510 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



said to have occurred as often as once in seven years, and the 

 years so late as 1808 and 1825 were marked by great floods. In 

 1230, 100,000 persons are reported to have perished, with cattle 

 innumerable. In 1410, 20,000 persons were drowned ; and in 

 1570 an equal number. In 1717, the flood is reported to have 

 destroyed 12,000 men, 6000 houses, and 80,000 cattle. The sea 

 has been known, in some cases, to have risen eight feet above 

 the dikes. These events are certainly among the most tremen 

 dous in history, and evince the extraordinary courage and per 

 severance of a people, who again repel the merciless invader, 

 and bravely plant themselves directly upon the recovered field. 



CXXXIIL THE WATER MACHINERY OR MILLS. 



These countries have to exercise a double guard ; the first 

 against the irruption of the ocean, and the second against the 

 overflowing of the great rivers, which, fed by streams from 

 mountains covered with eternal snows, here divide into many 

 branches on their way to the ocean ; and likewise from the rain 

 which falls, and has no way of escape but as it is pumped up and 

 turned off into the rivers or the sea. In some cases, six, eight, 

 and ten feet of water have been removed ; it is stated &quot; that in 

 one case, a depth of more than thirteen feet required to be 

 removed on land more than eight feet below the high water of 

 the river into which it was necessary it should be discharged. 

 It was raised into a reservoir, and let into the river at low water. 

 The water required to be raised by successive lifts twenty-two 

 feet not an uncommon lift in Holland.&quot; The machines by 

 which- this water is raised are windmills, made with extraordinary 

 care and expense, and presenting to the unaccustomed eye a 

 peculiar but not unpleasing appearance. I counted more than 

 two hundred in sight at one time, and was told that more than 

 four hundred might be seen. These are variously constructed, 

 some of them with a spiral screw working in a box to which the 

 screw was exactly fitted, and by which large amounts of water 

 were forced up without any heavy pressure upon the machinery. 



