ON WATER. 169 



" therefore, (or islands, as the case may re- 

 " quire,) in such a situation as I have pro- 

 " posed, with banks higher than those of the 

 " head, abrupt in parts, with trees projecting 

 " sideways over the water, by boldly advanc- 

 " ing itself to the eye, by throwing back the 

 " line of the head, and showing only part of 

 " it, would form an apparent termination of 

 " a perfectly new character ; and so disguise 

 " the real one, that no one could tell, when 

 " viewing it from the many points whence 

 " such island would have its effect, which was 

 " the head, or where the water was likely to 

 " end. 



" In forming and planting these islands, I 

 " should proceed much in the same manner 

 " as in forming the outline of the other 

 " banks. I should stake out the general 

 " shape, not keeping to any regular figure, 

 " and then direct the labourers to heap up 

 " the earth as high as I meant it should be, 

 " without levelling or shaping it, making 

 " allowance for its sinking, and reserving 

 " always the best mould for the top. In the 

 " course of heaping up the earth without 

 " sloping it, a great deal will fall beyond the 

 " stakes, and would unavoidably give some- 



