302 Microscopical Essays. 



or columns, between the future arched apartments, refemble the 

 pinnacles upon the fronts of fome old buildings, and demand 

 particular notice, as affording one proof that for the moft part 

 the infecls project their arches, and do not make them by exca- 

 vation. 



The area has alfo a flattiih floor, which lies over the royal 

 chamber, but fometimes a good height above it, having nurferies 

 and magazines between. It is likewife water-proof, and con- 

 trived fo as to let the water off, if it mould get in and run over, 

 by fome fhort way, into the fubterraneous paflages, which run 

 under the loweff apartments in the hill, in various directions, and 

 are of an aftonifhing fize, being wider than the bore of a great 

 cannon. There is an account of one that was meafured, that 

 was perfectly cylindrical, and thirteen inches in diameter. 



Thefe fubterraneous paflages, or galleries, are lined very thick 

 with the fame kind of clay of which the hill is compofed, and 

 afcend the infide of the outward fhell in a fpiral manner ; and 

 winding round the whole building up to the top, inter fe£l each 

 other at different heights, opening either immediately into the 

 dome in various places, and into the interior building, the new 

 turrets, &c. or communicating thereto by other galleries of 

 different bores or diameters, either circular or oval. 



From every part of thefe large galleries are various fmall pipes, 

 or galleries, leading to different parts of the building ; under 

 ground there are a great many which lead downward, by Hoping 

 defcents three and four feet perpendicular among the gravel, from 

 whence the labouring termites cull the finer parts, which being 



worked 



