Page:Walker (1888) The Severn Tunnel.djvu/129

70 was manifest that the river had to some extent broken into us.

At low water, when there remained in a pool at this point, called ‘The Salmon Pool,’ only about 3 feet of water, we completed the length of brickwork in the best way we could, stopping back the water with litter; and at the same time sent a number of men out on the foreshore of the river to see if they could find any holes by which the water had found its way into the tunnel. As that part of the river-bed was never actually dry at low water, and as it was impossible to indicate with any precision to the men the spot they were to search, a considerable time was spent fruitlessly in endeavouring to find the hole. At last, by making a number of men join hands and walk through the water, the hole was found; one of the men suddenly popping down out of sight, and being pulled out by those who had hold of his hands at either side. Having found the hole, it was only a work of time to secure it on the top; but as there was a risk that the water running through continuously might seriously enlarge it, the pumps at the Sea-Wall side were stopped, and the water allowed to rise in the tunnel to the same height as the tide outside. In the meantime clay-puddle had been prepared, and as soon as it was ready, a schooner was loaded with it and taken out at high water to the point where the hole had been discovered; at low water the hole was effectually stopped by layers of loose clay and clay in bags