Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

ON THE DELUGE. 661 Partly referring to such indefinite periods as we have been discussing, — and partly to reasoning unaided by revelation, some geologists have said that there were successive creations, at intervals of vast duration. They have imagined an age in which only the ' so-called' lowest orders of animated creatures existed,* an age of fishes, an age of reptiles, an age of mam- malia, and an age in which man appeared : statements which have obtained much attention. Fossil fishes and shell mol- lusca-f- have been found in coal measures, and in subjacent formations : — how could this have happened if vegetables had been produced first ; then swept away and converted into coal, and that afterwards the lower orders of animals had appeared ? We know that the fossil plants of the coal formations are simi- lar in structure to vegetables now growing on the earth, which cannot flourish without warmth, and the light of the sun. Vegetation was produced on the third day, the sun on the fourth. If the third day was an age, how was the vegetable world nourished? But anomalies such as these appear to be endless in most geological theories : I will leave them for the present and continue my course. Jews, who perform their worship in Hebrew, and are naturally at least as much interested in the Old Testament as any people, use and prefer our authorised English translation. * In classing one order of creatures above or below others, we may perhaps consider them as they appear to our apprehension, in com- parison with others, but we must beware of thinking them more or less imperfect. Every creature is perfectly adapted to the condition and locality for which it is designed, and absolutely perfect (speaking gene- rally). Some that are intended to live in the dark ; or some that are to exist under pressure ; may at first sight appear to us imperfect; perhaps shapeless, unsightly objects : but, after examination into their natural history, our hasty remark is succeeded by expressions of astonishment at such wonderful arrangements of Providence as are shewn — even in the most shapeless sea slug. Multitudes of creatures exist now, especially in the sea, quite as ap- parently imperfect as those of the so called lowest order of animated creation, whose impressions are found in solid rocks. There may also be animals in deep waters that could not exist except under pressure. + Rhind, Keith, Lyell, Sjc^