FOR COLONISTS AND EMIGRANTS. 
127 
so that it may be well approached ; or if not 
provided with the road or water, design the 
road and find the water before you decide 
upon the spot. Then if it be the proper 
season, dig, trench, or plough any favourable 
spot for the cultivation of a few vegetables 
and some grain, and sow as soon as possible, 
because these things will grow while you are 
otherwise employed. 
PKOVIDING A SUPPLY OF WATER. 
It is already shown, that unless this be pro- 
vided by some efficient means, there is no 
security against drought ; and settlers in dis- 
tricts where there were no natural springs, and 
this important necessai'y has been neglected, 
have been forced to travel far and wide with 
their herds and flocks in search of it, and 
often in vain ; on failing, they have lost many 
of their stock, and been half or quite ruined. 
It is not enough to dig a hollow here and 
there to collect the rain, which while it is 
abundant will fill every place that will con- 
tain it ; because a long hot season will dry up 
all ordinary ponds and contrivances. The 
best way is to find the places or little pools 
that the rain usually fills, and that may be wet 
or damp even in summer, and set to work at 
excavating for a considerable depth. The 
best form for an open reservoir where there 
are cattle, is to keep the ends and sides suffi- 
ciently sloping to prevent the earth falling in, 
and the bottom of such gradual slope that, 
vphatever quantity of water there may be, it 
can be got at. The plan of the sides, ends, and 
bottom, would not be much unlike a barrow a 
little tilted. The bottom , > 
and end like the above, \ / 
and the sides thus :- — "^ / 
this will cause considerable labour, but is 
more effective when done ; and if a place is 
selected where the w^ater already lies or has 
lain in, the soil will nearly if not quite always 
be found to be stiff and capable of retaining 
it. The advantage of such form is, that the 
cattle can get along the slope to the w^ater, 
whether there be much or little. This is a 
(age, where for cattle it would be useless. As 
a general rule, you should examine all the por- 
tions of the estate, and mark well where there is 
any water standing, or Avhere there has been 
any. This will not always be at the lowest 
part of the ground ; but where the water natu- 
rally flows from the other parts above, it must 
be a good place to catch all the advantages of 
the rain that falls in the wet season. Make 
the excavation large enough and deep enough 
to hold an immense quantity, and when you 
have done this, afford every facility you can 
for the draining of the higher lands into this 
place ; for instance, intercept the waters that 
may fl^ow from other parts. We will suppose 
that even a place where the water lies natu- 
rally shall be on the side of rising ground, and 
not at the bottom ; that is to say, that a sort of 
hollow or valley is formed on the side of a 
slope, as shown at A ; then, by excavating 
.^ 
laborious mode of getting at water, because 
well sinking does not require a tenth part as 
much soil to be removed as this does ; but a 
well may be sunk for domestic use with ad van- 
that in the direction of the dotted lines one 
way, and lengthening it in the other direction, 
room may be made for any quantity of water. It 
may also be desirable to form ditches or drains 
to intercept all that would otherwise run down 
the other sides of the rising ground, as at B. 
By this means all that falls, or nearly so, may 
be conducted to the reservoir. This is merely 
to show a principle to act on ; it is not in- 
tended as a complete direction, but to show as 
easy a way as we know of to procure, or 
rather preserve, a quantity of water. It may 
be, that at a moderate depth you meet with 
land springs, which will greatly aid your 
supply. If you have provided a reservoir of 
this kind where the water naturally stands in 
some seasons, you may next look to the lowest 
ground on the estate for a place to make ano- 
ther ; first, that it may be a receptacle for the 
overflow of the one already made, and next, 
that it may be fed from all the available 
sources on the land. All natural drains and 
ditches should be conducted to it, and wdiere 
there are none they should be made. There 
