"In the shallow parts of many Swiss lakes, where there is a depth of no more than from 5 to 15 feet of water, ancient wooden piles are observed at the bottom sometimes worn down to the surface of the mud, sometimes projecting slightly above it."
Charles Lyell was a Scottish geologist whose work helped establish modern geology. His Principles of Geology argued for gradual geological processes over vast periods of time. Lyell's ideas strongly influenced scientific thinking in the 19th century, including Charles Darwin.