An old Canoe from the -Irivell Valley. 243 



On an old Canoe recently found in the Irwell Valley, 

 near Barton, with observations on Pre-historic 

 Chat Moss. By Mr. Alderman W. H. Bailey. 



{Received May i^-th, i88g.) 



Where Found. 



The old Canoe, which I will endeavour to describe, was 

 found a few days ago in the Irwell Valley in the sand at 

 the cuttings of the Manchester Ship Canal, exactly one 

 mile west of Brindley's Aqueduct at Barton. It is some- 

 what interesting to note that the discoverer was Lady 

 Egerton, who happened to be passing at the time with a 

 party of friends who were inspecting the works. Her 

 ladyship called attention to the black-looking object in the 

 sand which a steam navvy had partially uncovered, and 

 said that in her opinion it was an old canoe. This surmise 

 proved to be correct, and it is only proper to place this 

 fact on record. 



The river Irwell is 400 feet distant from the site of the 

 old boat ; the river bed is about 1 5 feet above the level 

 where it was found ; the boat had over it 6 feet of surface 

 soil, and about 20 to 22 feet of sand. (See section, 

 Fig. I.) 



It will be seen from the map (Fig. 2) that in the vicinity 

 the river has a very tortuous course, and, many years ago, 

 in order to improve the navigation, the two feet of a figure 

 like the letter " M " were coupled together, and the distance 

 was thus shortened by what is called "Stickings Cut." 



It will also be seen from the map that the position of 

 the canoe was about halfway between Chat Moss and 

 Carrington Moss from North to South. 



