35 MINUTES SEPT. 



131. rammed ; fo as to unite as much a? poffiblc the 

 CISTERNS. bricks, the clay, and the fides of the pit into one 

 folid mafs ; carrying the brick and clay work 

 up together; and beating back fuch bricks, in- 

 to the clay, as were forced forward by ram- 

 ming., 



The ciilern when brought up level with the 

 furface of the ground meafured three feet long, 

 two iind a half feet wide, and three and a half 

 feet deep; confequcntly the furrounding feam 

 of clay is not more than four inches thick ; 

 and the ftratum at the bottom is about the fame 

 thicknefs. 



Above-ground, a nine-inch wall was raifed 



O 



on each fide, two feet high, with a gable car- 

 ried up at one end ; and, on thefe, a fpan or 

 pitched roof was fet, and covered with tyles ; 

 the other end being left entirely open as a door- 

 way. 



This is an admirable covering for a ciflern; 

 A flat (whether it lie horizontally or Hoping) 

 being continually expofed to the weather, lets in 

 rain-water ; fcon rots ; and, from the manner 

 in which it hangs, is liable every day to be 

 fplit, arid its hinges forced offy by the heedlefsJ 

 nefs of fervants : whereas a door, having only 

 a gentle fall, and being always under cover, 

 laft a number of years; 



132. 



