400 
Process of Wa-rping. 
rality of those which have been formed in parts of the country 
removed from mountainous districts ; its foundation is sand, on 
which are the debris of a very fine forest of oak and pine, and 
several fine yew-trees have been found, some in high preservation. 
This forest was most probably laid prostrate at the time of the 
Deluge, as the trees do not show the action of fire, and they are 
mostly laid in the same direction, from south-west to north-east. 
The peat itself is of a very spongy nature, not so much decom- 
posed as the Irish peat; its greatest depth is near the centre, 
where it measures about 18 feet. 
In bygone days, when the rivers were not contained within 
their present banks, they must have had a natural flow up to the 
margin of this peat-moss, which at that period must have been 
above the level of the tide at high water; but years and ages pass- 
ing by, and drains having been cut through the cultivable land, 
a considerable tract of this peat-moss became in a certain way 
drained, and of a much lower level than it originally was, and con- 
sequently proved capable of being covered by the tide-water from 
the river Ouse. This peat-moss was totally of an uncuhivable 
nature, being a perfect morass, and in many places dangerous to 
approach : a considerable portion of this has been already warped. 
The process of warping was first practised about eighty years 
ago ; it was commenced in a very small way, the sluices or doughs 
used then being merely what now would be called shuttles ; and 
the deposit at first was very small, from want of power consequent 
on the works being so small ; gradually, however, the benefit be- 
came more generally known, and the works were made larger. 
In 1821, Ralph Creyke, Esq. (having gained considerable expe- 
rience in improving a certain quantity of his own land), entered 
into an agreement with certain proprietors of land in the town- 
ships of Goole, Swinefleet, and Reedness, for the purpose of 
warping their land. An Act of Parliament was obtained, and he 
commenced excavating a large main drain to convey the tide-water 
from the river Ouse, through the old cultivated land to the barren 
and uncultivated morass about to be improved. 
The sluice or clough was built of stone, with two openings of 
16 feet each in width, and 19 feet in height from the sole to the 
crown of the arch, with four substantial doors, made when shut to 
oppose the entrance of the tide, yet with power at will to keep 
them open for the admission of the tide during the time of warp- 
ing, by means of strong staples and iron rods fixed in the stone- 
work. 
The main drain was very large, it having been proved by con- 
tinued observation and calculation, tliat the area of a warping-drain 
ought to be three times that of the sluice, to prevent as much as 
possible any considerable resistance to the flo^v of the water ; its 
