190 VOICES FEOM THE WOODLANDS. 



But the alders, who could sufficiently admire them ? Black 

 as ebony, firm, unchanged, neither striving to vegetate in 

 such a sepulchral place, nor yet foregoing their true 

 character, and shrinking from the light of day, but coming 

 forth unchanged, and bearing a noble testimony to. the 

 enduring nature of their tribe. 



The opening of that wide morass brought to the minds 

 of some who looked on, historic facts, which had been long 

 forgotten. Many of the old trees had been evidently burnt, 

 some quite through, others on one side; several had been 

 chopped and squared; some were even found to have 

 been riven with huge wooden wedges ; marks by which to 

 substantiate the fact that the vast swamp of Hatfield Chace 

 was once inhabited : but no one knew whether a sudden 

 inundation had swept away the traces of human habitation, 

 or whether the frequent inroads of water had rendered the 

 place a swamp. 



Near the root of an old tree, eight coins, pertaining to 

 different Roman Emperors, were discovered ; and in some 



