GROWTH OF LONDON. 295 



water, nearly the whole region being low and marshy. 

 Then there were small rivers, tributaries of the Thames, 

 running down through what are now the busiest parts 

 of the city. The Fleet river was navigable up to 

 King's Cross. There were also the Tyburn and the 

 Westbourne, smaller streams, which have long since 

 been replaced by the accumulations of made earth. 



The greater part of the district east and south of 

 the river in the neighborhood of Sydenham and 

 Greenwich consisted of marshes or shallow lagoons. 



The hilly regions in the neighborhood of Kensington 

 and Netting Hill formed part of a great forest, and 

 St. John's Wood was a dense thicket. Through all 

 these places I have gone, but saw nothing of the little 

 rivers, the marshes, lagoons, or thickets. Through 

 Epping Forest we had a lovely drive with friends 

 in March last (1888), and although it is more lovely 

 than I can describe here, I fancy if our old kings and 

 queens were to come back they would not know it, 

 though once familiar with every square acre of it. 



We saw the " Hunting Lodge " of " Good Queen 

 Bess," which in her day was thought far out, now 

 surrounded on all sides with suburban dwellings. 



The growth of London is very marvellous. We were 

 at Stratford, which is in the borough of West Ham, 

 Eastern district of London. An old gentleman, 



