SOUTH-EASTERN DIVISION OF SUSSEX. 19 



it lies 50° 52' north latitude, and is distant 50 miles south from London. 

 The Downs form an amphitheatre of hills to the east and west of the 

 town ; but the northern and southern slopes are skirted by the Levels. 



The CLIFF HILLS coustitute the last division of the South Downs ; 

 they are a small insulated group, separated from the central and western 

 chains by the intervention of Lewes Levels. The edge of this range runs 

 parallel with the road from Southerham to Glynd and Glyndbourne, 

 passes near Eingmer in its course westward, and terminates at Old 

 Mailing near the banks of the Ouse. The south-eastern angle is formed 

 by Mount Caburn, and the western escarpment is deeply indented by the 

 steep valley of the Coombe. 



" The soil of the Downs is subject to considerable variation. On the 

 summit it is usually very shallow ; the substratum is chalk, and over 

 that a layer of chalk rubble, with a shght covering of vegetable mould. 

 Along the more elevated ridges there is sometimes merely a covering of 

 flints, upon which the turf grows spontaneously. Advancing down the 

 hills the soil becomes deeper, and at the bottom is constantly found to 

 be of very sufficient deptli for ploughing : here the loam is excellent, 

 generally ten or twelve inches thick, and the chalk rather broken, and 

 mixed with loam in the interstices*." 



Some parts of the South Downs are converted into arable, but in 

 general they are reserved for pasturage, and support a breed of sheep 

 equal, if not superior, to any in the kingdom-]-. 



Lewes levels, which have already been mentioned as intervening 



* Ycnings Agricultural Survey of Sussex, 8vo. page 5. 



f The sheep fed on the South Downs amount to nearly 200,000 ; and as there are no 

 natural springs on the chalk hills, the flocks are supplied with water from large circular 

 ponds, made on the summits of the Downs ; the bottoms of these excavations are covered 

 with a layer of ochraceous clay, to prevent the water from percolating through the chalk, and 

 they are seldom known to fail even in the hottest summers. The late Mr. White considered 

 this circumstance as very remarkable, and has particularly noticed it, in his interesting volume 

 on the Natural History of Selbourne. " To a thinking mind few phenomena are more strange 

 than the state of little ponds on the summits of chalk hills, many of which are never dry in the 

 most trying droughts of summer : on chalk hills, I say, because in many rocky and gravelly 

 soils, springs usually break out pretty high on the sides of elevated grounds and mountains ; but 

 ' no person acquainted with chalky districts will allow that they ever saw waters of so pervious 

 a stratum as chalk, all lie on one dead level, as well-diggers have assured me again and again. 

 " Now we have many such little round ponds in this district, and one in particular on one 



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