in Fort William, 



471 



have baffled General Garstin*s eiOforts to proceed, put an end to this 

 also. The tubes, without support in the loose sand, separated in several 

 places, and fell out of the perpendicular; all attempts to rejoin or re- 

 cover them failed. 



As the same strata, and consequently in so much as that is concern- 

 ed, the same difficulties might be expected to occur in boring in any 

 part of the alluvial formation of the delta of the Ganges, it was not 

 supposed that any material advantage would be gained by changing 

 the site of operations ; it was resolved to proceed with a second attempt 

 in the immediate vicinity of that where we had just failed. 



On the 28th of April another shaft was commenced ; e^fperience had 

 suggested several improvements in the arrangement of the machinery, 

 and taught us to use the tools with better effect. The improved skill 

 of the workmen was made manifest by the fact, that the depth of 126 

 feet, which in the first attempt occupied forty-seven working days to 

 attain, was now reached in eighteen with ease and facility. 



So far the strata passed through, corresponded precisely, in their 

 order at least, with all that had occurred on former occasions. The 

 same quicksand which caused the abandonment of the first attempt 

 was reached at 120 feet ; and at this point our difficulties commenced. 

 To obviate the disaster which had rendered our labour abortive in the 

 first instance, the tubes were secured against dislocation in the loose 

 sand by screws at their joints ; and to this precaution must be attribut- 

 ed the success of the work so far. The sand alluded to is of so loose, 

 I may say, semi-fluid a character, that on the removal of a portion of 

 the water which stands in the tube to fifteen feet from the surface, it 

 immediately rose seventeen feet ; and although at this time the work 

 was prosecuted night and day without any intermission, the sand rose 

 faster in the tubes than it could be removed ; so that at the end of 

 eleven days and nights of incessant toil it had risen from 124 to 103 

 feet. 



Hence it became evident that the only mode of overcoming the ob- 

 stacles presented by the sand was to force the tubing down, imtil com- 

 ing in contact with some firm stratum, the sand should be excluded. 

 By unrelaxing perseverance and much labour, frequently gaining but a 

 few inches in the day, the tubes at last attained a depth of 157 feet. 

 The sand was gained upon; at 152 feet it was observed to become 

 darker in colour and coarser in grain, containing a quantity of what ap- 

 peared to be small pieces of iron ore.* At 159 feet a stiflf clay with 



♦ Red waterworm nodules of bydrated oxide, like the Uterite of South India.— E». 



