12 JOUKNAL OF AN EXCUKSION TO EASTBUEY AND 
to mention one very remarkable circumstance whicli occurrd 
in Eaising tlie Head of this water. 35 feet was the hight re- 
quird, 25 feet of which they raisd without any difficulty, but 
when that was compleated, were much surprizd to find that 
after several days work they had not raisd it an inch. This 
put them upon inquiring the cause, and they found that any 
quantity of Earth they put, sunk in 48 hours to the original 
25 feet. M'' Stert not discouraged by this disheartining 
circumstance resolvd to back the head with piles in hopes 
that they might hinder it from sinking any farther. This 
he did with trees 23 feet in Lengh, which he drove down 
with an Engine constructed for the purpose, at the same 
time taking account of the quantity of Earth that sunk by 
measuring the hight of what he layd on. His piles did no 
manner of service. The Earth continued to sink, and now he 
found the feild about twenty yards below where they were 
drove in began to rise, raising with it trees, particularly 
an Ash and an Oak, each of them Containing some tons of 
timber. The top also Crackd into deep chasms, plainly 
shewing that it was raisd by some lower stratum which 
the weight of the head forcd under it. M"" Stert still per- 
severd. After aome time his head began to rise and was 
then very soon compleated. The Quantity that had sunk 
Avas then cast up, and it was found that the head had sunk 
87 feet, beside what was Lost before they even guessd at 
the Cause which hinderd them from raising it. The Soil 
on which the head was erected has not been examind deep, 
but what has been seen is Sandy Gravel, under which is 
a solid blue Clay containing most singular impressions of 
lish, resembling them by M"" Stert's account most exactly, 
not only in shape, but in a silvery Colour like that of fish, 
very thinly spread over them as the whole interior was 
clay. In that however w^as the prints of their bones. 
