Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/382

 Chap. X. OF MANCHESTER. 351 would' in a century, form a confiderable cruft. This is found upon our mofles two orthree or four yards in thickncls. And as the great body of fhgnatcd water was fed with regular fupplies from the original current additional influxes or both, the moffy traft would gradually extend itfelf, defert the natural o* artificial hollow in which it was originally formed, and fpread' over the neighbouring grounds. Thus the broacl embrowned wafte of Chatmofs muft have begun at fixft in the hollow of a little val- ley, and muft have afterwards ufurped upon all the loftier grounds around it ; a confiderable region of it now lying higher than many parts of the contiguous country, and the center being; ffrll higher than the reft. In thefe efforts the imprifoned wa- ters have fbmetimes lb violently diftended the coat, that the* texture of it has been broken, the country has been deluged with an inky torrent, and the cultivated fields have been overfpread* with a deftru&ive flime. Thus our own Hough's mofs, or as in. peculiar eminence it was denominated among us The Mofs, burft on New-yearVday in 1633, fpread a deep bed of filth over the neighbouring lands, and poifoned all the fi/h in the neighbour- ing rivulets 1 *- And,, upon any long continuance of rain at pre* ftntj. the cruft of Chatmofs is vifibly lifted up by the heaving, waters below, and even riles fo confiderably as entirely to inter- cept fome extended profpe&s acrofs it. Nor is the firmer ground of our fable moors any thing elfe in reality than fuch an extent of mofly foil difcharged of its ftagnant waters, dried either by the accidental diverfion of the feeding rill,, by the accidental or re- gular emiffion of its current, or by both, or having, all its waters, exhauftcd and exhaled by the demands of the luxuriant harveft above. Thus. upon, the firm levels of Walkden and Kearfley moors have been found innumerable trees, ,firs,.birches, quickens, and oaks, buried within the black foil ;. and, even four yards be- low, the fur face and.dire&ly under the foil,, a. long lank grafs has been difcovered in plenty lying upon the natural mold. Thefe a£ive principles muft neceflarilyhave operated with more or. lefs vigour from the beginning.. Thefe. a£tive principles muft neceffarily haveafted with thegreateft vigemr during the woodland folitary: