180 



Observations on the " Water Supply" 



the additional source of supply of water thus attracted. 1 The 

 Wiltshire earthworks, from the fact of their having been more 

 disturbed and broken up, afford less conspicuous examples of these 

 cloud or dew ponds, but it is not, we think, possible to account for 

 a permanent water-supply in any other way, for the amount of water 

 which could otherwise have been brought up, as observed, by the 

 aid of parties told off for that duty, would have been totally in- 

 adequate for even a moderately strong garrison, and an unsafe 

 undertaking in the face of a hostile population. 



A writer on the "Military Earthworks of the Southdowns," implies 

 that the encampment at Cissbury, in Sussex, was dependent for its 

 water-supply from the wells of Applesham, some two miles distant, 

 but this is quite improbable for the reasons we have given, 



By lapse of time, of course, the artificial stratum formed by means 

 of " puddling," which retained the water, would necessarily have 

 become absorbed or destroyed, and in some cases entirely washed 

 away, leaving simply the dry pits as we now see them. 



1 The following remarks from The Editor to the writer of this paper, are affixed 

 as a suitable note to the present water-supply theory, which seems to have been 

 one also long held by himself and other Wiltshire antiquaries : " I live (observes 

 the Rev. A. C. Smith) in a district where such ' cloud ponds,' or ' dew ponds/ are 

 in constant use. The farmers of late have learned their value, and I can point 

 to many new ones, made and puddled at great expense on the tops of our hills. 

 I have seen such in the process of making, and it is really wonderful how the 

 clouds at night keep them full, discharging water enough to admit of the daily 

 supply of large flocks of sheep, as well as evaporation. The difficulty is to fill 

 them in the first place, and this is done by means of snow, which is carted into 

 them in great quantities, when opportunity occurs." 



