CHAP. XV. THE WORKS DROWNEF). 317 



Grange for his father, and the two took serious counsel 

 together. George was in favour of pumping out the 

 water from the top by powerful engines erected over 

 each shaft, until the water was fairly mastered. Eobert 

 concurred in that view, and although other engineers 

 who were consulted pronounced strongly against the 

 practicability of the scheme and advised the abandonment 

 of the enterprise, the directors authorised him to pro- 

 ceed ; and powerful steam-engines were ordered to be 

 constructed and delivered without loss of time. 



In the mean time, Robert suggested to his father the 

 expediency of running a drift along the heading from 

 the south end of the tunnel, with the view of draining 

 off the water in that way. George said he thought it 

 would scarcely answer, but that it was worth a trial, at 

 all events until the pumping-engines were got ready. 

 Robert accordingly gave orders for the drift to be pro- 

 ceeded with ; and the workmen had nearly reached the 

 sand bed, when one day that the engineer, his assistants, 

 and the workmen were clustered about its open entrance, 

 they heard a sudden roar as of distant thunder. It was 

 hoped that the water had burst in for all the workmen 

 were out of the drift, and that the sand bed would now 

 drain itself off in a natural way. Instead of which, 

 very little water made its appearance ; and on examining 

 the inner end of the drift, it was. found that the loud 

 noise had been caused by the sudden discharge into it of 

 an immense mass of sand, which had completely choked 

 up the passage, and prevented the water from flowing 

 away. 



The engineer now found that there was nothing for it 

 but sinking numerous additional shafts over the line of 

 the tunnel at the points at which it crossed the quick- 

 sand, and endeavouring to master the water by sheer 

 force of engines and pumps. The engines, when at length 

 erected, possessed an aggregate power of 1 60 horses ; 

 and they went on pumping for eight successive months, 



