ON EMBANKMENTS, PIERS, HARBOURS, 



spit deep trench, six feet wide, was previously cut along the centre 

 of the whole line, on which the mound was to rest ; this, by ad- 

 milling the new earth into an incorporate adhesion with I he base 

 soil, renders a future separation almost impossible. Before this, the 

 main rills had been filled and rammed, to give these parts equal 

 solidity \\ith the rest. 



" The whole operation was performed by a gang of twelve sea- 

 wallers, with barrows and planks only, at one pound ten shillings the 

 marsh-rod, of twenty feet, and perfectly inclosed in seven months . 

 but, it must be observed, that the soil, composed of rich vegetable 

 matter, is without one particle of stone or gravel, and cuts with 

 an iron edged scoop-tool, so as to load the barrows with i 

 facility. At each end of the front line is laid an out-full gutter, or 

 sluice, through the whole embankment, rive feet in width, by three 

 deep deep, clear in the run; and another of smaller dimensioi 

 the centre, for discli. he land waters freely to sea. The 



struction of these aqueu too well known to require farther 



description here : piobab'y, however, the litlk addition given to 

 those erected on -this occasion may be found of 



ing it. often i '.hat, either from accident or design, the out- 



ward lid of the sea-sluices remained open, and admitted thi 

 the great injury of the fresh waters within the marshes, i intro- 

 duced here a light fly-lid within the centre of each sluice, which is 

 out of reach, and yields to the slightest pressure of tin- 

 out; but shuts closely against that of the tide, when it pas-t> in- 

 wardly the external flap. These sluices are laid upon as solid a 

 foundation as can artificially be made on such soils, to prevent the 

 crabs, and other sea-fish, from undermining them, which must 

 otherwise be the case. The frame and flooring are of fir, which 

 lies under water as durable as oak. 



' The land thus inclosed is partitioned into, four nearly ecjual 

 parts, by new out-ditches, twelve feet wide, five deep, and four at 

 the bottom, which, with small intersecting rills, from various parts, 

 give the whole a good drainage of its salts, on the fall of heavy 

 rains: and, by a course recently made from a distant brook, each 

 division of this lartd is now amply supplied with fresh water. Not 

 3ess than eight hundred South-Down sheep, and from sixty to eighty 

 liorses, are almost constantly grazed, and even winter thereon 

 remarkably well. The established opinion of the best farmers of 



