bers of oak, fir, and other trees, which have been of late frequently found in the moor, upon making of sundry ditches and channels for the draining thereof; the oak trees lying somewhat above three feet in depth, and near their roots, which do still stand as they growed, viz. in firm earth below the river *."

In speaking of the great level, Dugdale is of opinion, that it was formerly firm and dry land, neither annoyed with stagnation of fresh waters, nor inundations from the sea; and this he supposes was the case both of the fens in Lincolnshire and the adjoining counties: for it is an established fact, that large timber trees will not thrive in watery or marshy lands, and such have been found lying in the earth abundantly in this country. Hence it will appear, that these lands were at a former period in a very different state to what they are at present, and the cause of such a remarkable change it is desirable to ascertain. On such occasions it is usual to wave the trouble of investigation, by referring it to some extraordinary convulsions of Nature; and an earthquake often in this way suddenly swallows up or supplies the place of a long train of natural causes. Dugdale himself, unable to find any documents, which might enable him to affirm positively on the subject, is obliged to have recourse to this kind of conjecture" By what means that violent breach and inundation of the sea was first made into this country, I am not able positively to affirm, therefore I must take leave to deliver my conjecture therein, from the most rational probabilities; which is, that it was by some great earthquake: for that such dreadful accidents have occasioned the like we have unquestionable testimonyt."

But the enquiring mind does not easily rest satisfied with such precipitate conclusions; it must have recourse to facts, for as it aims at truth, it requires demonstration. With this view, thereNn4 fore,

* Dugdale's "History of Imbanking and Draining," edit. by Cole, p. 141. -See Beauties in Cambridgeshire.

+ History of Imbanking, &c. p. 172.

fore, it will be necessary to speak of the nature, course, and extent of the natural rivers, within the limits of the district now to be described. The principal of these, which either rise in this county, pass through, or are connected with it, are the Trent, "the Ancholme, the Witham, the Welland, and the Glen, with other tributary streams.

The TRENT, though not properly a river of the county, rising in Staffordshire, and taking a north-eastern course through the counties of Derby and Nottingham, yet, as dividing the latter county from that of Lincoln, has a claim to some notice here. It forms the boundary on the north-western side, from the village of North Clifford to that of Stockworth; whence it constitutes the eastern boundary of the Isle of Axholme it thence flows to Aldborough, opposite to which it receives the Dun, and a little below, being joined by the Ouse, both mingle their waters with the Humber. From Gainsborough, where it is crossed by an handsome bridge, it is navigable for the conveyance of coals, corn, and various articles of commerce to its estuary.

The ANCHOLME is a small river, rising in the Wolds, near Market-Rasin, whence, flowing northward by Glanford Bridge, it is navigable to the Humber, and falls into this river some miles below the junction of the Trent.

The WELLAND takes its rise near Sibertoff in Northamptonshire; and being increased by numerous rivulets and streams, passes Market Deeping; where, entering the fens, it leaves a portion of its waters and sludge or sock, which it had accumulated in its previous passage through the rich lands of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, and Rutlandshire. In its course from Deeping to Croyland it divides into two streams; the one branching off southward by east to Wisbeach; and the other, by a sluggish course, through an artificial channel, to Spalding and Surfleet, where meeting the contributary Glen, it empties itself into Fossdyke-Wash, east of Boston.

The WITHAM only is properly and completely a river of this county, and is entitled to particular notice. It may be said to

derive its source near South Witham, a village about ten miles north of Stamford; and thence flows almost duly north, by North Witham, Coltersworth, through the park of Easton, and to Great Ponton, where another stream joins it from Skillington and Stoke Rochford. At Little Ponton it receives a small brook, and then proceeds on the eastern side of the town of Grantham; whence it flows by Belton Park and Syston, and then turns westerly to Long Bennington. Here it bends again to the north; and after flowing by Claypole and Beckingham, it proceeds through a wide sandy valley to Lincoln. It now flows almost directly east to Grubhill, where it turns to the south-east, and continues in this direction to Boston, and unites its waters with the sea, at a place called Boston Deeps. From its source to Beckingham its banks are diversified with rising grounds and ornamental objects. Among the latter are the elegant spire of Grantham church, the fine woods at Belton Park, Syston Park, and Little Ponton. In its course to Lincoln the contiguous country is diversified by high grounds, vallies, and woods: after passing the city it leaves -the high lands, and continues through a level tract of country to the sea. Much of the present bed of the river from Boston upwards is a new artificial cut, made for the purpose of widening and straightening the channel, rendering it more commodious for navigation, and better adapted to receive and carry off the water of the contiguous fens.

