A GARDEN IN VENICE 



iron guard running round it that the water was 

 nearly level with the mouth, and Pietro put 

 a stick down to show its depth of nearly four 

 yards, I accepted the assurance that there was 

 always plenty. One thirsty day, when the 

 garden was already ours, I asked for a glass 

 of water. I got it, and with a very wry face 

 began to learn how Venice of old was watered. 

 It cost a good bit of money before I had com- 

 pleted my education and provided the garden 

 with the supply it needed. 



In the old days a hole was dug in the court- 

 yards of the palaces, say, as in our case, ten yards 

 by five, and ten feet deep. The sides and 

 bottom of this were lined by clay about two feet 

 thick. In the centre of this so formed basin a 

 carina^ or round chimney, say four to five feet 

 across, was built of brick ; the lowest yard left 

 pervious without mortar that the water might 

 pass through to the upper part, made solid with 

 cement. The whole basin was then filled with 

 sand ; and pipes led into small chambers con- 

 structed of open brickwork in this sand, from 

 84 



