THE ESSEX KIKr.l) CI.Ui;. 



147 



miiinly due to the agency of man, who so freely exercised his destructive powers 

 close by 



On making a circuit of the workings Mr. Cole was startled at finding, coiled 

 up at the foot of the shaft in " No. 2 " pit, (Fig. 3) a poor dog in almost the last 

 stages of starvation. It was carefully tended and brought to the surface, and fed 

 cautiously, and is now recovered. Curiously enough, it was not thirsty ; it 

 must, have obtained water either from rain trickling down the shaft or by licking 

 the moist surfaces of the chalk. 



Gravel 



Thantt 



^itTid 



Chilk-^ -~ 



Orouvfl-J^lan 



S. Shaft 



Fig. 3.— Denehole (" No. 2 ") in Hangman's Wood, Essex. .See Trans. E.F.C., vol. iii.. p. 54, 

 and IVoc. iii , p xxxvi. .?, Shaft. Scale 40 feet 10 an inch. 



But few members came down on the Friday, and after a hard day's work in 

 clearing the shaft of No. 3 and making a landing-stage in that pit, the works 

 were left for the night. 



Early on Saturday the pits were lighted up by candles, and cards numbered 

 according to the plan were prepared and placed in the various pits by Mr. 

 Crouch and Mr. Sheldon. A liberal supply of magnesium wire was also pro- 

 vided for better showing up the more interesting features of the chambers, the 

 various details of which were explained to the visitors by one or other of the 

 directors throughout the day. Mr. Wire took some photographs of the best pits, 



L 2 



