1the Sides of the Pit. The Ancients uſed to ſend
their Slaves, upon their being convicted of ſome
Crime, to dig in their Mines, where the noi
ſome Air ſoon diſpatched them. Againſt ſuch
Vapours we are taught to ſecure ourſelves, by
keeping the Air in continual Motion, and by
the Burning of Lamps, to the Intent, that if
the Vapour be very ſubtile, it may be conſu
med by the Flame, or if it be more groſs, the
Workmen may know when to get out of Harm's
Way, becauſe ſuch a heavy Vapour will give
them Notice by extinguiſhing the Light. But
if theſe Damps multiply upon you, and con
tinue for any Time, we are adviſed to dig Vents
on each Side, to give the Vapour a free Paſſage
to exhauſt itſelf. To prevent the falling in
of the Sides, work your Well in the following
Manner. Upon the Level of the Ground where
you reſolve to make your Well, lay a circular
Courſe of Work, either of Marble, or ſome
other ſtout Material, of the Diameter which
you intend for the Breadth of your Well. This
will be the Baſis or Foundation of your whole
Work. Upon this build the Sides of your Well
to the Height of three Cubits, and let it ſtand
till it is thoroughly dry. When this is dry, go
to digging your Well, and remove the Earth
from the Inſide of it; by which means, as you
dig away the Earth, the Sides already raiſed
will ſink by Degrees, and make their own Way
downwards; and thus adding to the Sides as
you go deeper, you may ſink your Work to
what Depth you pleaſe. Some are for Build
ing the Sides of the Well without Mortar, that
the Veins of Water may not be ſtopt from
getting through them. Others are for inclo
ſing it with no leſs than three different Walls,
that the Water riſing all up from the Bottom,
may be the clearer. But the main Point is
the Nature of the Place where you dig;
for as the Earth conſiſts of different Strata
placed one above the other, it ſometimes hap
pens, that the Rain-water, ſoaking thro' the up
per ſoft Coat, lodges in the firſt hard Bed;
and this never being pure, is unſit for Uſe:
At other Times, on the contrary, it happens,
that after you have actually found Water, up
on digging deeper, it ſlips away and is loſt.
The Reaſon of this is, that you have dug thro'
the Bottom of the Veſſel which contained it.
Upon this Account I very much approve of
thoſe who make their Well in the following
Manner. They encompaſs the Sides of the
Well, which is ready dug, with two Circles of
Wood or Plank, as if they were making a great
Tub, leaving the Space of about a Cubit be
tween the two Circles. This Interſpace be
tween the Planks, they ſill up with coarſe
Gravel, or rather with broken Fragments of
Flint or Marble, ſwimming in Mortar, and
then leave this Work to dry and harden for
ſix Months. This forms ſo entire a Veſſel,
that the Water can get in no other Way but
by bubbling up from the Bottom, by which
Means it muſt be thoroughly purged and be
perfectly clear and light. If you are to make
an horizontal Conduit under Ground, let the
Diggers obſerve the before-mentioned Precau
tions againſt noxious Vapours; and in order
to keep the Ground from falling down upon
them, let them make uſe of Props, and after
wards ſupport it with a regular Arch. The Con
duit ſhould have frequent Vents, ſome perpendi
cular, others oblique, not only for the exhaling
of unwholeſome Vapours, but chiefly for the
more convenient bringing out the Earth as it
is dug, and any Obſtruction which may get in.
When we are digging for Water, if we do
not, the lower we go, meet with moiſter
Clods of Earth, and if our Tools do not find
more and more eaſy Entrance, we ſhall cer
tainly be diſappointed of our Hopes of ſinding
what we dig for.
