KING GEORGE. 186 



within Portland Eoads, and then reaching in-shore 

 towards the ferry, as far as we dared for the shallows, 

 dredged the ground over with the tide, in various 

 traverses off Smallmouth Sands, and under Sandsfoot. 

 The sand shoals off in some places very gradually, 

 and one day we scraped along and stuck fast, the 

 hoat's keel deep in the mud and silt, and immoveable, 

 though the shore was more than half a mile distant. 

 The tide, however, took us off after some delay, which 

 no doubt seemed longer than it really was, and 

 allowed us to go on with our dredging. 



From this Bay a favourable view is obtained of the 

 equestrian figure of George III, which is cut on the 

 slope of a hill above Preston, and which by the ex- 

 posure of the chalk is very conspicuous on the green 

 turf. It is a very remarkable work of art on several 

 accounts ; first, that it was executed by a private 

 soldier with only his own resources ; secondly, for its 

 colossal dimensions, being 1 74 feet in height ; thirdly, 

 for its vraisemhlance not only to a man on horseback, 

 but to the king himself : and fourthly, because being 

 intended to be viewed at some miles distance, on a 

 very inclined surface, the drawing had to be made, 

 not in natural proportions, but very considerably 

 distorted, yet the success is complete. 



In raking the bottom of this Bay, we meet with 

 various kinds of ground. In many places it is smooth 

 sand ; in others a whitish tenacious mud ; off Sands- 

 foot Castle the low ledges crop out, and offer their 

 abrupt margins across the course in which we are 

 working ; these have to be carefully avoided. Again 

 in some places there are extensive beds of Zostera ; 



