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elevated — (the mistake as to depth, if any, cannot be greater) — I have not, at 

 present, the means of ascertaining. 



There are various theories entertained with regard to this singular region ; 

 but the most reasonable supposition appears to be this : that, in the olden times, 

 some vast stream must have flowed through these tracts ; that its course, on some 

 occasion, must have been impeded by an accumulation of fallen trees, (whether a 

 sudden or a gradual accumulation it is now difficult to determine, though probably 

 impetuously carried down by some storm and flood) ; its outlet being thus obstruct- 

 ed, the natural consequence was the overflowing of the low land in its vicinity ; and 

 the water was, in all probability, prevented from running off into the sea again by 

 such low eminences as still exist and now are useful to keep out the tide in the Trent 

 from forcing its way, in its turn, over the land inside. The deluge of this river 

 probably remained for some considerable time, until, at length, some obstruction was 

 removed from staying its onward course ; and when it retired it left an accumula- 

 tion of soil, such as a river will always bring down, upon the previously levelled 

 surface which the action of the sea (u e. on the supposition that the sea was the 

 first invader) had already prepared for its reception. Whether it was the sea 

 that prepared it thus, as I have supposed, for the overflowing of the river — or the 

 overflowing of the river for the irruption of the sea — is more than I can take upon 

 me to assert. 



All the substratum of this tract is a very black and rich looking soil, and is no 

 doubt an amalgamation of vegetable matter ; but it, as well as the superjacent 

 earth, is poor and unproductive ; though, with plenty of manure, when well culti- 

 vated, it will produce a very fair average crop. Much of the wood below the 

 surface has a thin coating of a bright indigo-blue colour. I am entirely at a loss 

 even to guess as to what it can owe its formation. 



The Level of Hatfield Chase, was first drained by a Dutchman, on the plan of 

 the dykes used in the low countries of Holland for keeping out the sea. I have 

 in my possession some bones of animals, which were dug out of one of these 

 dykes, which I have not alluded to, doubting whether, though found at con- 

 siderable depth underneath the slough, they might not have sunk gradually into 

 it, having been cast in there at some comparatively recent period. One is a large 

 thigh-bone, apparently of a horse ; the other, I imagine, the skull of a deer. On 

 inspecting the latter again rather more minutely, I discovered, in one of the orifices 

 for the arteries, a beautifully perfect shell, nearly hidden in the hollow, but which 

 I safely extricated in an entire state. This probably may, in some measure, cor- 

 roborate the original supposition, as to their having been deposited coeval with the 

 inundation of water. I will only add, that the word Chase signifies a forest, 

 which is in favour of my first conclusion, that this tract formerly wore a similar 

 appearance to Cranborne Chase, in Dorsetshire, and many others. 



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