ON THE PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE HUMBER. 37 



at Hessle and Barton, where the chalk appears* ; at Brough and Whittnn, 

 where we have the lias ; and at Paiill, where a fine bed of gravel exists. 

 Where the alluvial formation exists on the shores of the Huniber, it also ex- 

 tends, more or less, for several miles inland; and from observations I have 

 made, I find that the average level of the surface of the shores of the Hum- 

 ber is about the average surface rise of all tides, and that the average fall of 

 tides below the surface of the land is about 17 feet. 



I may remark here, that we find land in the Vale of the Humber much 

 lower than that immediately adjoining its shores; for instance, the Sutton 

 and Waghen Carrs, where changes have taken place very different to any 

 that we find in other low districts. Being engaged in drainage works on 

 these Carrs, I had an opportunity more particularly of noticing the pecu- 

 liarities of the district. The upper surface is peat, to the depth of 2 or 

 3 feet ; and below this, to a considerable depth, occurs a dense mass of 

 trees of almost every description, but particularly alders, yews, and other 

 varieties, which it is impossible could have grown and flourished in swamps. 

 Some were erect as when growing, but the greater portion were lying in 

 every possible position. Some were in so perfectly sound a condition, as to 

 be capable of being converted into walking-sticks, while others fell to dust 

 on being exposed to the air. The only conclusion that I can come to is, 

 that this district was once high land, but by some great convulsion of nature, 

 the whole had settled down to its present level, and for a long period of time 

 formed an extensive lake. These Carrs were not thoroughly drained until 

 1835. That the tides of the Humber extended over a much greater surface 

 at one period of time than they do now, there is not a doubt ; for during the 

 operation of cutting some of our large drains, which discharge into the Hum- 

 ber, the tidal deposits were very obvious ; and I would particularly allude 

 to the Holderness drain, some of the works of which I have just referred to, 

 and which discharges itself into the Humber at Marfleet. The section in 

 this drain was most remarkable in illustration of the fact. 



The Humber is not only important as a navigation, but it is also the great 

 outlet or natural drain of a very extensive portion of England, receiving the 

 waters of the Trent, the Ouse, and other rivers and streams ; and the low 

 point to which the tide falls, gives facilities for the perfect and natural drain- 

 age of nearly all the land in its vicinity ; for we have comparatively little 

 land the surface of which is not above low-water mark ; and I can state with 

 confidence, that were the drains of sufficient capacity, and their beds and 

 sluices placed low enough, we have no lands in the neighbourhood of the 

 Humber, or any part of the East Riding of Yorkshire, that might not be per- 

 fectly drained. At the present moment there are districts of many thousands 

 of acres, within a few miles of Hull, utterly disgraceful to the present state of 

 science and agriculture. I need only name the neighbourhood of the Market 

 Weighton Canal, and the Vale of the Foulney, which might be perfectly 

 drained at a comparatively small cost per acre. 



Great changes have taken place, and are now taking place on the shores 

 of the Humber. In some districts large tracts of land have been encroached 

 upon by the tide, and have totally disappeared, whi st in other parts con- 

 siderable accretions are forming. 



• The chalk at Hessle appears above high-water. At the entrance of the Humber Dock at 

 Hull it is 1 10 feet below the surface. At the " Cato " Mill, a quarter of a mile north of the 

 entrance of the old dock, it is about 64 feet below the surface. At Mr. Hodge's mill, a mile 

 north-east from the north bridge on the Holderness road, and three-quarters of a mile from 

 the bank of the Humber, it is 84 feet below the surface ; and at Sunk Island Church it is 110 

 feet below the surface. A section of a boring made at this place by Easton and Amos in 184J 

 is shown in PI. II. 



