34 MY LIFE 



to high buildings on both sides of it, but affording a pleasant 

 peep to fields and gardens beyond. 



After passing under the bridge, the river flowed on among 

 houses and workshops, and was again dammed up to supply 

 another mill about half a mile away, and to form the river 

 Lea, navigation. There was also, in my time, a small lateral 

 stream carried off to pump water to the top of a wooden 

 water-tower to supply part of the town, so that about half a 

 mile from the middle of the town there were four distinct 

 streams side by side, though not parallel, which I remember 

 used to puzzle me very much as to their origin. In addition 

 to these there was another quite distinct river, the Beane, 

 which came from the north-west till it was only a furlong 

 from the Lea at the town bridge, when it turned back to the 

 north-east, and entered that river half a mile lower down, 

 enclosing between the two streams the fine open space of 

 about thirty acres called Hartham, which was sufficiently 

 elevated to be always dry, and which was at once a common 

 grazing field and general cricket and playground, the turf 

 being very smooth and good, and seldom requiring to be 

 rolled. The county cricket matches were played here, and it 

 was considered to be a first-rate ground. 



Here, too, in the river Beane, which had a gentle stream 

 with alternate deep holes and sandy shallows, suitable for 

 boys of all ages, was our favourite bathing place, where 

 not long after our coming to Hertford, I was very nearly 

 being drowned. It was a place called Willowhole, where 

 those who could swim a little would jump in, and in a few 

 strokes in any direction reach shallower water. I and my 

 brother John and several schoolfellows were going to bathe, 

 and I, who had undressed first, was standing on the brink, 

 when one of my companions gave me a sudden push from 

 behind, and I tumbled in and went under water immediately. 

 Coming to the surface half dazed, I splashed about and went 

 under again, when my brother, who was four and a half years 

 older, jumped in and pulled me out. I do not think I had 

 actually lost consciousness, but I had swallowed a good deal 

 of water, and I lay on the grass for some time before I got 



