164 On the Agitafions of the Lal-c of Dtrzrenl U^dti'y 



and as little nndcrfiood by others ;is the moving of the waters 

 dt'the pool of R^ethdUa.-'-I mean the agitation of the lake of 

 Derwent water, and its floatiiig iilartds. IVnnant fays, the 

 water of Dervvent \vut«.r is f.ibjc£l to violent agitations, and 

 often without any ajipar<;nt caufe, as was the cafe this dav : 

 the weather was cahii, yet'the waves ran a grv-al height, and 

 the boat was tolled violctitly with what the people in the neigh- 

 bourhood called a hoftovi luuid. Dalton j'a\ s, Darwenl lake 

 is agitated at certain times during a calm feafon, by fome un- 

 known eaufe. Mr. Crofslh'vvaile has been ailiduous in ob- 

 fervins: any circnnidanec that mitt;lu lead to a difcovery of 

 the caufe; but his refult is, that nothing has occurred yet to 

 tbrow light on the fubjetl. lie then gives various date* 

 when the lake was diilurhed ; amongit the leit he fays, 



Aug. 9, 1789, The hike in very great agitation, white 

 breakers upon larsze waves, 6rc. without 

 wind. 



Get. 1792. The watermtrch agitated. 

 Mv informant, a boatnian of the name of "\Valker, favs he 

 has frequented the lake for about 27 years, and heard of per- 

 haps 13 idands, though previous to that time for ao years 

 none bad appeared. One rofc lafl year, and two this vcar, 

 which came up within Iwo days of each ollitr. The firlt 

 rofe the uth of September^ and part i'lmk the 27111 of liie 

 fame month. Sometimes one comes up and is down again in 

 24 hours, and fometimes they Itay two months. One of 

 tbem in the year 1798 ^vas- 180 vards long, 50 yards wide, 

 and (laid at the top of the water (Ix weeks. One was pierced, 

 and found feven yards thick. They frcquentlv burfl, and are 

 rent fo wide, that boats can fail up and land pafl'engers at ti)e 

 edtjes of them, to walk about on tlie illanu. One was a foot 

 high perpendicular of IfuiJ al*n'c the level of the water. 

 Tliey are connecled always by one lide to the graffy turf at the 

 edges of the lake. When, within a few days after iheir firft 

 apjiearance, a pole is run thrci' to fix feet into them, and 

 drawn out again, the air for feveval feconds bubbles up like 

 a pot boiling violently ; a fmell arifes like gunpowder, and it 

 has been Yaid that v.i;h a candle you might light a bottlc-fuil 

 that was once colle<!Ted. I was this day rowed ic oiie, a partof 

 which continued above the water, which grailually deepened 

 all round it, and found itof an oval Ihape, about, lo yards by 

 live yards. The top was a fine (inn mud, tiiick fet v.'uh a 

 young aquatic plant I did hot know. VVe pulhed the boat- 

 hook about fjur feet into it. The firft parr, about two feet, 

 appeared all mud, then lefs firm, and full of par;iid!y-deca%'ed 

 leaves and roots of trees and plants; the water bubbled ct^hm- 



a f. . ■ 



