TOPOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. XXvii 



Deep drifting snow is not common, so that the roads are 

 seldom obstructed by it. The prevalent -winds are from the 

 south-west and north-west, but cold north-easterly winds are 

 very common in April and May. Those persons who desire 

 more detailed information relative to our climate will obtain 

 it by reference to Mr Jenyns's valuable work entitled Obser- 

 vations in Meteorology. 



No part of the county is much elevated above the sea. 

 The level of the river at Cambridge is 24^ feet above low 

 water in Lynn Deeps ; but as the tide there rises 22 feet, 

 it is only 2^ feet above high water and 13^ feet above 

 mean tide. The latter therefore, viz. 13 J feet, is our height 

 above the sea according to the usual mode of calculation. 

 As there is a descent of about 10 feet from the level of 

 the fen at Denver Sluice to low water there, the fall of 

 the country from Cambridge to Denver is not more, and 

 probably much less, than 14 feet in a direct line of about 

 30 miles, or about 5 J inches to the mile. I am informed 

 that the fall between Ely and Denver is only at the rate 

 of 1^ inch per mile. The fall from Peterborough to the 

 mouth of the river Nene below Wisbech is stated by Eennie 

 to be 17^ feet to low water mark, in 32 miles, or an 

 average of 6^ inches per mile. But if we reduce this to 

 the mean level of the sea we find the fall to be only 

 5 feet, or hardly 2 inches in the mile. Before the formation 

 of Denver Sluice the tide ascended the river Cam nearly 

 to the mouth of Swaffham Lode. It rose 4 feet at Harri- 

 mere, the former confluence of the Cam and Ouse. If 

 we now consider the higher elevations we find that the 

 ground near the wind-mill by Madingley Wood is 174.3 feet 

 above the mean level of the sea ; the place where the 

 turnpike-road crosses the Gogmagog Hills is 233.7 feet; 



