Meafurement of a Bafe on Hotmflow-Heath. 393 
operation continued eight or ten days, owing to the lower part 
of the heath, between Wolfey-River and the Poor-houie, 
being encumbered with brufh-wood. 
When the clearing of the firft fedion was completed, the 
fecond, comprehended between the Summer-houfe and the great 
road leading from Staines to London, was traced out in the 
following manner. One of the pyramidal bell-tents (whereof 
two had been provided, one of twenty-five, and the other of 
fifteen feet in height) being placed at the ftation near the 
Summer-houfe, camp colours were then arranged from diftance 
to diftance, fo as to be in a line with the bell-tent and Banfted 
fpire. In like manner, the third fedion, comprehended be- 
tween the Staines Road and Ring’s Arbour, was traced out. 
This fir ft tracing of the bafe was done by means of a com- 
mon telefcope held in the hand only, that no time might be 
loft in employing the foldiers to fmooth the trad which was to 
be mea fured ; becaufe the trail fit inft rumen t (my own pro- 
perty, for which a portable ftand had been for fome time pre- 
paring) was not yet ready to be applied, as it afterwards was, 
in tracing out the bafe more accurately. 
The camp ftill remained, where it was originally pitched, 
at the angle of Hanworth-Park, this being a very convenient 
pofition, with regard to the firft and fecond fedion s ; but being 
too remote from the third, that time might not be loft, and 
the men unneceftarily fatigued in marching backwards and for- 
wards ; therefore, one half of the party, under the command 
of the corporal, was detached to the northward, and quartered 
in the neighbouring villages, to clear the third fedion, while 
the ferjeant, with the remainder, were occupied in fmoothing 
the fecond. Owing to the extraordinary wetnefs of the fea- 
fon, this operation required more time than had been at firft 
F f f 2 imagined. 
