O'Eeilly — Ancient Water-mills^ Native and Foreign. 75 



'brian coast of Spain, wliere I had occasion to sketch such a mill and 

 to witness the most simple, practical, and ingenious use of the tidal 

 force, a problem often talked of in scientific journals in these countrieB 

 hut as a matter of fact never yet here realized, to my knowledge, up 

 to the present. Anyone acquainted with that Cantabrian coast, or 

 who even consults the Admiralty map of the Bay of Biscay, knows, 

 or can learn, that it is very bold, rocky, and accessible, for even small 

 shipping, in only a few points. It is penetrated by a number of small in- 

 lets narrow and rocky, which receive the many streams coming from the 

 foot ranges of the Pyrenees, and which, therefore, can be traversed by 

 a wall of no great length, and consequently of not excessive cost of 

 construction. Such conditions present themselves both to the east 

 and to the west of Comillas, a fishing-village about 22 miles west of 

 Santander (and not even mentioned in any of the modern gazetteers). 

 At a distance of about 2 miles to the west of Comillas there 

 occurs such a small inlet, relatively narrow, and presenting high 

 banks on either side ; across this, at a short distance fi'om low-water 

 mark, a wall had been thrown, so as to retain the waters of a high tide, 

 and thus create a water power ; on the seaside was found established 

 one of these corn-mills (Plate III.), with horizontal wheel and radiat- 

 ing buckets or arms, quite similar to those described and represented 

 in general appearance by the accompanying sketch taken on the spot, 

 during the course of an excursion made to the locality in the summer 

 of the year 1857-58, or thereabouts. A sluice established in the dam 

 wall allowed of the intake of the tide, and its being retained for the 

 purpose of working the little mill when necessary. These mills 

 correspond in the simplicity of their structural arrangements with 

 what has been described of the Shetland and other Scotch mills, so 

 completely that nothing further need be added than a reference to the 

 sketch. They are mostly intended for purely local and even personal 

 wants, and one would rarely see more corn coming at a time to be 

 ground than can be carried on an ass's back. The great interest of 

 them lies in their adaptation to the tidal rise and fall, and the 

 suggestion they convey to other people, is sufficiently important to be 

 taken notice of. It is probable that fiQ'ther research in these countries 

 would determine the existence of many other such miUs, and perhaps 

 :allow of some infomiation being gathered, as to the period of their 

 introduction^ which the ignorant peasantry would, in most cases, be 

 inclined to attribute to the " Moors." I am obliged to admit, how- 

 ever, that I have never yet come across mention of them in any of the 

 :several works on Spain that I have read, with the exception of 



