By the Rev. Canon Jackson, F.S.A. 287 
drown every living thing in the upper part of the vale, A regiment 
of Sappers and Miners would do it in twenty-four hours. 
Having so far referred to what is curious in the water of your 
vale I now come to 
TI. Tue Lanp. 
It struck me at the time of the “ Wiltshire Mancuvres” a few 
years ago, as an interesting circumstance, that the river Wyly should 
be fixed upon as the line to be contested by the opposing forces ; 
the invader endeavouring to cross it, the defender doing his best to 
prevent him; because, in taking a general survey of the valley of 
the Wyly, it seems likely that some contest of a similar kind, only 
a real one, may have taken place agesago. I happened to be present 
at the closing struggle—the ‘ Battle of Codford,” and was amused 
when it was all over, at seeing H.R H. The Commander-in-Chief 
muster all the officers of his staff about him to receive his observa- 
tions, within one of our old earthen rings, on the top of the hill. It 
was a very suitable place, and I could not help thinking at the time 
there is history repeating itself. What could all those great en- 
campments on the left bank of the Wyly—Battlesbury, Scratchbury, 
Yarnbury, and the rest of them—be there for, except to defend the 
passage of the Wyly, and prevent some real invader? It may have 
been so, or it may not; but here are the mighty camps still left, 
and these certainly were not made for nothing. There were camps 
also on the right bank, as at Langford and Grovely. The river 
Wyly may have been a boundary line of conquest. 
Some think that these hills, girt with earthen banks, were never 
: permanent camps, but only temporary places of refuge for the people 
and their cattle to fly to for safety against roving and hostile tribes. 
_ Bat whatever they were, one thing about them must strike every- 
body: viz., where did the ‘people get water from? for such a thing 
_ as a well is now very rarely to be seen within them, and whenever 
found, must be of very great depth. Take for instance Cley Hill, 
close to you. It is what geologists call an “ outlier,” that is, a hill 
_ standing outside of, and apparently (though not in reality) cut off 
from the great field of chalk to which it belongs. Its name “ Cley ” 
VOL, XVII.—NO. LI. * x 
