42 DESCRIPTION OF THE STRATA. 



Caesar, Tacitus, Dion Cassius, and other antient historians, that the 

 Britons had their fastnesses to which they fled after any defeat, in 

 woody marshes, whither the Romans could not easily follow them; 

 and that it was therefore a part of the policy of the Romans, to cut 

 down the woods, and fill up the marshes and lakes with the trees. 

 By this scheme, which was carried on to a great extent, and in com- 

 pleting which the vanquished tribes were compelled to assist, the 

 Romans secured their conquests in Britain; for the natives having no 

 place of retreat left, were compelled to submit. 



That such has been the principal cause of the accumulation of 

 wood in our lakes and marshes, may be inferred from the appear- 

 ances observed in cutting large drains, or new rivers, in the marsh 

 lands of Hatfield Chase, above a century ago. Among the vast 

 quantities of trees then discovered, many bore the marks of the axe, 

 others appeared to be split with wedges, and not a few exhibited 

 evident traces of fire; indicating, that that element had been em- 

 ployed in the destniction of the British forests. The discovery of 

 several Roman coins, in digging these drains, particularly some coins 

 of Vespasian, serves to shew the time when, and the people by whom, 

 this destruction was effected. Other works of art were also found, 

 some of which might be Roman, and some British. The canoes 

 found occasionally in these ancient bogs, were probably those which 

 the Britons used in navigating their lakes and rivers.* 



A great nvimber of the trees in these bogs appear to have grown 

 on the spots where they lie, their roots, from which they have been 

 broken or cut ofi", being found beside them in their natural position. 

 It is stated, however, both in Mr. De la Pryme's paper now referred 

 to, and that of Dr. Richardson concerning the fossil wood at Youle 

 or Gowle, f that the trees in these bogs generally lie in the direction 



* See De la Pryme's Paper in the Philos. Trans, for 1701. f Philos. Trans, for 1697. 



