1 806.] Settlemenl of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. 



439 



fjottom or cirtern of the well, and made 

 coiifiderably wider and more cxttnlivc 

 tU-xn the ihaft, that it might contain the 

 cieater quantity of water. The earth 

 was then dug to the depth of eight or 

 nine feet, or any depth which did not 

 endanger its falling in, when a large, 

 folid, green elm frame or kirb, coafiiling 

 of four pieces well and llron-ly jointed, 

 was placed around the aforclaid circum- 

 ference ; and oji the iummit of the ground 

 or weil another temporary frame of any 

 fort of wood ot' tolerable Itrengtli. Next 

 were fixed a proper quantity of itrong 

 flabs, foiuevvhat longer than the dillance 

 tetiveen the two kirhs; at one end of 

 which, behind the lower kirb, Hubs or 

 planks were placed, and ftroiii'Jy pegged, 

 or othenvife fViftencd to tlic upper kirb, 

 fo that the fliaft was lined with llabs or 

 planks. 



The workmen then began to wall ou 

 the lower kirb, until they had raifed their 

 work to the height of tiiree feet ; that 

 done, they dug u foot or tw(j lower, and 

 Avitli a mattock or pick-axe undermiued 

 the kirb, which immediately lank from 

 the fuperincumbent weight : the walling 

 was then continued to be raifed as before, 

 until it became necelfary to undermine 

 and fink the kirb again : fo they pro- 

 ceeded alternately to fink the bottom 

 and rail'e the wall, until the well was 

 funk to the defired depth, and complet- 

 ed. 



As the well fiiiks, it becomes necelVary 

 invariably to contract the fliaft within a 

 narrower compafs, and to lay fome of 

 the earth from the bottom betvveen the 

 walling and the folid ground, filling up 

 the vacuity by prefliiig in the earth clofe. 

 Thus a fafe foundation may be laid, and 

 a well funk confulcrably deeper, than 

 when a loofe foundation is to be made 

 after the water is found ; and if the 

 Mindlafs and other tackle hold hrm, the 

 workmen are ctiually falit as in laying a 

 floor. 



In order to avoid the confiderable ex- 

 pence of (inking wells, the inhabitants 

 of lome diftrii Is are content with fuch 

 water as they can prel'erve in cilterus, 

 and in ponds purpofely excavated, bot- 

 tomcfl and made wafer-tight with proper 

 bmdJiig materials. 'J'his refourco can, 

 however, be by no means equally certain 

 in very dry fcafons ; nor can the purity 

 of the water from artif:ciiii ponds bo 

 much d( peiided on for lioiiiel'tic ul'e: in 

 laft, wli.11 tliffe lalt become dry in u 

 very parching fcafon, a good deep well 

 Will be :i t(.'ruiin refouvee. l)r. Grew 



obfervcd, of old, that " foul water breeds 

 the pep in hens, and lice and fcabs io 

 kine." 



Autumn is the proper feaf(jn for dig- 

 ging and lining artificial ponds. The 

 moll ufeful is the bafon form, the fides 

 gradually llielving towards the centre or 

 deep. The lltuation of the pond iliould 

 be fuch, if poffible, as to receive contri- 

 butions of water from hit^her ground, or 

 from artilicial chauneis; and the extent 

 futficient to hold all the water which 

 may be expe(!led, or a communication 

 made with fomc other relervoir by an 

 outlet, kept conftantly clean and pervi- 

 ous. Chalk rammed hard, and covered 

 with a thick coat of gravel, is fometimes 

 found a futiicieatly fecure bottom for 

 thefe pools ; but in a loofe and pemou's 

 foil, to make a permanent refervoir, it 

 will be found nccefiary to clay and plafter 

 the bottom and llde^. Tiic clay for this 

 ufc ought to be ])ure, perfoinly tree from 

 flicks, llones, or dirt, and the coat from 

 three to iix inches in tliicknefs. Where 

 clay can be eafilv obtained, it may be 

 advantageous in the end to lay on two 

 coats, which mud be well rammed and 

 worked into perfect and impervious leaves 

 or Iheets, previouUy to liciiig covered 

 witii the platter, which alfo lliould be of 

 the bell materials. Clay by itfelf, and 

 undefended by plafter, will always crack 

 both from heat and froil, and will befides 

 be liable to the perforations of worms; 

 whence it is necelfary to lay a founda- 

 tion for it with lime, clinkers, uiitl coal- 

 allies, as well as to cover it with cement ; 

 tiie finiihing (Iroke is to defend the plaif- 

 tered clay from the tread of animals, in 

 the firll place with n coat of earth, and 

 lafily with a good fubftantial furface co- 

 vering of llones and rough binding gra- 

 vel. I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. 

 Aquakius. 



For the Mojit/ily Magazine. 



ACCOUNT of Me.SETTLEMK.XT ()/' l/ie AX- 



ci.o-SAXOxs in buitain. Ejt?-iifiai 

 and ti'unjlated from DANMAiiiv's iiis- 

 loniE Vid v. V. suiiM.* 



f TN the year oOl one Porta (uncertain 

 J. whether a Jute, an Angle, or a 



Saxon), with his two Ions, Beida and 



* Whiit was inferteJ under this article in 

 our number for September l.-.ft, uns taken 

 trom the f:jnie author, vol. i. p. .'jU2 305, 

 and p. .SOu-.'kiif. 



-J- In the inlcrtion of this article, p: 116- 



117 ot tlie Monthly Mai!;a2inc 'or September 



).iH-, the tbl'iiwing paflage has been omitted, 



o K. ii which 



