74 
of the Neddern, to the S. of the old walls. A few more feet 
of water, and might it not be possible for boats to come up close 
to them, as tradition asserts once was the case in Roman times? 
Leaving the main road at Crick—the etymology of which 
word Mr. Jones considered to be Carreg,* and not in any way 
connected with Crik or Creek—a vicinal way was followed to 
the south, leading to Portskewet. The cropping up of Mountain 
Limestone on the left, with its wooded spurs and retreating 
coombes, forms a portion of the picturesque estate of Ballan, 
recently purchased by Mr. Walker, the distinguished contractor 
of the Severn Tunnel works, whose house was passed on the 
right hand Having landed Mr. Jones at the rectory, not before 
very hearty thanks were returned to him for his courtesy and 
kindly guidance during the morning, the members, having 
nothing to detain them in the village of Portskewet as they had 
visited it last year, found themselves landed rather earlier than 
was expected at the Black Rock hotel. The two hours before 
lunch were most profitably spent by an inspection of the G.W.R. 
pumping works, under the guidance of Mr. Hosken. Some of 
those who were not present during the visit of the Club last year 
went down the pumping shaft, and saw the water of the great 
spring rushing by beneath their feet, looked in upon the magni- 
ficent pumps, doing their work so noiselessly and efficiently, the 
many boilers, and the revolving fan. How few realise, whilst 
speeding through the tunnel so easily and comfortably, how 
much is going on above ground to insure their safety! whilst 
others, under the guidance of Mr. Beetlestone (Mr. Walker's 
deputy), were conducted to a quarry adjoining, where recently, 
whilst excavating sand, a very curious geological feature had been 
disclosed. After clearing away the top heading of gravel and 
sand, some 10ft. thick—apparently from the nature of its 
* Crick is a corruption of Crig derived from Carreg, a stone. Crig, 
cairn (Scotch), carn (Welsh) = heap of stones. 
