148 EXCURSION TO EASTBURY AND BRISTOL IN 1767. 



discouraged by this disheartining circumstance resolvd to back 

 the head with piles in hopes that they might hinder it from 

 sinking any further. This he did with trees 23 feet in Lengh, 

 which he drove down with an Engine constructed for the 

 purpose, at the same time taking account of the quantity of 

 Earth that sunk by measuring the hight of what he layd on. 

 His piles did no manner of service. The earth continued to 

 sink, and now he found the feild about twenty yards below where 

 they were drove in began to rise, raising with it trees, particularly 

 an Ash and an Oak, each of them Containing some tons of 

 timber. The top also Crackd into deep chasms, plainly shewing 

 that it was raisd by some lower stratum which the weight of the 

 head forcd under it. M r Stert still perseverd. After some time 

 his head began to rise and was then very soon compleated. The 

 Quantity that had sunk was then cast up, and it was found that 

 the head had sunk 87 feet, beside what was Lost before they 

 even guessd at the Cause which hinderd them from raising it. 

 The Soil on which the head was erected has not been examind 

 deep, but what has been seen is Sandy Gravel, under which is a 

 solid blue Clay containing most singular impressions of fish, 

 resembling them by M r Stert's account most exactly, not only in 

 shape, but in a silvery Colour like that of fish, very thinly spread 

 over them as the whole interior was clay. In that however was 

 the prints of their bones. They were of several sorts, but 

 cheifly whitings and Dories, very plainly to be distinguish^ . 

 They were so much impregnated with Vitriolick Salt that they 

 could not be preservd. Several that M r Stert carefully brought 

 home wasted in Less than 1 2 hours. 



From hence we returnd to dine at Critchill. The house there 

 is pretty good, much more chearfully situate than the other ; a 

 great deal of the best Planted Oak. I have seen one of them, 

 nine feet in circumference, carrying up, I dare say, fifty feet of 

 Boll. M rs Stert keeps here several kinds of Birds and animals, 

 particularly a Sanguin which she has had a year. It lives con- 

 stantly in a small Deal box filld with wool and hay, had no 

 particular care taken of it. Here is also a favourite of a very 