These rivers, with those of the Grant, Ouse, and Nene, in the adjoining counties, from the obstructions they meet in delivering their waters to the ocean, are the cause of drowning so large a portion of valuable land. By which means, instead of deriving the benefits the country otherwise might, from the occasional overflowing of their waters, had they been permitted to have a free passage to the sea, it has been greatly injured by their stagnating effects; yielding little profit to the proprietors, and annoying those who reside in their vicinity. From these and other causes the courses of the rivers have been changed at times; their usual channels being obstructed, the waters have forced through the

low

low lands new passages to the sea. Their direction has been sometimes altered, by the plans put in execution for the drainage of the country. Thus the "Welland having anciently its course by Spalding, through the decay of the out-fall there, a great part thereof sometime fell through Great Passons, and so out by Quaplode; but that out-fall also decaying, as most outfalls over the washes have and still will do, that way was stopped up, and the river driven to seek a course in a very faint manner, by south-east, towards Wisbeach; where again, through the defect of Wisbeach's out-fall, when it meeteth with the Nene at the new Leames-end at Guyhirne, they both turn back under Waltersey Bank to Hobbes, and so to Harche Stream; and there meeting with the great branch of Nene came to Welle, and so to Salter's Lode."

We are informed by Leland, that a channel was cut to divert it nearly in the line of its ancient course, by a shorter way, called the New Drain, in which passing Croyland, it runs into the sea by Spalding.

Other rivers of the Fen Country have experienced similar changes.

The Witham, by powers granted to Commissioners in the time of Richard the Second, it appears, that its ancient bed had been choaked up between Claypole and Lincoln, by which means the current had been diverted, and much of the adjacent country overflowed from the waters endeavouring to find another passage.

And in the eighteenth of the said King's reign, a new Commission was appointed to view and repair the different banks, sewers, &c. between the Hill Dyke and Bolingbroke. The latter part of its course was diverted by art from the old bed under the direction of a Mr. Grundy, surveyor and engineer, about the year 1762. The plan was only partially acted upon, by which the waters of the Witham were conducted by a new channel, with double embankments, commencing near Hambridge, proceeding

to Langrick Ferry, and thence through Anton's Gowt, to the grand Sluice near Boston.

That the obstructions, which these rivers meet in their passage, has been the cause of the inundations, is clearly evident; but perhaps what has occasioned those may not be so manifest. In viewing the various inlets of the sea on this part of the coast it is surprising to observe the immense quantity of sand and sludge which is continually depositing on the shore. This is caused by the nature of the tides, which, from the form of the channel, flow with much more violence than they ebb. This causes the mouths of the rivers to be choaked up, and the descending waters to be thrown back on the lowlands, in the vicinity of their banks. "Whosoever hath observed the constant tides, which flow up the river Ouse, at Lynne, will find the water always very thick and muddy there, because the sea bearing a larger breadth northwards, from thence worketh with so much distemper. It is no wonder therefore, that a great proportion of silt doth daily settle in the mouth of the Ostiary, and likewise in the other, viz. of Wisbeche, Spalding, and Boston, so that in time it could not but grow to that thickness, without some artificial helps to quicken the current, upon its evacuation at every ebb, whereby it might be carried out again, that it must needs force back the fresh waters, and cause them not only to overflow, but at length to drown the whole level, through which their streams did pass. And this we see was apparently the case here; for to such an height is the silt grown, that in the year 1635, upon the deepening of Wisbeche river, the workmen, at eight feet below, came to another bottom which was stoney, and in it, at several distances, found several boats that had lain there overwhelmed with the silt for many ages

The Great Bay, or Estuary, into which the different rivers, passing through the Fens are disembogued, is very shallow and full of shifting sands and silt. The rivers, which are constantly loaded

* Dugd. Imb. p. 177.