OLD YARMOUTH. 65 



enough for boats to pass with their lading to any 

 part of the town. 



Afterwards, when "great guns" came into use, the 

 town was further strengthened by mounts and rave- 

 lins, etc. In Henry VIII.'s reign the walls were still 

 further strengthened by being rampired, which work 

 was not completed until the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 

 when, in consequence of the sending out of the 

 Spanish Armada, the work of fortifying the town was 

 pushed on. A boom was also erected between the 

 two jetties across the haven, and two men appointed 

 to take charge of it, with instructions to have it 

 opened and shut at convenient times, but by no means 

 to leave it open during the night. 



The sea has been for centuries waging a contest 

 with the river Yare, rejecting any acquaintance with 

 its waters by casting up a sandbank in front of what 

 should be its natural exit. This is the sandbank 

 upon which the town is now built. In consequence 

 of this antagonism between the fresh and the salt 

 waters, the river has been deflected out of its course ; 

 its principal channel, which entered the sea to the 

 north of the town, being entirely stopped, forcing the 

 waters to pass through the southern one. It might 

 have been hoped that the waters of the three rivers, 

 being confined to a single channel, the Yare would be 

 able to maintain, at least, an even contest with its 

 ancient antagonist ; but the sea had too many sands 

 in battalion order at hand, which it was continually 

 flinging forward, so that the mouth of the river, which 

 was between Gorton and Lowestoft, became so ob- 



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