Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/28

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. m. JAN. is, 1917.

Worsley, we were told we must either send or go to Mr. Gilbert's, Steward to the Duke, for a Ticket to see the Works. To save Time we went ourselves to Mr. Gilbert's, a very smart brick House on rising* Ground commands a View of the Canal within sight is a large Moor or quick Sand, We got a Note sent it to the Workmen ; waited some time ; at last the Boat is ready. Candles brought we embarked in a long narrow Boat adapted for the Purpose. We entered 1

Sunday 13th. Breakfasted, it rained so hard the whole Morning that we did not stir out till after Dinner, took a Walk down to the Bridge to see the great Flood. The Water came down at a great Bate and had overflowed its Banks. The Houses* on the other Side the River....* are

called f we crossed another Bridge only for

Foot Passengers made of Wood. We went into the new Church built in the Gothic taste, it is very neat withinside, the Pews of Wainscot with the Owners' Names round this Church is a Square of Houses likewise built in the Gothic Stile it stands very pleasant in Point of Prospect. We walked thro' all the Streets and truly Man- chester may be reckoned the ....!

Monday 14th. Went to look at the River was very glad to see the Waters had subsided somewhat breakfasted found the Bill very ex- orbitant, told the Fellow of it before all his Ser- vants. I wish there was some other House besides this Bull's Head, the Fellow must have a bad Heart he hates a Dog was glad to leave the Fellow's House set off at 10 the Road very sandy all the Way, the late Rains made it better for travelling in some Parts it was overflowed but in none so high as to come into the Carriage. It was not without some Debates that we con- cluded of going the North wich Road, however I wrote to Mrs. Dale at the Red Lion at Warring- ton to send the Trunk, etc., to the White Lion at Chester. We found the Road much like that f. W., but on the Whole it was the shortest and best way from Manchester to Chester. We just stopped at Mairnf to water the Horses near a large neat brick House belonging to Squire Brookes and a few Miles farther a White House standing very low belonging to .... t and a little farther on is a very large noble brick House with

Offices at the Back, the Seat of the late 1

Lady. . . . t now lives in it the present. . . . f being a Minor about 8 years old the Estate is worth 12000 a year which will be drawn by the time he is of age.

About 2 o'c. we got to Northwich, it is 20 M. f. Manchester, 12 f. Warrington and 17 f. Chester. We put up at the Crown where we met with a good Dinner and droll Landlord. Directly after we had dined we went to see the, Salt Pits we entered the Place where it was drawing up, sorted and weighed. We put a Jacket over our Clothes and went down with a Man in one of the Buckets 30 Yds. the first Shaft then 22 Yds. to the Bottom. When I got down I was agreeably struck with the Novelty of the Place a fine high Roof with large long rows of Pillars glittering like Diamonds presented itself with a Door at the Top where we were lowered down. This Pit is 52 Yds. from the Surface of the Earth, it is 20 ft. high, and contains f of an Acre of Ground. The Sides, Roof, etc., is quite smooth

(?)

(?) indistinct.

t Omitted.

and were as if worked with a Chisel. They begin- at top to break off large Pieces and work down,- The Pillars are 10 ft. by 5 but are not equi-distant_ This Place must have a fine Appearance when illuminated. The Men work Task* 2 /4 pr Ton which they do with Ease in a Day sometimes 2 /6~ This Rock Salt may be bought here for 8d.* a Bucket on Condition of paying the Duty w. is 3.1 the Piece* for the Rock Salt pays 6 per Ton Duty and the Pit pays annually 22,000, it be- longs to Mr. Blackburn of Liverpool. The Town also paid last Year 82,700 Duty for Salt. There is one Pit which extends two Acres, the Pillars are regular but the Earth having in some Places given way : some People think it dangerous to go down tho' there are many men still employed in it. The White Salt is much preferable to the Black, but there is a great Deal of stone mixed with both sometimes. The White runs clear a long Way but narrow, it. ... f The Salt Springs*

I ordered the Men a Crown which they always come and drink at the Inn. The Truth is tho' they work hard, subsist till Night on Bread and Butter Milk, they have a good hot Supper ; they may be very healthy but I do not think they appear to be strong. In the Evening we went to see a Company of Strollers. The House was very good and the Performance especially the Females not very bad. George Barnwell was played by one Martin who has a genius for painting bothj forf spouting in which I cannot say he shines.. There was a little Boy about 8 Years old who astonished us by playing upon a Spiratto (or improved Dulcimer) exceeding fine, he has a surprising Ear, can play 2 or 3 Tunes and can learn one in a Minute, his Father is a great Genius and Jack of all Trades very sober and indus- trious and has taught his Boy to play much better- than himself. The young Genius does it with so much Ease and Pleasure that it is thought he would make a great Figure in the musical World if he were put under the Hands of an able Master,. but the Father seems very fond of him and says they dp very well in the Country sufficient to maintain themselves. Would not punish our- selves by staying the Entertainment of the Mock Doctor but crawled Home. The Girls who acted were not very handsome su(?) atrag mo mu>me.

Tuesday 15th. Breakfasted, had just cash to pay the Bill, forced to exclude the Fille de C. which I fancy she so resented as to lay a Spell upon us, for we had just got out of the Town when we found the Screw of the Spring had given way whilst we were repairing this by lashing it to the car* espied a much greater Misfortune,, alas one of the BalirJ Necks was broken all the Wood Part and the under Iron only held by the upper Plate. This compelled us to return to our facetious Landlord we walked and Thomas drove the Carriage sitting in the Boot.

It was a rainy Day so we comforted ourselves on being home and the Pleasure of a Dance that Night.

Wednesday 16th. Did not get up till past 9' breakfasted, then I waited on my pretty Part- ner Miss Filkin, found her Father, instead of a Physician, a small Apothecarie's Shop, made a


 * (?). t Omitted % Illegible.

Illegible, but apparently a quotation from, some foreign language.