame Dicearchus found the Mountain Cyllene to be of the fame Altitude. 11. MOUNT Athos was thought by Mela to be fo high as to rise above the highest Clouds, and therefore never to be rained upon. This Opinion had it's Rife from the Ashes which were left upon the Altars, erected at the Top of it, being not washed away, but found upon a Heap as they had been left. It runs out with a long Ridge into the Sea. Xerxes, when he made his Expedition to Greece, cut thro' this Mountain in that Place where it is joined to the Continent, and let the Sea in at the Breach, whereby it was made navigable. 12. MOUNT Olympus in leffer Afia, of which we have treated in the preceding Chapter. 13. CASIUS [now Lifon] a Mountain in Afia, which is faid by Pliny to the four Miles high. 14. MOUNT Hamus [now Balkan] is faid by Martianus Capella to be fix Miles high. 15. THE Rock of Sifimethra, Strabo tells us, was found to be fifteen Furlongs high; and the Rock Sodiane twice the Height. 16. MOUNT Atlas in Africa, which we fpoke of before. The Poets feigned it fo high, that it fupported the Heavens upon it's Shoulders; but Experience hath taught us that it's Height is not fo very confiderable. PRO |