their Slaves, upon their being convicted of ſome
Crime, to dig in their Mines, where the noi
ſome Air ſoon diſpatched them. Againſt ſuch
Vapours we are taught to ſecure ourſelves, by
keeping the Air in continual Motion, and by
the Burning of Lamps, to the Intent, that if
the Vapour be very ſubtile, it may be conſu
med by the Flame, or if it be more groſs, the
Workmen may know when to get out of Harm's
Way, becauſe ſuch a heavy Vapour will give
them Notice by extinguiſhing the Light. But
if theſe Damps multiply upon you, and con
tinue for any Time, we are adviſed to dig Vents
on each Side, to give the Vapour a free Paſſage
to exhauſt itſelf. To prevent the falling in
of the Sides, work your Well in the following
Manner. Upon the Level of the Ground where
you reſolve to make your Well, lay a circular
Courſe of Work, either of Marble, or ſome
other ſtout Material, of the Diameter which
you intend for the Breadth of your Well. This
will be the Baſis or Foundation of your whole
Work. Upon this build the Sides of your Well
to the Height of three Cubits, and let it ſtand
till it is thoroughly dry. When this is dry, go
to digging your Well, and remove the Earth
from the Inſide of it; by which means, as you
dig away the Earth, the Sides already raiſed
will ſink by Degrees, and make their own Way
downwards; and thus adding to the Sides as
you go deeper, you may ſink your Work to
what Depth you pleaſe. Some are for Build
ing the Sides of the Well without Mortar, that
the Veins of Water may not be ſtopt from
getting through them. Others are for inclo
ſing it with no leſs than three different Walls,
that the Water riſing all up from the Bottom,
may be the clearer. But the main Point is
the Nature of the Place where you dig;
for as the Earth conſiſts of different Strata
placed one above the other, it ſometimes hap
pens, that the Rain-water, ſoaking thro' the up
per ſoft Coat, lodges in the firſt hard Bed;
and this never being pure, is unſit for Uſe:
At other Times, on the contrary, it happens,
that after you have actually found Water, up
on digging deeper, it ſlips away and is loſt.
The Reaſon of this is, that you have dug thro'
the Bottom of the Veſſel which contained it.
Upon this Account I very much approve of
thoſe who make their Well in the following
Manner. They encompaſs the Sides of the
Well, which is ready dug, with two Circles of
Wood or Plank, as if they were making a great
Tub, leaving the Space of about a Cubit be
tween the two Circles. This Interſpace be
tween the Planks, they ſill up with coarſe
Gravel, or rather with broken Fragments of
Flint or Marble, ſwimming in Mortar, and
then leave this Work to dry and harden for
ſix Months. This forms ſo entire a Veſſel,
that the Water can get in no other Way but
by bubbling up from the Bottom, by which
Means it muſt be thoroughly purged and be
perfectly clear and light. If you are to make
an horizontal Conduit under Ground, let the
Diggers obſerve the before-mentioned Precau
tions againſt noxious Vapours; and in order
to keep the Ground from falling down upon
them, let them make uſe of Props, and after
wards ſupport it with a regular Arch. The Con
duit ſhould have frequent Vents, ſome perpendi
cular, others oblique, not only for the exhaling
of unwholeſome Vapours, but chiefly for the
more convenient bringing out the Earth as it
is dug, and any Obſtruction which may get in.
When we are digging for Water, if we do
not, the lower we go, meet with moiſter
Clods of Earth, and if our Tools do not find
more and more eaſy Entrance, we ſhall cer
tainly be diſappointed of our Hopes of ſinding
what we dig for.
CHAP. VI.
Of the Uſes of Water; which is beſt and moſt wholeſome; and the contrary.
When Water is found, it ought not
to be raſhly applied to the Uſes of
Men. But as the City requires a very great
Plenty of Water, not only for drinking, but
alſo for waſhing, for ſupplying the Gardens,
for Tanners, and Fullers; for the Drains, and
for extinguiſhing ſudden Fires: The beſt is to
be choſen for drinking, and the others are to
be allotted to the other Uſes, according as
they are found to be reſpectively proper for
them. Theophraſtus was of Opinion, that the
colder the Water, the more ſerviceable to
Plants; and it is certain, that the foul and
muddy, eſpecially if it takes its Thickneſs
to be raſhly applied to the Uſes of
Men. But as the City requires a very great
Plenty of Water, not only for drinking, but
alſo for waſhing, for ſupplying the Gardens,
for Tanners, and Fullers; for the Drains, and
for extinguiſhing ſudden Fires: The beſt is to
be choſen for drinking, and the others are to
be allotted to the other Uſes, according as
they are found to be reſpectively proper for
them. Theophraſtus was of Opinion, that the
colder the Water, the more ſerviceable to
Plants; and it is certain, that the foul and
muddy, eſpecially if it takes its Thickneſs
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