munication pafs into the very Channels of the little rivers Lers^ 
Frefqueil ^ Aude% Monfitm Riquet mzktili his Channel pafs^as 
rauch as hecan^inthe adjacent PlainSjleaving the ancient Chan- 
nels of thofe Risers to ferve for receiving and carrying away the 
great and frequent inundations of waters^and thereby fecaring 
the new Channel from the danger of being inconvenienced by 
them. 
The higheft place of the whole Channel was well enough 
f nown^ which was to be the Point, call'd the Point of Diviften 
or Separation. Nature herfelf fufficiently pointed at it by the 
Sfringoi (7;'^x'^,which partly runs towards rheOceanjand part- 
ly towarr's the Mediterranean: and 'tis near this place^where the 
great Bafon is made to receive the waters, that are to run both 
fides of the Channel. But this water being not near fufficienr, 
it was neceffary to find out others^that might be high enough to 
fall into the Did Bafon^mi. abounding enough to keep it always 
full, and to furnifli for the Sluces of thofe two parts of the great 
Channel. 
It appear'd alfo, that this plenty of waters could not be had 
hxxti^Qmtht Black Msuntain^d'Ami enough from it^ but it did 
nor appear^how this could be effedied. In fliort/cis this where- 
in the greatefl difficulty of the whole work did confift. For 
wemuft know 5 that there are many Springs ifliiingfrom the 
higher part of thatMountain^and that among the reft there are 
Five great ones,which make as many fmall rivers, that are never 
dryed up and run along the hillocks of this Mountain^and fall to- 
gether into the river Frejqueil but fo far above thefaid Pvwt of 
Separation^ that that remotenefs would render them abfolutely 
ufelefs, it not being poffible to make them re-mount. Where- 
fore to make them ferve for this purpofe, it was neceffary to in- 
terrupt their natural courfefrom Ntrth to Seuth^znd to give them 
a contrary ©ne,from Ea(l to ITe/i^hy digging a Conduit for them 
crofs the Mountain^through places^which are all fteep rocks and 
horrid precipices. There was then a neceffity to make thofe 
rivers run, the firft into ?he fecond, and thefecond into the 
ihird/ourth and fifth, and tdre-uiiite them all in the Deri- 
nfing channel^ which at lafl carries them to the Pci^oiSepa- 
^4?/^>;? for the end above-mentioned. 
Q^qq-qq 2 As 
