VOL. XIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, IIQ 



not near so strong ; and at Mawplethorp they are often in danger of being 

 drowned, their defence being only banks or hills of a small sand, called meals, 

 the former church having been destroyed by it. 



The coiuitry people gather up the dung of oxen and cows, which they temper 

 with water, and spread on the ground about 5 inches thick ; then cut it out in 

 oblong pieces of about a foot, and call them dithes, which they use for fuel ; 

 in some places they make walls of them for fencing. They also gather up hogs' 

 dung, and steep it in water, and having well stirred it, strain it, and so use it 

 to wash clothes, which, when bleached in the summer, will become white and 

 sweet. Besides the fowl mentioned by Mr, Camden, of mud-suckers, which 

 are esteemed the best, we have ruff and reve, the former being the cock, the 

 other the hen, in Latin aves pugnaces, because they are continually fighting ; 

 rarely two in a hundred are of a colour, they are usually mewed. 



As to fish, here are turbots in great plenty, called brets, and taken in nets 

 trailed on the ground by two horses ; here are also plenty of large seals, taken 

 in troul-nets, trailing by smacks under sail : also plenty of skate, which are 

 taken by hooks lying near the shore ; as are also cod and thornback. 



As to insects, gnats, here midges, are in some places very troublesome ; some 

 have silk-nets to secure them from being bitten, and disturbing their rest. Frogs 

 are very numerous, called Holland waites. As for vegetables, great quan- 

 tities of hemp are sown in several places, of which ropes are made, both for sea 

 and land ; the female is called femble ; as also flax ; the seed is broken and oil 

 made of it, as of cole-seed. The salt marshes yield a great deal of kali geni- 

 culacum, which, when pickled, is their samphire. Carum grows plentifully in 

 the pastures ; the seed they call saxifrage, which they gather and send to 

 London. 



These parts afford but little variety of metals, gums, or stones. Amber is 

 picked up sometimes on the sands in pretty large pieces. The astroites, found 

 at Belvoir castle, will not only move in vinegar, but also'dulcify it. Here coals 

 are charked, and then called coke, with which they dry malt, giving little colour 

 or taste to the drink made of it. 



Agues, here called Holland bailiffs, are very rife, few strangers escaping them. 

 As also, that at Spalding there is lately a vast tunnel, laid under the river Wel- 

 land, carrying another under it, for draining the fens. And that between 

 Dunnington and Brig-end, which is about 3 miles, a good causeway is carried 

 through the fen, having in several places bridges for the water to run under 

 them, whence the name of Brig-end causeway. It is after great rains under 

 water, and passengers take guides, the bridges directing them ; it was built at 

 the county's charge, who also purchased near 100 pounds per annum to main- 



