1S36.J 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



606 



is absorbed, as by a sponge, to its^fuUest power of re- 

 tention. These causes concurred with the prodigious 

 floods then prevailing in that part of Scotland to pro- 

 duce the actual moving oil" of so great a body of what 

 had been before considered as permanent and fixed 

 earth.] 



But the most extraordinary devastation occa- 

 sioned by tliese floods was the eruption of Soiway 

 Moss in Cumberland. For the better under- 

 standing ol which, we shall first give a descrip- 

 tion and draught of the spot ofground which was 

 the scene of this remarkable event. 



Along the side of the Esk there is a vale, about 

 a mile broad, less or more in ditTerent places, al- 

 most a dead plain, aliouing ibr some inconsidera- 

 ble inequalities upon the siirliice. It is bounded 

 on the south-east by the river Esk, arid on the 

 north-west by a steep bank, thirty ieet in height 

 above the level of the vale. From the top of the 

 bank the ground rises by an easy ascent liir about 

 a quarter of a mile, where it is terminated by the 

 moss ; which e.xtends about two miles north and 

 south, and about a mile and an half east and west, 

 and is bounded on the north-west side by the 

 Sark. It is probable, that the solid ground Irom 

 the top of the bank above the vale, is continued in 

 the same direction under the moss for a considera- 

 ble space; (or the moss at the place where the 

 eruption happened, ap|)ears inclined towards the 

 sloping ground. From the edge of the nio's, 

 there was a gully, or hollow, called by the 

 country-people the gap, and said to be tliirty 

 yards deep where it entered the vale; down 

 which ran a small rill of water, ^vhich was often 

 dry in summer, having no suj-'t)!}" but u'hat filter- 

 ed from the moss. Another rill ruuiiiuii liom the 

 north, which, after entering the gup, discharged 

 itself into the Esk below Jjangfown, bein<>' now 

 obstructed in its course by the mud, is lijrmed into 

 a loch* near the gap. The eruption happened at 

 the head of the gap. The most distinct account | 

 of this eruption that we have seen, is a letter j 

 signed J. S. and dated Solwaij Flow, Dec. 13, 

 viz. 



" iS'/r — Curiosity led me to Sol way Moss. As 

 some circunistances struck me in a diiTerent light 

 from other people, 1 could not help communica- 

 tinij my observations to the public. 



The original moss, which contains about 1400 

 acres, was raised above all the circumjacent 

 grounds, in some places three fi>et, and in oiher 

 places as many yards. The suriace of it in sum- 

 mer, was generally so firm and dry, that people 

 could safely walk over the whole of it, and in 

 some places it could even bear horses; but in Win- 

 ter, loot passensrers di.rst venture only upon llie 

 skirts of it. It is evident from a number of con- 

 curring circumstances, that liir many years it has 

 been gradually increasing in height, though not 

 spreading in breadth or lencrth, so as to cover 

 more ground. On Saturday, Nov. 16, about ten 

 or eleven at night when all the neighboring rivers 

 and brooks were prodigiously swelled by the great 

 rains, a large body of the moss was forced, partly 

 by the great fall of rain, and partly by some 

 springs below it, into a small bzck or burn,] 



* Lake. 

 Vol. IV— 64 



t Small stream. 



which run within a few yards of its border, to llie 

 south-east. Ey the united pressure of the water 

 behind it, and of this beck, which was then very 

 high, it was carried down a narrow glen between 

 tv.'o banks about thirty (eet high, into that wide 

 and spacious plain, op|)osite to Langtovvn ; over 

 part of which it immediately spread with great 

 rapidity. The moss continued forsome time to send 

 off considerable quantities; which being borne 

 along by the torrent on the back of the first great 

 body, kept it ihr many hours in perpetual motion, 

 and drove it still farther on. 



The 17th of November presented a most me- 

 lancholy prospect to the miserable inhabitants of 

 that country. They beheld at least 400 acres of 

 rich arable land covered with moss from three to 

 twelve and fifteen li>et deep. Many of them saw 

 their houses, out of which they had narrowly es- 

 caped the preceding night, rendered inaccessible, 

 or tumbled into ruins, and their corn, built up in 

 stacks \'ci\' their winter's provision, and the pay- 

 ment of their rems, floating on the surliice ot this 

 new moss. Their loss, however, though great, is 

 not so considerable as might have been (eared : 

 (or some of them, bj'- hazardous contrivances, got 

 to their houses, and, through large holes made in 

 the roof, conveyed their most valuable cflectg to 

 the neighborhood. Only a (ew cattle, and a good 

 deal of corn, and household furniture, but no lives, 

 are lost. It is a singular instance of the mercy of 

 Providence, that all the inhabitants escaped safe- 

 ly Irom this dreadful calamity, which, as it hap- 

 pened in the night time, might have buried them 

 in mnd. 



When the waters subsided, the moss also ceased 

 to flow ; but two pretty considerable streams conti- 

 nued to run from the heart of if, and carried oflsome 

 pieces of mossy matter to the place where it burst. 

 T.'tere they joined the beck already mentioned ; 

 which, with this addition, resumed its former 

 channel ; and, with a little assistance from the 

 people in the neighborhood, made its way to the 

 Esk, through the midst ofthat ffreat body of moss 

 which obstructed its course. Thus, in a great mea- 

 sure drained, the new moss fell several feet, 

 when the fiir weather came in the end of No- 

 vember, and settled in a firmer and more so'id bo- 

 dy on the lands it had overrun. Then it was, that 

 (he poor tenants saved most of their efit>cfs. 



It was, however, afjain swelled, and put in mo- 

 nnn by the rains which (i^ll some weeks after, and 

 whicii caused a great addi'ional quanri:y of the 

 orijTinal moss to descend with violence, and force 

 it forward- in some places wiiliin a feu' yards of the 

 Esk. Upon the return of tlie dry weather it has 

 since greatly subsiJed. and is become so firm on 

 the east side, that it will not probahlj- move airain ; 

 especially as the run of the beck, and the streams 

 which fall into it after it com^s into the plain, is 

 towards the south-west. Ey this second eru[!tion, 

 it is computed that 300 acres mrpre are destroyed, 

 and the road (rom Dumfries to Carlisle by Lang- 

 town is rendered impassable. As a great number 

 of small pieces are daily brought down by the 

 streams which flow from the moss, it must still be 

 advancing, though in a very slow and impercepti- 

 ble manner; but such is the present state of a 

 great part of it, that considerable quantities will 

 yet be forced away by the first heavy rains, and 

 may perhaps cover 20 acre? more. 

 This, however, is not probable, as it is now got 



