424 
rendered it impofhible for them to get out. 
Their fituation feemed terrible, but for- 
tunately they kept above water till they 
reached a {mall hay-ftack, where they 
found a fate afylum till morning ; when 
the forrow and anxiety of their friends, 
who had during the night given them up 
for loft, were removed. 
November rft, I went from Cambridge 
to Monmouth, in Monmouththire, 22 
miles. As the waters were fo much out, 
J found it impraéticable to crefs the Se- 
_ verntill I reached Newnham-Ferry, which 
is a few miles below Gloucefter. The 
country between Cambridge and the Fer- 
ry is level, and produces a great quantity 
ot apples; the fields chiefly pafture, and 
farms imal]. The Severn at Newnham, 
when the tide is full, is about half a mile 
ever: on account of the water being much 
{pread into the country, and covering the 
yoads fince the late flood, I found it very 
difficult to reach the paflage in fafety, 
and was under the neceflity of procuring a 
guide, left I fhould plunge my horle into 
a ditch. We waited fome time till the 
_ tide was full, when the water feemed fill; 
but the boat having to come from the 
other fide, the tide was returning with 
fach violence, affifted by a fmart breeze 
of wind, before we arrived at the oppofite 
fhore, that the boat was very near being 
{wept fo far below the landing place, as 
to render our reaching it impracticable : 
and as the lower banks were verv high, as 
taras I could jee, J cannot tell what the 
confequence might have been. Newnham 
is a pretty well-built village: the church 
ftands ona bigh cliff, which rifes perpen- 
dicularly from the Severn: this cliff, or 
fear, isa fort of red fhiver; it keeps 
meuldering away by the force of the 
ftream, which threatens in time to under- 
mine the church. From Newnham I 
came into the Foreft of Dean, on the en- 
trance of which ftands Mitcheldean, a 
fmall, dirty, ancient market-town: the 
intervening country is rather high and 
unlevel, and contains fruit in abundance ; 
apple trees are even growing on hedges 
by the fides of high reads, “Froma part 
of this diftrict I have a fine view of the 
city of Gioucefter: it feems to ftand ona 
plain, ina fine country, watered with the 
Severn, and the churches, and other large 
edifices, give ita good appearance, Jutt 
Deyond Mitcheldean I entered the uncul- 
tivated woody pait of this foreft, through 
which I travelled for fix or feven miles, 
betore I reached the other fide. This is 
truly aromantic wild place; the road is 
good, but clofe.fhut up with woeds and 
Mr. Foufman’s Taur continued. 
[Dec. 
bufhes on each fide, and it is very rare 
that the rifing hill affords a view to any 
diftance, and when that happens, nothing 
befides this widely extended foreft can be 
feen ; fometimes one is led through deep 
vailies, overhung and darkened with thick 
woods, while the murmuring of little 
ftreams gives the whole an air of f{o- 
lemnity. The wood of this foreft is much 
decayed: in fome parts indeed there are 
large quantities of good cak without un- 
derwood, but in moft places the oaks are 
thinly fcattered and bad; while old rotten < 
thorns, and fuch like unprofitable fhrubs, 
are fuffered to occupy thoufands of acres, 
which might be turned to great advantage 
either by cultivation or replenifhing with 
oak and other goodtimber. In this forett 
I {aw a few fheep and deer; but not 
a human being, nor a houfe, except 
one of the keeper’s lodges, which ftands 
ina pleafant but not an open part of the 
wood. A number of old coal pits are 
dangeroufly left open very near the road. 
The coal mines in this foreft are very nu- 
merous, and the miners form a large body 
cf feveral thoufands, who have lately been 
rather formidable to the neighbourhood, 
on account of the high prices of carn and 
other provifions, which they threaten 
to feize and dilpofe of as they think 
proper. Slate and flags are alfo got here 
in large quantities, and very good. The 
{ail is generally dry, and produces much 
fern, . Leaving Dean Foreft I ‘quit the 
main turnpike and pafs along a by-road; 
through two finall but pretty villages, 
in a very hilly rocky country: here the 
rocks, or large ftones, which  prefent 
themfelves by the fides of the read, feem 
to be a ftrange compolition of hard white 
ftones and fand, cemented together in one 
mats. I came in fight of Monmouth dt 
the diftance of about halfa mile from it; 
The town ftands in a low vale, furrounded 
with hills, which are covered with wood to 
the tops, and have green fields near the 
bafes floping towards the town. It is {mall; 
ancient, rather of a mean appearance, and 
has little trade or manufaGtures. A fine 
river pafles by to the Severn. The feil 
in this neighbourhood is lightifh, and 
gravelly in general; but in fome placeg 
a mixture of reddifh clay prevails: moftof 
the land is in grafs, but a little wheat, 
barley, and oats are cultivated: Farms 
are from 251. to 250l..a year; and rent 
tl. to gl. ros. an acre. On the banks 
of the river red and white freeftone is got. 
Grapes grow here in tolerable perfection, 
in the open air, and fo plentiful that thaé 
truit may be bought very cheap. The 
a : Duke 
as 
