254- ^^atural Hiflory 
one at a time ; which done, they fliut thofe upper gates and /luces , 
as before : Then they open the fluces of t\\Q gates at the other end 
gf thcTurn-pike, and let the w/er by degrees out of the inclofed 
fquare till it is funk down, and the Vefel with it, level with the ri- j 
ver below, and then open the gates themf elves, and let the Vefjel ! 
out ; the upper J all the while being drove too, and kept fo 
faft by the mter above, that little of it can follow. And thus the 
boats go down ftream. 
46. But when they return, they are firft let into the inclofed 
(pace (where the water ftands conftantly level with that of the low- j 
er at the lower gates^ which as foon as Oiut again, the 
/luces are opened at the uppermoft gatesy and the water let in, till 
it rifes with the boat upon it, to be equal with that of the river 
above : this done, the upper gates are eafily opened as before, 
there being no preffure upon them, and the boat let out. So that 
notwithftanding the Cbannel has much fteeper dtcfcents where, 
thefe Turn-pkes are fet, than at any of the Lockj^ yet the boats 
pafsatthefe with much more eafe and fafety. Notwithftand- 
ing thcfe provifions, the River Thames is not made fo perfeSly 
Navigable to Oxfo' dy but that in dry times, barges do fomtimes lie 
aground three weeks, or a month, or more, as we have had fad 
experience this laft Summer ; which in great meafure no doubt 
might be prevented, were there a convenient number of Lccksy or 
Holds for watery made in the River Cherwel above Oxford^ to let 
down flajhes as occafion fliould ferve ; and fo again out of the 
River Kenmt near Reading, the Loddetty (stc. 
4 7 . Not impertinent hereunto is a contrivance for Fifb-ponds, 
that I met with at the Right Worfhipful Sir Philip Harcourt's at 
Stanton Harcourty where the ftews not only feed one another, as 
the Ponds of the Right Honorable the Earl of ClarendonztCorn- 
buryy S'nTimothyTyrrihztShot-over-ForreBy and the worfliipful 
BromeWhorwoods 2^tHoltonyiffc. and maybe^^^^^by letting the 
water of the upper Ponds out into the lower 5 but by zfide Ditch 
cut along by them, and Sluces owto^ each, may be any of them 
emptyed, without letting the water into,, or giving the leaftdi- 
fturbanceto any of the reft I which being a convenience that 1 
never met with before^ and perhaps unknown to many, I thought 
good to mention. 
48. Amongft 
